Information
This helicopter was constructed in 2007 and was acquired by the recognized Swedish SAR & HEMS operator Norrlandsflyg AB. It was converted to a rescue helicopter by the American maintenance company Keystone Helicopter Corporation in Pennsylvania. Once completed the helicopter came to be stored at Keystone’s facility together with the sister ship
SE-JOJ for a period of time.
The helicopters were eventually delivered to Sweden by plane and trucks in the autumn of 2011. They were reassembled at Norrlandsflyg’s maintenance base at Gothenburg City Airport (Säve).
SE-JOB was assigned to the Visby base in order to replace the S-76C
SE-HAV as rescue helicopter in the Baltic Sea. The helicopter entered service as Lifeguard 907 in early 2009.
Swedish Maritime AdministrationOn 1 November 2011 the
Swedish Maritime Administration acquired all the stocks in Norrlandsflyg's parent company Scandinavian Helicopter Invest (SHI). The new helicopter division was named SMA Helicopter Rescue, which became a
subsidiary to Sjöfartsverket Holding (administered by the
Swedish Maritime Administration). All the SAR helicopters were included in the deal. The purchase also involved the EMS helicopters
SE-JUC and
SE-JEZ.
SMA Helicopter Rescue was formally incorporated in the
Swedish Maritime Administration on 22 January 2014.
The fleet of S-76 helicopters was gradually replaced by seven brand new AgustaWestland AW139s in 2014 and 2015. The first AW139 was deployed in active SAR service at the Umeå station on 14 April 2014.
Two S-76s (
SE-HEJ and
SE-HOJ were returned to their leasing owner in October 2014.
SE-JOB was the third S-76 to leave Sweden. It was sold to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, South America, and left Säve Airport in Gothenburg by truck in June 2015.