Uk News

Vacuum cleaner tycoon James Dyson buys AW139 helicopter

Vacuum cleaner tycoon James Dyson buys AW139 helicopter

12-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com

British inventor James Dyson, who made his name developing a new style vacuum cleaner, has last week registered a new AgustaWestland AW139 – the first corporate example of the type on the British register.  Serial number 31353 and registered G-OAWL, it will replace his N3 Dauphin G-DOLF and operate alongside his Bombardier Challenger G-OXRS.  Given... Read more

Flightglobal parent acquires Ascend Aviation

Flightglobal parent acquires Ascend Aviation

12-Jul-2011Source: Reed Business Information

Reed Business Information (“RBI”), the business information division of Reed Elsevier, announced that it has acquired the entire issued share capital of Ascend Worldwide Group Holdings Limited (“Ascend”). Ascend will be integrated with RBI’s aerospace information and data services business, Flightglobal. Ascend, headquartered in London with offices in New York, Hong Kong and Tokyo, delivers... Read more

Change of owner at Specialist Aviation Services

Change of owner at Specialist Aviation Services

7-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Specialist Aviation Services “SAS”, the British operator better known for its subsidiaries Police Aviation Services and Medical Aviation Services, has been sold.  Few details are currently available, and while Financial Director Jim Webster confirmed the change of ownership, he declined to provide any information to HeliHub.com beyond what is already public domain.  When we asked... Read more

Three EC225s being prepared for MHS by Bristow in UK

Three EC225s being prepared for MHS by Bristow in UK

6-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Bristow Helicopters in the UK are currently carrying out completion work, including full paint, on three Eurocopter EC225 helicopters for MHS Aviation in Malaysia.  Two have been delivered thus far, both carrying British registrations to facilitate test flights.  The aircraft are serial 2790 registered G-CGUB and 2792 as G-CGUC, delivered in to Bristow’s base at... Read more

Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance support Southampton helipad appeal

Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance support Southampton helipad appeal

5-Jul-2011Source: Hampshire and IOW Air Ambulance

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance are working closely with HELP to enable a unique project to equip Southampton General Hospital with a purpose-built life-saving helipad. Up until now, emergency airlifts have had to stop short of the hospital – the best the Air Ambulance could do was to touch down in a council... Read more

New venue provides successful platform for AeroExpo UK

New venue provides successful platform for AeroExpo UK

4-Jul-2011Source: AeroExpo

AeroExpo UK produced an extremely healthy turnout despite the rain showers that were experienced on Friday and Saturday, which grounded around 50% of pre-registered visiting aircraft. In total approximately 8,000 visitors and 420 aircraft visited AeroExpo UK at Sywell Aerodromeduring 17-19 June. An extended static display featuring aircraft from most of the leading manufacturers produced great interest amongst visitors,... Read more

London’s Air Ambulance launches new hard-to-find website

London’s Air Ambulance launches new hard-to-find website

3-Jul-2011Source: HeliHub.com

London’s Air Ambulance launched a visually appealing new website on 1st July, but you cannot find it on Google!  Try looking for it and the old URL LondonsAirAmbulance.com comes up, but that fails.  Some careful detective work by HeliHub.com found it at LondonsAirAmbulance.co.uk – and it’s worth checking out.  However, we would have expected that... Read more

UK: Proposal for Eastern Counties Police Maintenance to add North Midlands

UK: Proposal for Eastern Counties Police Maintenance to add North Midlands

29-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

The North Midlands police air support unit is proposing to move its maintenance provision to an organisation dedicated to police helicopters.  ECPM – the Eastern Counties Police Maintenance organisation – was established in April 2007 to provide aircraft engineering services to the Eastern Consortium (Essex, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk Forces). In mid-March 2011, ECPM was approached... Read more

Two repossessed LongRangers sold from UK to Canada

Two repossessed LongRangers sold from UK to Canada

29-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Last month we ran an article on seven helicopters changing their address on the British CAA’s G- register to that of a finance company.  Two of the affected LongRangers have now been sold to Canada. The two aircraft are Bell 206L (serial 45077), previously G-OLDN – last airworthiness certificate expired 30th July 2009 Bell 206L-1... Read more

UK: Cambridgeshire Police propose ditching MD902 to join Chiltern ASU

UK: Cambridgeshire Police propose ditching MD902 to join Chiltern ASU

29-Jun-2011Source: Cambridgeshire Police

The way in which police air support is provided in Cambridgeshire is changing. In a move which will save money the force is looking to enter into a consortium with Chiltern Air Support Unit which will be backed up with existing arrangements with Suffolk and Essex police forces. The Chiltern Air Support Unit, which has... Read more

UK: Eastbourne hospital extends helipad

UK: Eastbourne hospital extends helipad

28-Jun-2011Source: Eastbourne Herald

Eastbourne District General Hospital is the most-used landing site for air ambulance and other emergency helicopters of any hospital in Sussex.  The new pad can now accept helicopters both day and night from Air Ambulance, Police, Coast Guard, Air-sea Rescue and the military.  The largest it generally takes is the Coast Guard AW139, but it... Read more

AW139 Coastguard crew win British bravery award

AW139 Coastguard crew win British bravery award

28-Jun-2011Source: MCA

The Billy Deacon Search and Rescue (SAR) Memorial Trophy has recently been presented at the Air Leagues Annual Awards Ceremony at St. Jamess Palace by His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The Billy Deacon SAR Memorial Trophy is awarded to winchmen and winch operators from the Coastguard, Royal Air Force and Royal... Read more

UK: RotorMotion help launch the first ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’

UK: RotorMotion help launch the first ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’

27-Jun-2011Source: RotorMotion

Feuding operators of private jets and helicopters are set to battle for supremacy again, but not in the skies – on a polo field. Teams from London Executive Aviation (LEA), one of Europe’s largest business jet charter operators, and top helicopter charter business RotorMotion, will be resuming their rivalry in the first ‘Aviation Polo Challenge’... Read more

UK CAA approves new segregated airspace for unmanned aircraft

UK CAA approves new segregated airspace for unmanned aircraft

27-Jun-2011Source: CAA

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has approved a request from the Welsh Government to establish additional segregated airspace in the vicinity of West Wales Airport and the area to the east of the airport. The new segregated airspace will be for the sole use of unmanned aircraft conducting flying operations from the West Wales... Read more

First flight of upgraded Royal Air Force Puma Mk2

First flight of upgraded Royal Air Force Puma Mk2

24-Jun-2011Source: Eurocopter

The first upgraded Puma Mk2 helicopter developed by Eurocopter in a life extension programme for the UK’s Royal Air Force performed its initial flight this week from Eurocopter’s facility at Marignane, France. It is the first helicopter to be modified under the Puma Life Extension Programme, which was approved by the UK Ministry of Defence... Read more

World’s Fastest Helicopter returns to museum after four-year restoration

World’s Fastest Helicopter returns to museum after four-year restoration

22-Jun-2011Source: The Helicopter Museum

The World’s Fastest Helicopter returns to The Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare in July, following a four year restoration to its original 1986 World Speed Record configuration by Apprentices at the AgustaWestland factory in Yeovil, Somerset.  This August marks the 25th Anniversary of the Lynx helicopter setting up the new record at an average 400.87kmph (249.1mph). ... Read more

Yorkshire Air Ambulance launch Twitter stream

Yorkshire Air Ambulance launch Twitter stream

22-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the British EMS operator with two MD Explorers, have recently joined Twitter.  In a growing trend among UK emergency services – both air ambulance and law enforcement – one by one all units are launching their presence on Twitter.  Yorkshire Air Ambulance can be found @YorkshireAirAmb The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is an... Read more

Armed gang hold 20 Midlands Air Ambulance staff hostage

Armed gang hold 20 Midlands Air Ambulance staff hostage

21-Jun-2011Source: BBC

Police said the men burst into the charity’s office in Brierley Hill at around 0845 local time.  A spokesman said they held 20 members of staff hostage with the Taser although it was not used on them.  (see story)... Read more

AEM Corp signs European distribution agreement with Adams Aviation

AEM Corp signs European distribution agreement with Adams Aviation

21-Jun-2011Source: AEM Corp

AEM Corp is pleased to announce they have completed a distribution agreement with Adams Aviation located in the United Kingdom. “We are thrilled to have someone as connected and experienced as Adams Aviation representing and selling our products in Europe”, said Dave Veitch, AEM’s president. “Adams will be able to offer continuity to our customers... Read more

Devon Air Ambulance change engine supplier with new EC135 order

Devon Air Ambulance change engine supplier with new EC135 order

20-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Devon Air Ambulance “DAA”, which runs the EMS coverage in UK’s county of Devon, was one of the earliest to take to the air in the UK nad has been one of the most successful too.  DAA currently operate two EC135s, a 2003-build EC135T2 leased from Bond Air Services and a newer EC135T2+ which the... Read more

BBC profile Bond Offshore Helicopters

BBC profile Bond Offshore Helicopters

17-Jun-2011Source: BBC

Bond Offshore Helicopters are profiled in this article run today on the BBC as part of their lead-in to the Paris Air Show... Read more

Sloane Helicopters exhibits at AeroExpo 2011

Sloane Helicopters exhibits at AeroExpo 2011

17-Jun-2011Source: AeroExpo

Sloane Helicopters, the Sywell based distributor of AgustaWestland and Robinson Helicopters in the UK and Ireland exhibits at AeroExpo 2011, Sywell, 17th to the 19th June 2011. Sloane will showcase the entire Robinson product range and expects the Robinson R66 to attract the interest of the many predicted visitors. The static display will include an R22, an R44... Read more

UK: Medical Aviation Services teams up with fixed wing operator

UK: Medical Aviation Services teams up with fixed wing operator

15-Jun-2011Source: Medical Aviation Services

Medical Aviation Services (MAS) and CEGA Air Ambulance are pleased to announce the signing of a teaming agreement between the two companies at the AirMed 2011 World Congress in Brighton recently. MAS, which is part of the Gloucestershire based Specialist Aviation Services Group, operates and maintains approximately twenty helicopters used in the Air Ambulance role,... Read more

Success for RAF Squirrel pair in helicopter contest

Success for RAF Squirrel pair in helicopter contest

13-Jun-2011Source: Shropshire Star

Members of the Defence Helicopter Flying School at RAF Shawbury were successful in the annual Helicopter Club of Great Britain Air Games in Northampton.  The team, comprising of “JJ” Jackson, of 705NAS and Sqn Ldr Craig Finch, Officer Commanding DHFS Standards, achieved first and second places and were crowned overall winners.... Read more

British Apache engineers could strike over pay

British Apache engineers could strike over pay

13-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Britain’s Apache engineers could go out on strike if today’s pay negotiations are rejected, it has been reported.  The Unite union is in discussions with engineering firm Morson Wynnwith who employ the engineers, and meet the company directors today to try to reach a compromise. Mark Robinson, regional officer for Unite, said: “The company made... Read more

UK’s HeliDays event cancelled

UK’s HeliDays event cancelled

13-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

The Bristol Evening Post is reporting that this year’s HeliDays event at Weston-super-Mare “has been axed after failing to attract any sponsors”.  The report states that the organisers have been unable to attract funding for the three day event after losing a grant from the local town council.  Given that the event only broke even... Read more

UK AAIB Bulletin – June 2011

UK AAIB Bulletin – June 2011

10-Jun-2011Source: AAIB

The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accidents of:- Eurocopter AS355F2 Twin Squirrel, G-SEWP – 28 October 2010 Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland Robinson R44 II Raven, G-EEZR – 22 March 2011 – Fairoaks Airport, Surrey... Read more

East Anglian Air Ambulance appoints new Chief Executive

East Anglian Air Ambulance appoints new Chief Executive

7-Jun-2011Source: East Anglian Air Ambulance

A new Chief Executive has been appointed to lead one of the region’s largest and most vital charities. Tim Page joins the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) having most recently worked for charities in London and Birmingham. He arrives with a wealth of knowledge and experience of leading successful teams and has ambitions to make... Read more

PremiAir enjoys a successful EBACE 2011

PremiAir enjoys a successful EBACE 2011

7-Jun-2011Source: PremiAir

In May 2011 PremiAir made its debut at EBACE, exhibiting for the first time at this world renowned aviation trade show, held annually at Palexpo, Geneva Airport. PremiAir showcased its private jet and executive helicopter management, charter and maintenance services, introducing its newly bolstered team and announcing the addition of new types to its rotary... Read more

UK: Avon Fire & Rescue has EC145 demo

UK: Avon Fire & Rescue has EC145 demo

7-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Avon Fire & Rescue, the emergency authority based around Bristol in South West UK, is today having a demonstration of a Eurocopter EC145.  It arrived at Bristol’s Filton Airprt yesterday using the callsign “Redfox 01”, and is a German registered example D-HTCL. Back in December 2009, fire chief Kevin Pearson put in a request to... Read more

Guimbal appoints UK dealer for Cabri

Guimbal appoints UK dealer for Cabri

7-Jun-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Helicopteres Guimbal have told HeliHub.com that a dealer has been appointed to sell the Cabri into EUrope’s biggest civil helicopter market – the United Kingdom. Cotswold Helicopters, based at Kemble in Gloucestershire (also known as Cotswold Airport), have signed a dealership agreement with the French manufacturer and will be operating serial number 1028 later this... Read more

Local press reveal BIH preferred site after Penzance HP closure

Local press reveal BIH preferred site after Penzance HP closure

6-Jun-2011Source: Cornishman

The company confirmed that it had reached an agreement with a landowner for a new heliport adjacent to the St Erth industrial estate off the A30, subject to planning permission and the successful sale of the current heliport in Penzance to Sainsburys.  If successful, it will create a transport hub enabling passengers easy access to... Read more

Bond Offshore Helicopters wins £50m contract

Bond Offshore Helicopters wins £50m contract

6-Jun-2011Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters

[Note: We run the press release from Bond below verbatim.  However, we have been reporting this since 1st February 2011 – see here!] Bond Offshore Helicopters, part of the Gloucestershire-based Bond Aviation Group, has won a £50m contract to supply oil and gas company Perenco with two new Agusta Westland AW139 aircrafts. Bond has been... Read more

Registration opens for Helitech 2011

Registration opens for Helitech 2011

3-Jun-2011Source: Helitech

Now in its 25th year, Helitech 2011 will be taking place at the Imperial War Museum in Duxford on 27-29 September.  More details on registration at http://www.helitechevents.com... Read more

Helicopter Museum to run Cockpiteer event in September

Helicopter Museum to run Cockpiteer event in September

3-Jun-2011Source: Helicopter Museum

Following interest expressed by Cockpiteers in a new Cockpitfest event in the South of England, The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare has offered to provide a venue for the weekend of 10th-11th September 2011. Coinciding with one of the museum’s regular Open Cockpit Days, the new Cockpitfest will offer both indoor and outdoor space for both... Read more

Wales Air Ambulance crew nominated for award

Wales Air Ambulance crew nominated for award

2-Jun-2011Source: Wales Online

The crew of the Wales Air Ambulance who plucked a badly-inured climber to safety has been nominated for a UK award. Paramedic Aneurin Heath, one of the crew onboard the Swansea-based helicopter, braved pounding waves and an incoming tide to rescue the patient.... Read more

Yorkshire Air Ambulance raises £1M in five years from recycling clothes

Yorkshire Air Ambulance raises £1M in five years from recycling clothes

1-Jun-2011Source: Yorkshire Air Ambulance

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) want to say a huge thank you to all their supporters who have helped them raise a massive £1million through their recycling scheme over the last 5 years. The life-saving Charity has been operating their successful recycling campaign since 2005, which is managed by their recycling partners Bag It Up... Read more

Black Cats display team given green light for 2011 airshows

Black Cats display team given green light for 2011 airshows

30-May-2011Source: Royal Navy

The award-winning Black Cats – the Royal Navy’s official helicopter display team – have been given the go-ahead for the 2011 air show season. The display contains two helicopters flying close, fast passes, dramatic synchronised manoeuvres and close-formation in rearwards flight. Since announcing the 2011 display programme in March, the Black Cats have been busy... Read more

British Apache fleet clocks up 100,000 flying hours

British Apache fleet clocks up 100,000 flying hours

30-May-2011Source: UK MoD

The British Army’s Apache attack helicopter has clocked up a landmark 100,000 flying hours, a third of which have been flown on operations in Afghanistan. The achievement – equivalent to a single helicopter staying aloft for 11-and-a-half years – has occurred as the Apache has become a vital battlefield tool in Afghanistan. As well as... Read more

EASA certification of R66 now expected September 2011

EASA certification of R66 now expected September 2011

27-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Following FAA type certification for the Robinson R66 in October 2010, it was initially thought that EASA certification would follow in the May/June 2011 timeframe.  With the end of May upon us, HeliHub.com has been speaking with Robinson Helicopter Co and others to get the latest update.  As a result, we are able to report... Read more

INAER adds another six GrandNew and a AW139

INAER adds another six GrandNew and a AW139

25-May-2011Source: AgustaWestland

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that INAER, the leading European helicopter services provider, has signed contracts for two EMS-configured GrandNew light twin helicopters and four GrandNew light twin and one AW139 medium twin helicopters for offshore transport. These contracts mark the entrance of the GrandNew into the European EMS and offshore transport... Read more

Midlands Air Ambulance celebrates 20th birthday

Midlands Air Ambulance celebrates 20th birthday

24-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Last Saturday Midlands Air Ambulance held its 20th anniversary ball at the Worcester Warriors’ Sixways Stadium, with one of their Eurocopter EC135s on hand to anchor the event. About 250 guests, including people who have been airlifted, attended.  The service, which operates three EC135s from bases at Cosford, Strensham and Tatenhill, needs to raise £6m... Read more

British Army Apache fires first Hellfire missile at sea

British Army Apache fires first Hellfire missile at sea

18-May-2011Source: Royal Navy

British Army Apaches have fired Hellfire missiles for the first time whilst flying from a Royal Navy warship. A significant milestone in proving the capability of Apache to operate and strike from the sea, 30mm cannon and Hellfire missiles were successfully fired against seaborne targets in a long-planned exercise near Gibraltar. In total, 550 rounds... Read more

Offshore helicopter safety progress headlines Oil & Gas UK seminar

Offshore helicopter safety progress headlines Oil & Gas UK seminar

18-May-2011Source: Oil & Gas UK

Oil & Gas UK is to host a one-day seminar with the aim of bringing together leading figures in the oil and gas and aviation industries to discuss offshore helicopter safety. The event, which is sponsored by Aker Solutions, is the sixth annual Aviation Seminar organised by Oil & Gas UK and will feature a... Read more

Finance company address for 7 UK helicopters

Finance company address for 7 UK helicopters

17-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

We have noticed that a total of seven helicopters on the UK Civil Aviation Authority register have last week had a change of address to a finance company.  The seven are:- * Bell 206 – G-CBYX, G-TTMB * Bell 206L – G-MAAX, G-OHHI, G-OLDN * Eurocopter AS355F – G-BSYI, G-ICSG All seven continue to be... Read more

Airops unveils new software ProCharter at EBACE 2011

Airops unveils new software ProCharter at EBACE 2011

16-May-2011Source: Airops

Airops Software Limited, a Gama Group company, will be unveiling its latest aviation management software at Europe’s premier business aviation conference EBACE 2011. ProCharter is a completely rewritten version of the aviation management solution which is used worldwide by aircraft charter and management companies to support their commercial, operational and administrational functions. The software which... Read more

UK AAIB Bulletin – May 2011

UK AAIB Bulletin – May 2011

15-May-2011Source: AAIB

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.... Read more

Was terrorism coroner right to criticise London’s helicopter EMS provision?

Was terrorism coroner right to criticise London’s helicopter EMS provision?

13-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

In the last few days, the coroner at a London hearing has been summing up her findings of the inquest into the terrorist attacks in London on 7th July 2005, involving explosions on three underground trains and one of London’s iconic red buses.  The last of nine recommendations states “The Department of Health, the mayor... Read more

Bond Offshore Helicopters register second AW139

Bond Offshore Helicopters register second AW139

13-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

The second AW139 for Bond Offshore Helicopters is now registered in the UK as G-PERB.  This is the second aircraft for operations on the Southern North Sea for Perenco, and will be based at Norwich.  There are reports of Bond acquiring a total of four AW139s, two leased from Era Helicopters – these first two... Read more

PremiAir debuts at EBACE

PremiAir debuts at EBACE

13-May-2011Source: PremiAir

PremiAir, the UK business aviation company, is making its debut at EBACE in Geneva during 17-19 May, Stand # 843.  Group Managing Director, David McRobert, will be helping the team showcase PremiAir’s private jet and executive helicopter management, charter and maintenance services, now located across six UK bases, with a bolstered team, including newly appointed... Read more

Lt.Gen (Ret.) Dick Applegate appointed Chairman of Elbit Systems UK

Lt.Gen (Ret.) Dick Applegate appointed Chairman of Elbit Systems UK

13-May-2011Source: Elbit Systems

Haifa, Israel, May 12, 2011 – Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ and TASE: ESLT) announced today that Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dick Applegate has been appointed to serve as Chairman of Elbit Systems UK. General Applegate joins Elbit Systems following a distinguished career with the British Army, including Chief of Materiel (Land) in Defence Equipment and Support... Read more

Mornington Sanford Aviation awarded EASA part 147 approval for R66

Mornington Sanford Aviation awarded EASA part 147 approval for R66

12-May-2011Source: Mornington Sanford Aviation

Mornington Sanford Aviation (Training) Ltd has gained EASA Part 147 (Part 66) Type Training Approval for the Robinson R66 with RR300 engine.  This now completes EASA type training for the Robinson product – R22, R44 with the Lycoming engine, R66 with RR300 engine. Mornington Sanford is the only EASA approved training organisation exclusively training Robinson... Read more

UK: Lothian Helicopters cease trading

UK: Lothian Helicopters cease trading

12-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Lothian Helicopters website has been reduced to the following notice Please note that Lothian Helicopters has gone into administration with effect from 11th May 2011 If you have purchased flights with Lothian Helicopters, please check with your credit card company or PayPal to seek a refund. Lothian were run by Iain Grindlay and opeated two... Read more

NETS UK to go to tender for pediatric EMS helicopter

NETS UK to go to tender for pediatric EMS helicopter

9-May-2011Source: NETS UK

Nets UK is a national charity that over the next few months will be developing the facilities, formerly home to Yorkshire Air Ambulance, as its operating and Clinical Training Centre. The charity is about to tender for its first aircraft which will be specially equipped for children and new-born infants who need to fly to... Read more

UK CAA launches 2011 GA Safety Award

UK CAA launches 2011 GA Safety Award

9-May-2011Source: CAA

The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is once again calling for nominations for its annual General Aviation Safety Award. The Award seeks to honour individuals and teams who, through skill and determination, have made a lasting contribution to GA flight safety. Whether it is a ’one off’ incident, or a lifetime of campaigning work, the... Read more

Royal Navy Sqns continue to make significant contribution in Afghanistan

Royal Navy Sqns continue to make significant contribution in Afghanistan

9-May-2011Source: Royal Navy

Since the beginning of the conflict in Afghanistan, the Royal Navy has played a significant role in operations. Today there are three Naval Air Squadrons, two Commando Units and a great number of support personnel based at Camp Bastion. The Sea King Mk 4’s from 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons (NAS) have been heavily... Read more

Three Sea King pilots reach flying milestones in Afghanistan

Three Sea King pilots reach flying milestones in Afghanistan

9-May-2011Source: Royal Navy

Camp Bastion in the heart of the Afghanistan desert is home to thousands of coalition service men and women. Three of them have been serving with Joint Helicopter Force (Afghanistan), flying Sea King Mk4 helicopters from 845 and 846 Naval Air Squadrons. Lieutenants Nick Plenty and Ally Macleod and Petty Officer Aircrewman Richard Symonds have... Read more

Budget cuts force Britain’s RAF to reduce VVIP fleet

Budget cuts force Britain’s RAF to reduce VVIP fleet

8-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

UK’s Royal Air Force has quietly reduced its fleet of VVIP AgustaWestland 109E Powers from three to two from the end of March 2011, apparently a budget cut industry sources tell us.  No indication of this was made when the contract renewed on 1st April (see our story here), but the unexpected move of serial... Read more

Multiflight awarded 5 year Great North Air Ambulance contract

Multiflight awarded 5 year Great North Air Ambulance contract

6-May-2011Source: Multiflight

Multiflight has been awarded a new five-year contract to manage, crew and maintain the helicopters for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS). Multiflight has managed, crewed and maintained the GNAAS helicopters since early 2010 and has supplied the charity with two Dauphin Eurocopter AS 365 N2 helicopters. Steve Borrowdale, Multiflight’s Managing Director, said: “Multiflight... Read more

UK: HH Helicopters expand with addition of A109 and AS355

UK: HH Helicopters expand with addition of A109 and AS355

5-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

HH Helicopters, based at Cotswold Airport (aka Kemble) in the UK have big expansion plans.  Currently operating R44 and JetRanger types, they have now added an Agusta A109 and are expecting a Eurocopter AS355F2 Twin Squirrel next week.  The addition of these aircraft to the fleet, each expecting to fly 200 hours a year with... Read more

AW139 rolled out in full Bond Offshore colours

AW139 rolled out in full Bond Offshore colours

5-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Bond Offshore Helicopters are due to start operating the AW139 on offshore operations to the Southern North Sea soon.  A key customer in this region of gas fields is Perenco, for which Bond will fly a pair of AW139s, registered G-PERA and PERB picking up the first three letters of oil company’s name. On delivery,... Read more

Mayor of London scuppers aircraft carrier heliport plan

Mayor of London scuppers aircraft carrier heliport plan

5-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

London’s Evening Standard newspaper has reported that major Boris Johnson’s planning team has been accused of blocking a proposal to turn the retired HMS Ark Royal aircraft carrier into a floating heliport.  They suggest that the consortium behind the bid should not claims that they have the full support of businesses and the Mayor for... Read more

Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance marks 8,000th mission

Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance marks 8,000th mission

5-May-2011Source: Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance (DSAA) has completed its 8,000th mission since its launch in March, 2000. The milestone call-out was to take an 18-month-old burns victim from Shaftesbury to Salisbury District Hospital, which has a specialist burns unit. During 2010, the Air Ambulance attended 788 incidents, 51 per cent of them (403) in Dorset... Read more

UK: Bristol Royal Infirmary heads for $80M redevelopment including helipad

UK: Bristol Royal Infirmary heads for $80M redevelopment including helipad

4-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Bristol Royal Infirmary has reached a new milestone in their redevelopment project, as the Board of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust approved the full business case for the redevelopment.  At the end of March it was announced that the Trust had secured the £70 million loan for the refurbishment by the Department of Health.... Read more

UK: Total Air Management Services S333 sold to Switzerland

UK: Total Air Management Services S333 sold to Switzerland

4-May-2011Source: HeliHub.com

The UK fleet of five Schwiezer 333s has not flown for some time – three have airworthiness expiry dates in 2009, one in 2010 and the last has been de-registered after a post-maintenance accident after the main rotor gearbox had been replaced. The first four, registered G-TAMA, B, C and D were bought by Total... Read more

Tragedy pair suing Bond Offshore Helicopters for £4 Million

Tragedy pair suing Bond Offshore Helicopters for £4 Million

3-May-2011Source: Press & Journal

The partners of two crewmen killed in the April 2009 North Sea helicopter disaster are taking legal action worth more than £4million.  Captain Paul Burnham, 31, and co-pilot Richard Menzies, 24, died along with 14 oil workers when their Super Puma helicopter crashed off Peterhead on its return from BP’s Miller platform.... Read more

World Helicopters acquires Bond Aviation Group for €300m

World Helicopters acquires Bond Aviation Group for €300m

2-May-2011Source: World Helicopters

Bond Aviation Group becomes an integral part of World Helicopters, together with the Inaer Helicopter Company and Australian Helicopters. Creates the world leader in the emergency helicopter services industry. Creates a leading player in the international oil and gas helicopter services industry. World Helicopters will operate ca. 360 aircrafts (rotary and fixed wing). World Helicopters,... Read more

Midlands Air Ambulance seeks past patients for 20th anniversary plans

Midlands Air Ambulance seeks past patients for 20th anniversary plans

2-May-2011Source: Midlands Air Ambulance

Were you or someone you know airlifted by the Air Ambulance back in the 1990’s or early 2000’s? If so, we would like to share your story Midlands Air Ambulance wants to trace people we have rescued in the past to help mark our 20th anniversary this year. The Charity was originally founded as Air... Read more

World’s most famous SAR pilot gets married

World’s most famous SAR pilot gets married

29-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Great Britain’s Prince William gets married today to Catherine Middleton in a ceremony which is expected to be watched on TV by one quarter of the world’s population – one and a half billion viewers.  Staggering numbers.  Very few countries come anywhere near to challenging the Brits in the level of pomp and circumstance that... Read more

UK: Great North Air Ambulance prepares for third N2 Dauphin

UK: Great North Air Ambulance prepares for third N2 Dauphin

29-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Great North Air Ambulance is to add a third Dauphin to their fleet, a move that has been expected for some time but did not previously have a time frame.  The news comes as their maintenance provider, Multiflight at Leeds, registers an N2 Dauphin in the same sequence of registrations.  Great North currently operates G-NHAA... Read more

Airmed 2011 moves static and aerial displays to Dunsfold

Airmed 2011 moves static and aerial displays to Dunsfold

27-Apr-2011Source: Airmed

It has been confirmed that the final day of the Airmed World Congress will now take place at Dunsfold Park Aerodrome in Surrey rather than as previously advertised at Shoreham Airport. The Aviation Day is planned to include a host of rotary and fixed wing aircraft both on the ground and in the air and... Read more

UK: Capital Air Services reports 2010 is best ever

UK: Capital Air Services reports 2010 is best ever

26-Apr-2011Source: Corporate Jet Investor

Michael Hampton, managing director of Capital Air Services reports that after 2009, an awful year for the company, there has been a spectacular turnaround in 2010 with business increasing by some 60% in 2010.... Read more

UK restructures Defence Equipment and Support organisation

UK restructures Defence Equipment and Support organisation

25-Apr-2011Source: UK MoD

From 3 May 2011, four Chiefs of Materiel will be responsible for delivery of outputs and the Chief of Defence Materiel will head the commercial function within the Department. Since being appointed Chief of Defence Materiel in January, Bernard Gray has been examining the way forward for DE&S and seeking to understand the freedom of manoeuvre... Read more

UK: Sister company of PremiAir Aviation and Battersea HP in administration

UK: Sister company of PremiAir Aviation and Battersea HP in administration

23-Apr-2011Source: HeliHub.com

Two banks – Lloyds and Barclays – have called in administrators Ernst & Young on Von Essen Hotels Ltd after the company failed to make interest payments on its £250m debt.  The company owns 26 luxury hotels in UK and France, including some of the finest stately homes and castles in the country including Thornbury... Read more

Prince Harry promoted to Captain and completes first stage of Apache training

Prince Harry promoted to Captain and completes first stage of Apache training

20-Apr-2011Source: Royal Household

Prince Harry has been promoted to Captain within the Army Air Corps in recognition of time service in the Armed Forces. The Prince – now known as Captain Harry Wales in the military – was also awarded his Apache Badge from the Officer in Command of his Squadron on Thursday 14th April, marking the completion... Read more

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