British operator Heli Air is to close their base at Fairoaks on the south-west borders of London at the end of February.  This comes a few months after they also moved out of Silverstone, where they had an office within the boundaries of the racing circuit that hosts the annual Formula 1 British Grand Prix.

Brian Kane of Heli Air told HeliHub.com that “there were and probably still are some unresolved safety issues [at Silverstone] that the company is not comfortable with“, and thus they decided not to continue with the base there for 2016.

At Fairoaks, he added that Heli Air “was unable to renew the lease on the operations building without having the comfort of a long term future use of the airfield and the renewal terms at the airport were not acceptable to the company“.  In late November 2015, the airfield was sold to Geneva-based airport consulting firm Airport Development Partners SA, an international airport investment and consulting firm and affiliate of US-based international commercial real estate group Westcore Properties.

On a more positive note, Heli Air has recently renewed three pipeline patrol contracts.  Additionally, sister company Airways Aero Associations Ltd continue with their management of Wycombe Air Park, and expect to make some major announcements in the next three months.

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com

Additional note, appended 23rd February 2016 4.46pm GMT

Following publication of the above story, including a verbatim quote from Brian Kane of Heli Air, we were provided with the following statement by Chris Hobbs, a director of Fairoaks Operations Ltd, (the airport licence holder) and the CAA accountable manager, which we reproduce in full:-  “Your article states that in November 2015 ADP acquired the airfield. That is not the case. The facts are that ADP acquired the buildings and some undeveloped land, comprising some 40 acres in total, ON the airfield from RBS/West Register (Property Investments) Ltd BUT the operational land, which includes the runway, aprons and taxiways plus the airport operation remains in the existing ownership of AlbemarleFairoaks Airport Ltd and Fairoaks Operations Ltd.”

We would also like to point out that the information regarding the November 2015 acquisition was based on this Airport Development Partners press release.  Also, Fairoaks Operations Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Guernsey-registered company Albermarle Fairoaks Airport Ltd (source)

Jeremy Parkin – HeliHub.com