The outgoing head of the key offshore oil regulator says more information will be needed before clearance can be given to night flights to installations southeast of St. John's.

Max Ruelokke, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board, said the board wants more detail from three offshore operators on concerns about using helicopters in darkness.

"The advising documents from [an advisory] team listed a number of requirements for things that had to be in place i.e. training, simulator capability, those sort of things and others," said Ruelokke, referring to a group of employer and worker representatives whose work triggered a report released this month on the controversial practice.

"The operators have said that they are ready for this. We don't think they quite are yet."

Ruelokke, whose appointment as C-NLOPB chairman concludes this week, said when the operators turn over the requested information, it will be shared with the advisory group that had studied the issue.

Night flights to offshore oil fields were suspended in 2010 during the Offshore Helicopter Safety Inquiry led by retired judge Robert Wells.

The operators maintain that issues concerning training and equipment have been met, although unionized workers still have serious concerns with the practice, and consider it too risky.

Meanwhile, Ruelokke said a decision is not imminent, and that critics like Federation of Labour president Lana Payne will have sufficient time to respond.

"We want to make sure that [the advisory group has] an opportunity to see if it's been appropriately responded to," he said.

"My gut feel[ing] is that the board is not going to be able to make a decision until December, but more likely January or February, because we have to get this information together."

Ruelokke may continue to serve as acting C-NLOPB chairman when his appointment expires. A replacement has not yet been named to the board.

Wells' inquiry was called after the March 2009 Cougar Helicopters crash that killed 17 people. While the crash happened in daylight, Wells heard evidence that showed rescue missions face additional challenges at night.

Union speaks up

A union representing offshore oil workers is now reacting to Ruelokke's comments.

"Well of course we would like to continue the way we are going with no night flights," said Dennis Flood, chief shop steward aboard Hibernia, and a representative of CEP Local 2121.

"We're happy to hear Max Ruelokke's comments, and we'd like more information too."

Flood said helicopters used in offshore flights should only be used during daylight hours.

"If you make a controlled landing in the daytime, your chance of survival is much greater than if you have to make a controlled landing at night time," he said.

Flood said about 90 per cent of unionized workers on Hibernia have already signed a petition calling for night flights to be permanently banned.

Responds to Bowers controversy

Meanwhile, Ruelokke defended the work of controversial board member Reg Bowers, who has been associated with a widening controversy about the campaign spending of federal Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Peter Penashue.

Bowers had been campaign manager and official agent for Penashue's campaign, which is now the subject of an Elections Canada investigation for overspending. New revelations found that Penashue's team had worked out a retroactive agreement with Provincial Airlines to pay only about $7,000 of a significantly higher bill for travel — including chartered flights to remote coastal communities — during the 2011 election.

Bowers has been removed as Penashue's official agent, and the Conservative Party of Canada has brought in top advisors to handle the file from now on.

Ruelokke said Bowers has done his job well on the C-NLOPB.

"He's done his research, he comes prepared, so I don't distinguish him from any of the other board members. I think they all do a good job," said Ruelokke.

"They don't have particular offshore background but they have background in other things that can be usefully applied to what we do, so I'd take them all again if I had the opportunity."

Bowers was appointed to the C-NLOPB after the 2011 election. Opposition critics have labelled the appointment as patronage.