The view for the pilot of
a helicopter isn't bad!
But not only Sikorsy type S-61N served the rigs
The chopper is a Sikorsky S-58, but an English model licence built at Westland. The Westland Wessex (Series 60) had 2 Gnome-engines. The pilots is sitting above the engines, half a floor higher than the passengers in the cabin.
The comfort with canvas fold up seats(!) were much less comfortable then in the S-61N operatet by Helikopter Service.
This helicopter type was the first one used commercialy in the North Sea Oil traffic, starting 1963-64.
When the Ekofisk field was extended, there was also the need for small shuttle helicopters
The winter 1957-1958 this aircraft supported a test route between the Stavanger Airport, Sola and Haraldstøtten at Haugesund. The aicraft carried 2 - 3 passangers on this first commercially air service with helicopter in Norway, and probably also the first in the whole Scandinavia.
Later on the LN-ORD was placed at the ''Gulf Tide'' at Ekofisk in 1971 and used as a shuttle helicopter. It was transported on a supply ship from the shore.
The aircraft was replaced by a Bell 206B Jet Ranger in 1972.
It was in operation ashore until main overhaul in 1980. The the LN-ORD was parked in the HS hangar at Forus.
2 years later, again the aircraft was sertified by the Norwegian ''Luftfartsverket.'' The owner was the shipbroker Jan F. Tenvig who sold it to the HS flying club for NOK.1,-.
Mike Boxill had the honour of a test flight, and then flying LN-ORD from forus to the hangar of the HS flying club at Sola the 12th. of January 1983.
This was the last time LN-ORD was airborne. Shortly after the LN-ORD was sold/donated to The Norwegian Technical Museum in Oslo.
This is how today's shuttle chopper look
And the passenger traffic to and from the shore is carried out by Super Pumas
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