As the end of the current contract in late 2025 approaches, a tender has been issued by General Lighthouse Authorities (GLA) for a new ten year contract. The estimated total value of the contract is stated as £30 million.

The GLA represents a joint approach by the three organisations with responsibility for lighthouses around the UK and Ireland. The trio comprise of Trinity House (England and Wales), Northern Lighthouse Board (Scotland) and Commissioners for Irish Lights (Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland).

The current contract started on 1st December 2015 and has been flown by PDG Helicopters using two Airbus EC135T2+ aircraft, suitably registered G-GLAA and G-GLAB – images as seen with this post. These fly passenger and cargo, including external sling Load, to and from onshore/offshore lighthouse sites and supporting vessels. Due to the over-water requirements of the tasks, lighthouse support tasks have always been flown in UK and Ireland with twin-turbine helicopters. For many years these were Bo105s, followed by a brief period with MD Explorers.

Underslung loads represent between 15 and 32% of the operational flying tasks per year (averaging 22%). They are usually flown from a GLA vessel close by or from an accessible point on the nearest mainland to reduce the distance and duration of the operation. The support of building and renovation tasks at lighthouses creates the requirement for a great variety of weights, shapes, sizes, and natures of underslung loads with different aerodynamic characteristics.

The tender documentation notes that GLA helicopters are to be twin turbine helicopters equipped, certified and capable of operating single pilot IFR operations and to operate under Sub-Part HOFO and Part-SPO, capable of: – operating from legacy helidecks of GLA vessels (D value 12) – operating from sub-1D elevated lantern top helipads – operating on rough and uneven ground

Irish Lights