VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Variable Interest Entities [Abstract]

VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

Note 3 ¾VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SIGNIFICANT AFFILIATES

A Variable Interest Entity (“VIE”) is an entity that either (i) has insufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or (ii) has equity investors who lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest.  A VIE is consolidated by its primary beneficiary.  The primary beneficiary has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. If we determine that we have operating power and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits, we consolidate the VIE as the primary beneficiary, and if not, we do not consolidate the VIE.

As of September 30,2011, we hadinterests in three VIEs of which we are the primary beneficiary, which are described below.

Bristow Aviation Holdings Limited — We own 49% of Bristow Aviation Holdings Limited's (“Bristow Aviation”) common stock and a significant amount of its subordinated debt. Bristow Aviation is incorporated in England and holds all of the outstanding shares in Bristow Helicopter Group Limited (“Bristow Helicopters”). Its subsidiaries provide helicopter services to clients primarily in the U.K, Norway, Australia and Nigeria. Bristow Aviation is organized with three different classes of ordinary shares having disproportionate voting rights. The Company, Caledonia Investments plc and its subsidiary, Caledonia Industrial & Services Limited (collectively, “Caledonia”) and a European Union investor (the “E.U. Investor”) own 49%, 46% and 5%, respectively, of Bristow Aviation's total outstanding ordinary shares, although Caledonia has voting control over the E.U. Investor's shares.

In addition to our ownership of 49% of Bristow Aviation's outstanding ordinary shares, in May 2004, we acquired eight million shares of deferred stock, essentially a subordinated class of stock with no voting rights, from Bristow Aviation for £1 per share ($14.4 million in total). We also have £91.0 million ($141.8million) principal amount of subordinated unsecured loan stock (debt) of Bristow Aviation bearing interest at an annual rate of 13.5% and payable semi-annually. Payment of interest on such debt has been deferred since its incurrence in 1996. Deferred interest accrues at an annual rate of 13.5% and aggregated $908.2million as of September 30,2011.

The Company, Caledonia, the E.U. Investor and Bristow Aviation have entered into a shareholder agreement respecting, among other things, the composition of the board of directors of Bristow Aviation. On matters coming before Bristow Aviation's board, Caledonia's representatives have a total of three votes and the two other directors have one vote each. In addition, Caledonia has the right to nominate two persons to our board of directors and to replace any such directors so nominated.

Caledonia, the Company and the E.U. Investor also have entered into a put/call agreement under which, upon giving specified prior notice, we have the right to buy all the Bristow Aviation shares held by Caledonia and the E.U. Investor, who, in turn, each have the right to require us to purchase such shares. Under current English law, we would be required, in order for Bristow Aviation to retain its operating license, to find a qualified E.U. investor to own any Bristow Aviation shares we have the right to acquire under the put/call agreement. The only restriction under the put/call agreement limiting our ability to exercise the put/call option is a requirement to consult with the Civil Aviation Authority (“CAA”) in the U.K. regarding the suitability of the new holder of the Bristow Aviation shares. The put/call agreement does not contain any provisions should the CAA not approve the new E.U. investor. However, we would work diligently to find a E.U. investor suitable to the CAA. The amount by which we could purchase the shares of the other investors holding 51% of the equity of Bristow Aviation is fixed under the terms of the call option, and we have reflected this amount on our condensed consolidated balance sheets as noncontrolling interest.

Furthermore, the call option provides a mechanism whereby the economic risk for the other investors is limited should the financial condition of Bristow Aviation deteriorate. The call option price is the nominal value of the ordinary shares held by the noncontrolling shareholders (£1.0million as of September 30,2011) plus an annual guaranteed rate of return less any prepayments of such call option price and any dividends paid on the shares concerned. We can elect to pre-pay the guaranteed return element of the call option price wholly or in part without exercising the call option. No dividends have been paid. We have accrued the annual return due to the other shareholders at a rate of sterling LIBOR plus 3% (prior to May 2004, the rate was fixed at 12%) by recognizing noncontrolling interest expense in our condensed consolidated statements of income, with a corresponding increase in noncontrolling interest on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. Prepayments of the guaranteed return element of the call option are reflected as a reduction in noncontrolling interest on our condensed consolidated balance sheets. The other investors have an option to put their shares in Bristow Aviation to us. The put option price is calculated in the same way as the call option price except that the guaranteed rate for the period to April 2004 was 10% per annum. If the put option is exercised, any pre-payments of the call option price are set off against the put option price.

Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries are exposed to similar operational risks and are therefore monitored and evaluated on a similar basis by management.  Accordingly, the financial information reflected on our condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of income for Bristow Aviation and subsidiaries is presented in the aggregate, including intercompany amounts with other consolidated entities, as follows (in thousands):

			September 30,		March 31,
			2011		2011
Assets
	Cash and cash equivalents		$	39,362	$	29,840
	Accounts receivable			201,030		190,896
	Inventories			93,902		108,586
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets			65,478		50,296
		Total current assets		399,772		379,618
	Investment in unconsolidated affiliates			12,686		12,344
	Property and equipment, net			184,505		221,274
	Goodwill			13,167		15,915
	Other assets			8,156		9,794
		Total assets	$	618,286	$	638,945
Liabilities
	Accounts payable		$	107,258	$	72,140
	Accrued liabilities			966,200		902,570
	Deferred taxes			9,437		9,816
	Short-term borrowings and current			1,982		2,724
		maturities of long-term debt
		Total current liabilities		1,084,877		987,250
	Long-term debt, less current maturities			150,801		156,080
	Accrued pension liabilities			97,237		99,645
	Other liabilities and deferred credits			1,252		13,043
	Deferred taxes			9,122		16,334
		Total liabilities	$	1,343,289	$	1,272,352

	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
		2011	2010			2011	2010
Revenue	$	252,292	$	223,609	$	497,618	$	427,827
Operating income (loss)		(18,387)		10,544		(16,515)		18,133
Net loss		52,085		21,875		82,722		41,468

Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Ltd. — Bristow Helicopters Nigeria Ltd. (“BHNL”) is a joint venture in Nigeria with local partners, in which we own an interest of 40%. BHNL provides helicopter services to clients in Nigeria.

In order to have a presence in the Nigerian market, we were required to identify local citizens to participate in the ownership of entities domiciled in the region. However, these owners do not have extensive knowledge of the aviation industry and have historically deferred to our expertise in the overall management and day-to-day operation of BHNL (including the establishment of operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of BHNL's operations). We have also historically provided subordinated financial support to BHNL and will need to continue to do so unless and until BHNL acquires sufficient equity to permit itself to finance its activities without that additional support from us. Thus, because we have the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of BHNLand hold a variable interest in the entity in the form of our equity investment and working capital infusions, we consolidate BHNL as the primary beneficiary.

BHNL is an indirect subsidiary of Bristow Aviation; therefore, financial information for this entity is included within the amounts for Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries presented above.

Pan African Airlines Nigeria Ltd. — Pan African Airlines Nigeria Ltd. (“PAAN”) is a joint venture in Nigeria with local partners, in which we currently own an interest of 50.17%. PAAN provides helicopter services to clients in Nigeria.

The activities that most significantly impact PAAN's economic performance relate to the day-to-day operation of PAAN, setting of operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of PAAN's operations. Throughout the history of the PAAN, ourrepresentation on the board and our secondment to PAAN of its managing director has enabled us to direct the key operational decisions of PAAN (without objection from the other board members). We have also historically provided subordinated financial support to PAAN and will need to continue to do so unless and until PAAN acquires sufficient equity to permit itself to finance its activities without that additional support from us. As we have the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of PAAN and hold a variable interest in the form of our equity investment and working capital infusions, we consolidate PAAN as the primary beneficiary. However, as long as we own a majority interest in PAAN, the separate presentation of financial information in a tabular format for PAAN is not required.