UK’s Royal Air Force has reduced its fleet of VVIP AgustaWestland 109E Powers from two to one from the end of March 2013, two years after taking another of the original three away. The remaining aircraft is expected to fly 500 hours a year

The unexpected move of serial ZR323 back to the UK civil register as G-CDVE had the HeliHub.com team investigating. The remaining aircraft – ZR322 – will continue its VVIP operation transporting top politicians and the royal family from their base at RAF Northolt, a few miles north of London’s Heathrow Airport. Their current contract runs on a year-by-year basis, the short renewal period of one year no doubt to provide flexibility if they need to change the number of helicopters again.

We understand that the aircraft taken out of service has been ferried from Northolt to AgustaWestland’s plant at Yeovil for storage until its future is decided.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com