Offshore route guide
Rio de Janeiro to Campos Basin Helicopter: Offshore Crew Change Guide
Rio (SBJR/SBRJ) to Campos Basin offshore platforms by helicopter. Flight times, S-92/AW139 crew-change logistics, HUET requirements, Macaé staging and costs.
The Campos & Santos Basin lifeline
The Campos and Santos basins produce the majority of Brazil's oil. Every barrel is supported by rotor lift — crew, medics, inspectors and executives fly to FPSOs and fixed platforms daily out of Macaé, with Rio-based executive charters filling the gap for boardroom visits, regulator missions and media.
Planning tips
- Stage from Macaé (SBME) for anything crew-change: the fuel math, the deck slots and the operator apron all live there.
- Use SBJR/SBRJ for direct executive lifts, media tours or short-notice regulator flights from Rio proper.
- Book HUET refresh 30 days out — expired offshore survival certificates ground passengers at the ramp, no exceptions.
- Confirm deck window early. FPSO decks are shared; slots move with weather, cargo and simultaneous ops.
Landing & deck procedure
Manifested passengers report to the Macaé heliport 90 minutes prior. Weigh-in, HUET/ID check, survival brief, boarding. On approach the deck LSO controls the slot; disembark in the marked lane only, keep clear of the tail rotor arc, follow the deck crew to the accommodation module. Total curb-to-cabin is typically 3–4 hours from Rio hotel to platform bunk.
Costs
- Scheduled crew seat (operator contract): allocated by the asset holder — not sold retail.
- Executive charter, AW139 SBJR → central Campos and return: USD 22,000–32,000 including deck fees.
- S-92 charter for larger parties or pre-salt range: USD 38,000–55,000 per rotation.
- Weather diversions, night ops and holding add 10–25%.
Book your Rio → offshore mission
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