22-Jul-2015 Source: Nova
Starspeed’s Gloucestershire Training facility at Kemble airport has been chosen by Nova Systems as the base for their new Airbus Helicopter, H135.
The partnership between the two companies will see the aircraft, now operating under its new registration G-NSYS, used to the optimum:
Nova Systems is a leading provider of independent flight test and evaluation services and will be using the helicopter primarily as a platform to run equipment tests and flight trials. Starspeed will be flying it for charter and training operations.
Nova Systems is internationally recognised in the field of aircraft test and evaluation and offers unrivalled depth and breadth of experience in this demanding discipline. It has built its business through years of delivery and supervisory experience across the full range of flight test disciplines with unsurpassed knowledge of the various international regulatory sets.
“Nova Systems is thrilled that it has been able to link up with Starspeed, whose reputation is second to none in the UK training and charter sectors,” says Stephen Camporeale, Nova’s UK CEO.
“We are delighted to be partnering with Nova Systems in this project. It gives us the opportunity to have ready access to the H135 for advanced pilot training as well as providing charter opportunities out of Kemble,” says David Arkell, Starspeed Director and Head of Training.
The aircraft has recently been re-fitted with an excellent standard of VIP interior. It has previously been used successfully by Starspeed as a charter aircraft and will be familiar to many customers.
Starspeed’s main charter operations are based at Fairoaks in Surrey. It has 16 aircraft available for business and VIP charter throughout the UK and Europe. Opening up a new charter base in Gloucestershire provides easy regional access to helicopter travel for clients based in the West of England. “Having a helicopter charter base close by, means less positioning time and a more cost effective service,” says Starspeed Director, Simon Mitchell.
Starspeed’s training facility in Kemble specialises in instrument, instructor and Type Ratings. It includes the first Elite AS 355 SMPT II twin-engine device with dynamic control loading, trim and autopilot functions, as well as full EFIS, SFIM autopilot, Garmin 430.