Chevron’s Esrkine unmanned platform has been successfully fitted with Orga’s CAP 437 Touchdown / Positioning Marking Circle and Heliport Identification Marking ‘H’ LED helideck lighting system, known as TD/PM Circle-H.
The platform is located roughly 150 miles (241km) east of Aberdeen, Scotland, in the Central North Sea.
Designed in conjunction with and approved by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA), the new fully fixed TD/PM Circle-H lighting system will provide helicopter pilots with the best possible visual cues during approach and landing on the Erskine platform, in all weather conditions.
The lighting system was installed by Wellhead Electrical Supplies (Orga’s UK distributor and installer) and is the latest in a long line of Circle-H projects implemented by Wellhead over the last three years.
Providing expert advice, Wellhead’s team of three engineers worked closely with Chevron and Orga to ensure the safe and correct integration of the Circle-H lighting system into the Erskine’s aluminium helideck landing surface.
Wellhead graduate electrical engineer Steven Rastall said: "Throughout all our Circle-H projects during the last three years, our clients have been impressed with the simplicity of installation.
"It is Orga’s clever design of the product, with LED light-prepared module semi-flexible low-profile (<25mm) metal plates, that enables easy mounting, and our approved fixing methods for both steel and aluminium decks ensures the structural integrity, durability and water-tightness of the helideck.
"In addition, pilots have reported smoother and more controlled landings, and no ‘black-hole’ effect. When you compare helidecks with and without Circle-H, there is a significant visual difference… even with a helideck landing net on."
Daniel Powell, Business Manager Helideck at Orga said: "The UK CAA replaced floodlighting with Circle-H lighting in its standards material CAP 437, 7th Edition, Amendment 01/2013 in February 2013, making it mandatory in UK waters.
"The updated 8th edition of CAP 437 was released in December 2016 and presents the final specification and the installation arrangements for the helideck lighting scheme.
"If you have not installed CAP 437 compliant Circle-H lighting by 31 March 2018, your helideck will be limited to daylight flights only."