The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-CILR), aircraft fire due to electrical short circuit, Wycombe Air Park, 22 July 2019 Correction: Sikorsky S-61N (G-ATBJ), control restriction on takeoff, Marchwood, Hampshire, 1 February 2018
Offshore operator CHC has produced an adaption for their offshore AW139s in the Netherlands to provide a safety screen between the pilots and the passengers during the COVID19 pandemic. Quinten Hergaarden, Deputy Accountable Manager at CHC Helicopters Netherlands spoke with HeliHub.com to explain the project further. With the AW139 cabin reduced from 12 to 8 passengers (for… Read more »
RAF Puma helicopters based at Kinloss Barracks in Moray have been supporting the Scottish Ambulance Service with the trials of the EpiShuttle medical isolation and transportation system as part of the Scottish Government’s coronavirus response. The Scottish Ambulance Service has trialled the use of the EpiShuttle to enable the safe and swift transportation of patients… Read more »
Air BP, the aviation division of BP, will provide free jet fuel for use by the helicopters of a number of UK air ambulance services, supporting their life-saving work during the current coronavirus pandemic. The air ambulance crews are on stand-by 24/7, ready to respond to emergencies where they are needed most. All these services are… Read more »
The coronavirus pandemic is having a severe impact on commercial travel and the general aviation industry. The London Heliport in Battersea, South London has been working closely with all relevant authorities and will continue to follow the latest advice from Public Health England and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Accordingly, with immediate effect and no… Read more »
Following HeliHub’s exclusive article Reed sells Vertical Flight Expo (ex Helitech), the purchasers have made this announcement:- Prysm Group is delighted to announce the launch of Helitech World Expo, Europe’s largest event for the helicopter sector. Welcoming 300 exhibitors and over 3,000 visitors, Helitech World Expo will empower the industry to reimagine the possibilities and… Read more »
The British Helicopter Association (BHA) is flagging up to the UK Government that there are plenty of helicopters available to transport both people and freight in the current time of need while the country battles Coronavirus (COVID-19). BHA sees urgent requirements from both Government and National Health Service (NHS) users. A number of operators including… Read more »
Today we are releasing our mission statistics for 2019 in order to raise awareness of the work we do day and night to help save lives in the capital. In 2019, our charity’s 30th anniversary year, we took an advanced trauma team to 1730 patients whose lives were on the line. This is an increase of 74 missions… Read more »
The new scheduled service between the British mainland and the Isles of Scilly started yesterday, but the launch was marred by climate change protesters with “Climate Crime Scene” banners, including one approx 8m long and 2m tall. The scheduled service route between the old Penzance Heliport (only “over the road” from the new one) dates… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Sikorsky S-61N (G-ATBJ), control restriction on takeoff, Marchwood, Hampshire, 1 February 2018
A multi-million pound investment project to acquire two brand new lifesaving helicopters has been launched. The Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance, (DLRAA) along with the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance (WNAA) have begun a helicopter replacement project which will come to fruition in early 2021. Every day of the year, your local air ambulance… Read more »
Under new owners since 2018, Schweizer is making a steady and planned approach to their re-entry to the helicopter market. Having spent time investing in the spares and support side of the business back, the company is now working on the order for 25 model CBi helicopters, and is also starting to build the sales… Read more »
Somerset’s commitment to the vital aerospace industry is set in steel after a milestone was reached in construction of the cutting-edge aerospace innovation centre in Yeovil. Partners in the iAero Centre initiative visited the construction site and signed a steel column at a special ceremony on Thursday (5 March) as work on the construction of… Read more »
Reed Exhibitions have disposed of Vertical Flight Expo – previously called (and better know as) Helitech International. The purchasers are Prysm Group, who have been organising B2B trade exhibitions for over twenty years, and are responsible for a portfolio of over 50 shows across the world. In 2019 alone the company opened new offices in the USA,… Read more »
Babcock MCS Offshore have won a significant new five-year shared contract with three oil and gas operators for helicopter transport in the northern North Sea. The contract will initially see Babcock operate over 100 helicopter flights each month from Sumburgh in Shetland, on behalf of CNR International, EnQuest and TAQA under a collaborative agreement. Flights… Read more »
Long-established business aviation operator Gama Aviation is making its first move into the UK helicopter market with the launch of a fleet of three Airbus H145s. Two of the three aircraft are being permanently fitted out for EMS work, and will be put to work on the Scottish Ambulance Service contract from 1st June 2020 –… Read more »
Cardiff based hire & rental industry giants Anything for Hire have added another string to their bow with the acquisition of the sought-after helicopterhire.com domain name – and look set to take yet another market by storm. Since their launch in 2018, the team at Anything for Hire has been going from strength to strength,… Read more »
At the Helicopter Investor conference in London yesterday, Russ Torbet – the Director of UK SAR at Bristow Helicopters – gave an interesting presentation on how their long-term UK SAR contract was working in practice, and provided an insight of what lies ahead. The contract was launched in a ceremony on 26th February 2015, and… Read more »
The new Penzance Helicopters service to the Isles of Scilly, is set to launch on schedule from March 17th 2020. This is despite a delay to the arrival of the new AW139 helicopter, caused by current Chinese export restrictions linked to Coronavirus control measures. Following manufacture in Italy, the aircraft had been on a short… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Correction – Record only – Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-CHWJ), Cotswold Airport, 7 May 2019
From 2 March, when poor weather or maintenance prevents Devon’s emergency aircraft from flying, two new Critical Care Cars mean our critical care teams can still provide specialist life-saving care by road. In the Autumn 2018 Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced £10 million in capital funding for air ambulance services. Devon Air Ambulance… Read more »
Gama Aviation is pleased to provide an update on its £20m order for three Airbus H145 helicopters, as reported on 24th December 2018. The Company has completed this purchase and taken title to all three helicopters. Preparations for the deployment of the helicopters from 1st June 2020 in support of a long-term contract are proceeding to plan…. Read more »
Thanks to the support of the community, businesses and friends of Devon, in 2019 Devon’s Air Ambulances were able to assist 985 patients. Flying hours were also extended to 19 hours a day from its Exeter airbase, meaning emergency assistance was available up to 2am. The charity-funded service’s priorities have always been to put their… Read more »
The MOD’s UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) has signed a £183 million contract to boost training services for new Rotary Wing pilots. The contract amendment includes: An uplift of four new Airbus H145 helicopters A state-of-the-art simulator and infrastructure improvements Support in attracting and training personnel to meet the increased helicopter demand from the… Read more »
Donors who supported the appeal to raise funds for the new state-of-the-art Helipad at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) attended a ‘breaking of the ground’ celebration to mark construction work progress. Funding for the Helipad was raised by MFT Charity’s Time Save Lives Appeal, which raised a phenomenal £3.9million in just 12 months, thanks… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Eurocopter EC135T1 (VP-CPS), corrosion-initiated fracture of a main rotor actuator tie bar, Owen Roberts International Airport, Cayman Islands, 26 February 2019 Agusta A109E (G-ETPI), loss of co-pilot’s door window, In flight North of Seaton, Cornwall, 27… Read more »
The Association of Air Ambulances (AAA) trade membership body and national charity, Air Ambulances UK, are proud to announce a successful merger, taking effect from 1st January 2020. The new single nationwide organisation will support the UK’s air ambulance sector and will provide a national voice and platform on behalf of the air ambulance community…. Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- EC135 P2+ (G-POLA), loss of NR control during flight test due to a faulty N2 adjuster, Morpeth, Northumberland, 5 April 2018
Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Maidstone Hospital on Wednesday (11 December 2019) to officially open its new helipad. The HELP Appeal, which is the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads, donated £300,000 to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust to build the all-weather pad at the rear of the… Read more »
University Hospitals of North Midlands Major Trauma Centre is the first in the UK to benefit from a weather station which provides certainty and real time information for emergency helicopter pilots about weather conditions, ensuring that its patients are seen quicker and with more efficiency. The weather station, called “Skyview”, which has been donated by… Read more »
Babcock Offshore has confirmed a new three-year contract to provide the expanding UK-based Oil and Gas company Serica Energy with offshore helicopter crew transport services. The contract was awarded after a competitive tender and will see Babcock transport Serica Energy passengers to and from the company’s Bruce complex in the North Sea, 340 km north… Read more »
Union representatives were locked in talks with CHC Helicopters until late in the evening after a second pay offer was voted down by around 80% of the workforce. Read the full story here
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
Penzance Helicopters has launched its new Residents Helicopter Travel Club offering reduced fares for Isles of Scilly residents. The new and only Isles of Scilly helicopter service will fly direct from the purpose-built heliport in Penzance, from March 2020; flying to both St Mary’s and Tresco in just 15 minutes aboard a state-of-the-art, modern AW139… Read more »
Wiltshire Air Ambulance is delighted to announce it has received its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and will return to Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) immediately. The charity is now just one of four air ambulances who hold their own Air Operator Certificate. Wiltshire Air Ambulance chief executive David Philpott says: “This has been a hard… Read more »
Every potential helicopter manufacturer exhibitor – Airbus, Bell, Enstrom, Guimbal, Kopter, Leonardo, MD Helicopters, Robinson and Sikorsky – has decided against taking space at the upcoming Vertical Flight Expo, previously known as Helitech. Representatives from each of these manufacturers (or their UK distributors) have confirmed their position to HeliHub, and none of them appear in the… Read more »
The Belgian NHV Group announced on Monday 28th October that it had been granted a UK Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) for its offshore operations from the UK. Six of the fleet of helicopters already based at Norwich and Aberdeen-Dyce had been re-registered from the Belgian register to NHV Helicopters Ltd on the British register by… Read more »
NHV Group, a leading provider of B2B helicopter services, today announced that it has gained an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). With this AOC, NHV again confirms its intention to strengthen its position in the UK offshore helicopter segment. The Group has currently inducted 7 aircraft under its UK… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Guimbal Cabri G2 (G-PERH), loss of control in hover, Goodwood Aerodrome, Sussex, 8 June 2018 Robinson R22 Beta (G-OODX), autorotation following loss of drive to main rotor, Near Naunton Beauchamp, Worcestershire, 1 August 2018
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is pleased to confirm the appointment of Rob Bishton as its new Group Director of Safety and Airspace Regulation. This follows a global recruitment process, including both internal and external candidates. Rob has been at the CAA since 2014, where he is currently Head of Flight Operations and a… Read more »
Work to replace the old helipad at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital is well underway, thanks to the cost being totally funded with a £1million grant from the HELP Appeal– the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads. It is anticipated that the new helipad is set to open by January… Read more »
The first Leonardo AW109 VIP Trekker helicopter for a European customer debuts today at the Monaco Yacht Show – Leonardo stand QA13 / Quai Antoine 1er. The Monaco Yacht Show (25 to 28 September) is one of the most important international luxury yacht showcases. After the show, the VIP Trekker will fly to the United… Read more »
The fundraising campaign for a life-saving helipad at Sheffield Children’s Hospital took a major step forward thanks to a £562,500 charity donation. This morning, the HELP Appeal’s Chief Executive Robert Bertram presented the second installment of their £2.25M pledge to David Vernon-Edwards, Director of The Children’s Hospital Charity. It takes the fundraising towards the Helipad… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Agusta Westland AW189 (G-MCGR), pilot became temporarily spatially disorientated in cloud at night, Beinn Narnain, Scotland, 17 February 2018 EC120 B (G-RCNB), helicopter rolled onto its side after lift-off, Enniskillen Airport, County Fermanagh, 25 June 2019
Harrods Aviation Ltd, a specialist private aviation operator at LLA, has agreed to waive all parking and handling costs for the Children’s Air Ambulance while London Luton Airport has agreed to supply fuel free of charge as well as offering to waive all landing fees The Children’s Air Ambulance (TCAA) charity is an aero medical… Read more »
Sloane Helicopters is pleased to announce the appointment of Captain Justin Wood as General Manager (Penzance). Justin will be responsible for the day to day management of the Heliport and delivery of the Service between the mainland and the Isles of Scilly. Based in Truro in Cornwall, Justin has consistently championed the return of the… Read more »
It is with great regret that Aeromega Helicopters have to announce we will cease operating from our existing Cambridge offices on 31st October 2019. Despite being a profitable, safe and professional training school for the last twenty two years at Cambridge, we have fallen victim to the greed of developers and are being forced out… Read more »
London’s Air Ambulance Charity has announced it has received £250k from the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital and air ambulance helipads, and £1.4million from the Department of Health and Social Care towards much needed redevelopment of its helipad base. A fundraising appeal was launched at the start of… Read more »
Prepare for take-off! Penzance Helicopters today (20th August 2019) reveal that advance bookings for the new 2020 Isles of Scilly helicopter service is now available online at www.penzancehelicopters.co.uk The new operation takes off from 17th March 2020 and will be the only scheduled helicopter service for the Isles of Scilly, flying direct to both Tresco and St Mary’s… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AS350B2 (G-PLMH), loss of control and impact with water after underslung load struck tail rotor, Loch Scadavay, North Uist, Western Isles, 13 June 2018 Sikorsky S-92A (G-CKXL), wrong-deck approach to Brae Bravo, Brae oil-field, northern North… Read more »
Edmiston, the world leading yacht company, has taken over the title sponsorship of The London Heliport. Coinciding with the heliport’s 60th Anniversary this summer, Edmiston has undertaken a major re-styling of both the interior and exterior terminal, including a complete repaint of the landing, take-off and apron areas. Effective 1st August, the Heliport will be… Read more »
The first helicopter to land on a new £500,000 helipad in Hull touched down on Friday. A five person crew from Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance was the first to fly in and step foot on the newly completed helipad to the rear of Hull Royal Infirmary. Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has undertaken… Read more »
Back in February, air ambulances across the UK were invited to bid for a share of up to £2 million from a £10 million funding grant supplied by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). And the DHSC has now revealed the nine charities that are to receive a portion of the grant Of… Read more »
After a £850,000 donation from the HELP Appeal, Derriford Hospital in Plymouth was able to build a brand new helipad in June 2015. Four years on, it has seen 1700 landings. On average, that’s around eight landings per week. Before the helipad was built, the hospital only had a grassy area for Devon and Cornwall’s… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue does not refer to any helicopters and this update is included in HeliHub.com for completeness.
It’s been one year since Ipswich Hospital opened its new helipad for the first time after the HELP Appeal – the only charity in the country that funds hospital helipads – covered the entire £250,000 cost. Twelve months later, it has seen 72 landings from critically ill patients across the East Anglia region, who have… Read more »
Construction work on the new state-of-the-art, £3.9million helipad at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) has begun and is set to benefit four major hospitals in Manchester city-centre. The new helicopter landing site, being built on the roof of Grafton Street car park on Oxford Road will enable critically ill or injured babies, children and… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Bell 429 (M-YMCM), bird strike on approach to Edinburgh Airport, 25 November 2018
Bristol Royal Infirmary has announced that a new Deck Integrated Fire Fighting System (DIFFS) is now fully operational on its rooftop helipad and has received a cheque worth £574,023.95 from the HELP Appeal – the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads – to cover its entire cost. The HELP Appeal pledged… Read more »
The upcoming Heli UK Expo event at Wycombe Air Park on 13-15 June will feature four manufacturers. Airbus Helicopters UK will be bringing an H130, Bell’s representatives HelixAv have two 505s and a 407 and HeliGroup will show a G2 Cabri from French manufacturer Guimbal. Robinson have three distributors based in the UK, and all… Read more »
British charter operator Apollo Air Services have confirmed – via an Instagram post – that they will be operating the first Leonardo AW109 Trekker in the UK. The company, base at Carlisle Lake District Airport, already operate six AW109SP GrandNew, one AW109S Grand and one Airbus AS350B2, with additional bases at Cardiff Heliport and Leeds… Read more »
As the world’s leading manufacturer in the VIP multiengine helicopter market with a 40% share and the largest producer of corporate helicopters flying in UK, Leonardo is further growing its presence in this sector with the announcement of a further renewal of the Distributorship Agreement in UK and Ireland with its key partner Sloane Helicopters… Read more »
ConnectJets is marking its 10th anniversary this summer with the launch of a new division – ConnectSkies. the business aviation charter industry’s first independent ‘sustainable’ aircraft sales, marketing and logistics platform. With sustainability at the forefront of the industry and the world, especially among millennials, ConnectSkies will explore a range of options in all categories of… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Agusta AW139 (G-MCSD), tail rotor blade fairing and bonding strip detached during flight, offshore from Aberdeen, 6 May 2018 Aerospatiale SA341G Gazelle (YU-HMC), loss of power and rolled over on landing, private landing field, Enfield, 14… Read more »
Peli UK foam specialists have designed a bespoke packaging solution for a Chinook Helicopter torque maintenance kit which is now in service at RAF Odiham. The kit had previously been housed in a special to type container. This had a high centre of gravity causing them to topple over when handled. They were not man… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- MBB-BK 117 D-2 (G-HEMC), aircraft struck a wire whilst taxiing, Near Hollesley, Suffolk, 15 December 2018
HQ Aviation, the very successful British helicopter training school and maintenance centre has expanded its list of approvals through its appointment as a Rolls-Royce RR300 Authorized Service Center. Engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce today at Heli-Expo 2019 officially confirmed HQ Aviation has joined the RR300 Service Center network, which offers global, approved maintenance support to RR300 powered Robinson R66… Read more »
The Leonardo AW159 helicopter — dubbed the Wildcat by the Royal Navy — has helped HMS Dragon and 815 Naval Air Squadron net eight drug busts since last September, and U.K. authorities say the stashes of heroin, hashish, and crystal methamphetamine recovered mark a record for the Royal Navy. On March 17, HMS Dragon, a… Read more »
Survitec has secured a three-year contract extension with oil and gas services provider, Petrofac, to supply aviation immersion suits and lifejackets for personnel making helicopter transits to offshore oil platforms from Norwich Airport in the UK. Jill Florence, Contract Service Delivery Manager, Survitec, said: “For the past three years, Survitec has worked with Petrofac providing… Read more »
HELP Appeal, which is the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads, presented a cheque to Royal Preston Hospital worth over £111,000. The donation has covered improvements to the safety of the hospital helipad and further assisted its night flying capabilities. The works included additional safety signage, warning lights and automated barriers… Read more »
Work has officially begun on the new Penzance Heliport that will become the helicopter gateway to the Isles of Scilly. The first turf was cut on the site at Jelbert Way in a ceremony this week (Monday 18th March 2019). The new heliport is adjacent to the previous heliport site and will reinstate direct helicopter flights… Read more »
Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust is set to open a new 24 hour helipad at Maidstone Hospital thanks to the generous support of the HELP (Helicopter Emergency Landing Pads) Appeal. Robert Bertram, Chief Executive of the HELP Appeal, presented a cheque to the Trust on Wednesday 13 March. The charity is the only one… Read more »
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- AW109SP (G-FRRN), engine started with rotor brake on, London Heliport (Battersea), 19 November 2018 Bell 206B3 (G-OPEN), inadvertent climb into cloud and subsequent loss of control, near Aldborough, North Yorkshire, 30 May 2018 Robinson R22 Beta (G-MACA), helicopter… Read more »
As Europe’s longest-established dealer for the Robinson Helicopter Company, Sloane Helicopters will soon be taking delivery of its 500th new Robinson helicopter – R44 Raven II S/N 14297. This significant milestone highlights the successful partnership between Sloane and Robinson, reflecting Sloane’s dedication and expertise in supporting the full range of Robinson helicopters. Kurt Robinson commented,… Read more »
New helipad lighting is making a vital difference at Dorset County Hospital. The new lighting was recently installed following a generous donation from the HELP Appeal, the only charity in the country dedicated to funding hospital helipads. In an emergency, when time is of the essence, being able to land an air ambulance seconds away… Read more »