Helicopters to return to service

Two variants of the Super Puma helicopter were grounded

The fleet of Super Puma helicopters operating in the UK will begin to return to service on Tuesday after a North Sea crash which killed 16 people.

The two types of Super Puma helicopter are being checked by ground staff and modifications made to gearboxes after the crash on 1 April which killed 16.

Industry body Oil and Gas UK said the fleet of 25 helicopters would gradually return to the air from Tuesday.

An initial report indicated there had been a gearbox failure.

Oil and Gas UK added aircraft would return to the skies only after the necessary modifications were made, but believed all would be fit to fly within 10 days.

The AS332L2 model Super Puma, the type involved in the 1 April crash, was grounded on Friday.

'Best interests'

The EC225LP variant Super Puma was also grounded that day. An example of this model crashed in the North Sea on 18 February in an accident in which all 18 on board survived.

Inspection and modifications on the aircraft's gearboxes have been carried out after the manufacturer, Eurocopter, issued an alert on Saturday.

Malcolm Webb, chief executive of Oil and Gas UK, said: "Oil and Gas UK applauds the way in which the UK helicopter operating companies are dealing with this matter.

"The companies are allowed three months to complete the modification.

"However, they have decided not to fly these aircraft until both the inspection and the modification have been completed, which must be in the best interests of safety for all those working offshore."

Fourteen passengers and two crew died in the 1 April crash

Following the February incident, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) blocked the use of personal locator beacons on passengers in case they interfered with the more powerful beacon signal from downed aircraft.

Oil and Gas UK said on Monday after a meeting that finding a technical solution to allow personal safety beacons to be safely reinstalled was a matter of urgency.

A proposed specification will be discussed with the CAA and within the industry over the next few days.

The grounding of Super Puma helicopters has forced BP to switch some of its offshore flights from Aberdeen to Shetland.

Oil workers going to installations west of Shetland are being flown to Sumburgh on fixed wing flights and then transferred by S61 helicopters.

Meanwhile, a pilots' organisation called on trade unions to back a wide-ranging safety summit in the wake of the tragedy.

The British Airline Pilots' Association said the summit should involve not only those with commercial interests in the industry but independent safety experts and helicopter pilots among others.

The body represents about 80% of Britain's professional airline and helicopter pilots. It has written to Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond about the matter.

The appeal to trade unions came through an emergency motion to the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Perth.

But Oil and Gas UK said it was "determined never to allow commercial considerations to prejudice safety."

It added that membership of the Helicopter Issues Task Force would not be limited to the industry alone, and that trade union representatives should participate.