Offshore

Fly Me (Pty)Ltd. is a dedicated helicopter service (operating in association with Heli-union) to the shipping agents and the maritime industry in the Southern African region. Operating from the recently built King Shaka International Airport in Kwa-Zulu Natal, South Africa, we offer a variety of airborne maritime services to the offshore shipping industry and the growing regional petroleum industry. This includes vessel crew changes, engineer/surveyor deployment and transporting of supplies and spares.

This helicopter service offers a cost effective, time efficient and highly safe alternative to the waterborne launch, giving ship owners and agents unprecedented professionalism and quality, unrivalled in this region. Utilizing the brand new, technologically advanced, Sikorsky S-76 C++ helicopters, specially outfitted and rigged for long distance offshore commuting, Fly Me sets the new benchmark in offshore operations. With an unrivalled range from shore, and a passenger payload of up to 12 people per flight, these state of the art machines offer our clients greater scope for their maritime requirements.

Various key stakeholders (whom have all sanctioned this operation), including the Transnet National Ports Authority, Customs and Excise, the Department of Transport and other critical role-players, ensure that all movements are conducted in strict accordance with international passenger movement legislation, regulations and legalities. All passengers and crew, embarking or disembarking from vessels are screened and processed in accordance with the standard international airport procedures. These internationally accepted standards are facilitated at the King Shaka International Airport where all systems are already in existence to screen transferring crews and passengers. This system protects both operator and client alike.

Operating from the Durban Harbour would not have met these newly required legal and legislative criteria, and would have hampered the present Marine Pilot Service helicopters’ core function (a pilot service transferring marine pilots conducting localized shipping movements). Furthermore, utilizing the Port Helicopter often proved more of a hindrance to both marine pilots and agents alike, due to delays incurred coordinating agent’s work around shipping schedules.

All operating procedures (soon to be implemented) are conducted in line with BCOCC regulations, requiring all necessary documents from the agents to be completed and stamped with approvals from SARS, the Immigration & Health Department and Customs & Excise before any work can commence. The agents receive this information well in advance, leaving us enough time to inform the necessary departments of any incoming or outgoing personnel. The improvement on past procedures is the controlled security at King Shaka International, where everyone departing or returning is searched (including all luggage and cargo), thus eliminating any threat or illegal contraband into, or out of the country.

Rotating crew landing at King Shaka International are attended to by Menzies Aviation (an international VIP aircraft and passenger handling company with accredited handlers) and escorted through the airport and to their awaiting transport.

In the event of supplies or cargo being ferried to vessels, the shipping agent clears the goods with all necessary documentation and has it delivered to the Cargo section at King Shaka International Airport; where Menzies Aviation then transports it to the helicopter. It is thereafter placed in a cargo net and under slung to the designated ship.

With Fly Me’s dedicated and professional crews, all of whom have extensive offshore helicopter operations experience (both nationally and internationally) insure your crew are in safe hands…literally. Let us fly you; flying is what we live for!

OFFSHORE OPERATIONS OVER 150nm SEAWARDS FROM KING SHAKA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

• SAPREF oil discharge crew and pilots for Single Buoy Mooring (SBM)
• Offshore ferrying of ship technicians, chemists, surveyors and divers
• Replacement and rotation of vessel crew
• Conveyance of doctors, lawyers and ship agents
• Offshore ferrying of ship documents, supplies, spares and mail