PHIIK

Phi Inc.

A helicopter company that flies crews, cargo, and marine pilots out to offshore oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, and also runs air-medical and search-and-rescue operations. Founded in 1949 in Lafayette, Louisiana as Petroleum Helicopters, it got its start shuttling seismic crews over the region's marshlands and swamps. Its initials come straight from that old name — PHI was "Petroleum Helicopters, Inc." until it rebranded in 2006 as its business grew beyond oil.