UK based operator and support organisation Specialist Aviation Services has assisted South Georgia Heritage Trust in successfully completing the first phase of a 5 year project to eradicate rats which have decimated the island’s unique population of seabirds over recent decades.

The project involves dropping special bait across areas of the island by helicopter for a set period each year for which the Trust has acquired two Bo 105 helicopters.

Maintaining helicopters in the cold and remote Antarctic environment was always going to be a challenge, complicated by there having been less than a month to mobilise the support to meet this year’s operational window.

Specialist Aviation Services has been able to provide the logistical support as well as sending engineers to support the transportation, re-assembly and day to day operation of the helicopters.

Project Director for the Trust, Professor Tony Martin commented “Flight safety is paramount in this operation, and we must have helicopter maintenance of the highest order, despite the remote location and challenging conditions. We are delighted to have Specialist Aviation Services as partners in our work on South Georgia.”

For more information on this operation, see Charity buys two Bo105s for rat eradication on remote island.  HeliHub.com particularly notes that it was Bond Air Services who sold the pair of helicotpers to South Georgia Heritage Trust, but now Specialist Aviation Services supporting them.  The two rival companies have their bases on adjacent ramps at Gloucestershire Airport in the UK