7-Jun-2013Source: The Northern Echo
THE Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) has launched a new website to encourage supporters to share fundraising exploits. (See Full Stories)... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: HeliHub.com
UK Distributor for the Guimbal Cabri, Cotswold Helicopter Centre, has told HeliHub.com that the fifth, sixth and seventh Cabris are now on order for UK customers. With the third example delivered in recent days, this shows that the market for the composite-construction French design is growing fast. Back in February we announced that the fourth Cabri will... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: Press & Journal
Eurocopter has an uphill PR battle ahead of them – nearly nine out of 10 offshore workers have lost confidence in the model of helicopter involved in two North Sea ditchings last year. (see full story) NOTE other reports are sceptical of this article, saying the word ‘fear’ did not appear in the survey... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: BBC
A £7m hangar will be built at Newquay Airport in Cornwall by the firm behind the country’s new air search and rescue service (SAR). (See Full Story)... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: Lancashire Telegraph
THE chief executive of the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) has left his post in unexplained circumstances. (See Full Story)... Read more
6-Jun-2013Source: Gazette Series
The 25-square metre aluminium deck will sit four metres above the existing roof level of the hospital’s Queen’s Building and connect to the new ward block via a steel ramp leading to a new lift lobby. (See Full Story)... Read more
5-Jun-2013Source: CAA
The introduction of the new European regulations for pilot licensing has resulted in a significant amount of change for UK pilots in the past year and has also impacted the Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) systems and processes. The result has been pilots and other stakeholders not receiving the level of service that we would hope... Read more
5-Jun-2013Source: Royal Air Force
The RAF’s Merlin helicopter fleet has finished operations in Afghanistan after providing nearly 4 years of continuous front line support. The Merlins have flown more than 18,000 hours in the dust and heat of Helmand – moving more than 7,900 tonnes of kit and stores and transporting over 130,000 personnel during that time. The Merlin... Read more
5-Jun-2013
Scottish Air Ambulance EC135 ferrying a sick patient from a remote island to a mainland hospital was forced to divert to an airport after the pilot spotted doctors having a barbecue near the helipad. (see full story)... Read more
4-Jun-2013Source: Signature Flight Support
Signature Flight Support announces it has recommenced handling of all helicopter traffic into London Gatwick Airport, coinciding with the reopening of the helicopter aiming point (HAP) by the airport in May 2013. The opening of the HAP will enable commercial and business aviation operators to once again land helicopters at Gatwick without having to request... Read more
4-Jun-2013Source: Ex-Im Bank
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is providing a $187.4 million guarantee of a capital-markets bond to finance the export of Sikorsky S-92® helicopters to The Milestone Aviation Group Ltd. of Dublin, Ireland. The transaction is Ex-Im Bank’s largest financing of U.S.-manufactured commercial helicopter exports and the agency’s first support of these... Read more
4-Jun-2013Source: Newcastle International Airport
A brand new £1million, state-of-the-art, offshore training centre was unveiled today at Newcastle International Airport, which will see up to 6,000 offshore workers trained every year in emergency fire fighting. The world-class facility has been developed by Offshore Training Newcastle (OTN) – a unique partnership of three of the North East’s leading training organisations: AIS,... Read more
3-Jun-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Bristow Helicopters has restarted providing the SAR service from Sumburgh Airport in the UK’s Shetland Islands from Saturday 1st June. Bristow was the original holder of this contract from 1993, before CHC won it in 2007. Over the last few years huge efforts have been put in to a new nationwide SAR contract with the... Read more
3-Jun-2013Source: HeliHub.com
The third Guimbal Cabri imported to the UK – and the first for a private owner – arrived on Friday after a delivery flight from the factory at Aix en Provence in France. Following inspection by the UK CAA due this Wednesday, and its subsequent issue of a UK Certificate of Airworthiness, the helicopter will... Read more
31-May-2013Source: The Air Ambulance Service
The Air Ambulance Service’s paramedics will now be able to administer even more advanced care when they’re out and about at accidents and emergencies across the county. The Air Ambulance Service runs two Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS); Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and Derbyshire, Leicestershire & Rutland Air Ambulance. Combined the two services attend... Read more
30-May-2013Source: Heli UK Expo
Attend a special presentation about this new event during AeroExpo UK on Friday 31st May or Saturday 1st June at 11:00am in the Club Room within the Aviator Hotel. Should you like to talk us any other time during the event you can call Astrid + 44 (0) 7557 381 064 or Alex + 44... Read more
29-May-2013Source: The Herald Scotland
Four hero pilots who saved the lives of 29 oil workers after two helicopter ditchings off the coast of Scotland have been shortlisted for a prestigious flying award. (See Full Story)... Read more
28-May-2013Source: CHC
CHC Helicopter, the world’s largest helicopter services company, has launched an advanced engineering apprenticeship scheme to foster the next generation of engineering talent. CHC has joined forces with Resource Group’s Part 147 approved training organisation, LRTT, to develop the apprenticeship programme which will see 35 young people expected to join CHC’s UK and Dutch operations... Read more
28-May-2013Source: East Anglian Air Ambulance
More lives will be saved across the eastern region now that a dedicated air ambulance has made history and been granted permission to fly helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) missions at night. Following 18 months of demanding hard work from the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and its aircraft operator Bond Air Services, the Charity... Read more
23-May-2013Source: BBC News
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) is based at Perth Airport and will supplement the work of the Scottish Ambulance Service. (See Full Story)... Read more
22-May-2013Source: AgustaWestland
AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce the sale of the fourth AW139 intermediate twin helicopter for corporate transport in the UK & Ireland. This latest sale continues the success of the AW139 in the UK & Ireland corporate helicopter market in the last two years. The helicopter will be delivered in 2014 to... Read more
21-May-2013Source: UK MoD
The 100-pound (45kg) Hellfire precision missile is Apache’s primary weapon. Used by crews in Afghanistan, it also proved itself repeatedly during the Libya campaign when Apaches flew from the deck of HMS Ocean against Colonel Gaddafi’s forces. Its successful use in Afghanistan and in training has reduced UK stocks of the missiles, which is why... Read more
20-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
British operator Castle Air is in the process of opening a second base at Biggin Hill Airport on the south-east outskirts of London. Given their current location at Liskeard in Cornwall is 250 miles away from the country’s capital, and very much in one corner of the island, the location would appear a logical one... Read more
16-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Bristow Helicopters have now completed their three month training period with their new SAR Sikorsky S92s. Accordingly the three newly delivered helicopters have now been moved from Inverness to Sumburgh ready for the start of operations on 1st June 2013. The “Gap SAR” contract, an interim period until Bristow’s nationwide SAR contract comes into force... Read more
15-May-2013Source: London’s Air Ambulance
FirstGroup, the leading transport operator in the UK and North America is providing our charity, with £100k worth of support over four years. Last month one of FirstGroup’s brand new hybrid buses, which is one of 23 which has just entered service in Essex, went head to head with our aircraft at RAF Northolt to... Read more
15-May-2013Source: Scunthorpe Telegraph
Residents interested in the proposed development of a new Search And Rescue (SAR) helicopter base at Humberside Airport are being invited to find out more about the plans at a drop-in community exhibition. (See Full Story)... Read more
14-May-2013Source: Offshore Energy Today
The Petroleum Safety Authority Norway (PSA), with assistance from the Civil Aviation Authority, carried out an audit of Ekofisk 2/4-L facility on 4 – 5 April 2013. (See Full Story)... Read more
13-May-2013Source: Patriot Aerospace
Patriot Aerospace has acquired the interests of British International Helicopter Services (BIH), making the aviation group the UK’s largest domestically owned helicopter operator. The deal will see Sir Peter Rigby’s aviation company take over BIH’s military support contracts in the UK and overseas. Representing a significant move towards realising the group’s plan to create a... Read more
10-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) is in a state of flux at present with a combination of issues all happening at the same time. Their older MD Explorer G-SASH went in for its annual in mid March, and needs a new flexbeam in the rotor system to make it airworthy again. However, MD Helicopters have told... Read more
10-May-2013Source: Multiflight
A Dauphin AS365N2 helicopter air ambulance owned and operated by Multiflight is currently providing vital cover for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) service. The helicopter is being used as a replacement aircraft whilst one of the two YAA MD902 Explorers is having its planned mandatory annual service. “Multiflight is pleased to be able to offer... Read more
9-May-2013Source: Bond Offshore Helicopters
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd (Bond), one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with Applied Drilling Technology International (ADTI). The new contract, worth approximately £14m, is to provide crew-change flights for the well management specialist. Services are due to begin early... Read more
9-May-2013Source: 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
9-May-2013Source: CAA
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) today announced that Mike Barnard has been appointed as General Aviation (GA) Programme Manager. Mike’s main role will be leading a programme to develop and implement policy on how the CAA regulates the GA sector in the future to ensure it is safe and the regulation is proportionate. Building... Read more
7-May-2013Source: Shropshire Star
A businessman who was left clinging to life in the wreckage of a horror helicopter crash in Shropshire has shown his gratitude to the air ambulance service that saved him. (See Full Story)... Read more
3-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
The BHA have told us that their current Chairman Brian Humphries CBE, FRAeS is to retire on 1st June. He will be succeeded by Sir Christopher Coville KCB BA FCIPD FRAeS RAF. Sir Christopher served in the RAF as a fighter pilot, qualified on the Gazelle and Whirlwind and was a past Chairman of Westland... Read more
3-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Devon & Cornwall Police’s air support unit have joined Twitter and can be found @DCP_Helicopter. However, this move may be short-lived as the gradual nationalisation of law enforcement aviation across England and Wales under the “NPAS” (National Police Air Service) banner has seen various units adopt new Twitter identities involving the NPAS name. Time will... Read more
3-May-2013Source: RAF
The captain for 2013 will be Flight Lieutenant Paul Farmer. This will be his second year with the Display Team. This year’s Co-Pilot is Flight Lieutenant Gareth Allen, the Display Manager Flight Lieutenant Kyle Thomas and the Rear Crew are Sergeants Andy Caldwell and Steve Jones. The season this year will be made all the... Read more
3-May-2013Source: East Anglian Air Ambulance
The East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) has passed its most recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which confirms that everyone helped by the Charity receives care of the highest quality. The EAAA, which provides the air ambulance service across Bedfordshire, Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk, operates from bases at Cambridge and Norwich. It has... Read more
3-May-2013Source: Step Change in Safety
Step Change in Safety has received a prestigious commendation by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work for its efforts to improve workforce engagement in the offshore oil and gas industry. Step Change in Safety’s Workforce Engagement Toolkit – which promises to positively transform the way oil and gas companies interact with staff... Read more
3-May-2013Source: Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Paramedics and doctors at Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) have helped design their own medical kit bags that are now being used to treat patients both on the ground and inflight. The medical teams have worked with manufacturers to produce the revolutionary pouch design bags already attracting interest from other helicopter emergency services. The new bags,... Read more
1-May-2013Source: The London Helicopter
The UK’s first public helicopter service to sell individual seats online launches on 1st May when The London Helicopter introduces regular sightseeing flights from The Barclays London Heliport in Battersea. This innovative offering at www.thelondonhelicopter.com allows passengers to pre-book seats for helicopter sightseeing trips over the Capital taking off from London’s only commercially licensed Heliport. The new... Read more
1-May-2013Source: HeliHub.com
UK’s Royal Air Force has reduced its fleet of VVIP AgustaWestland 109E Powers from two to one from the end of March 2013, two years after taking another of the original three away. The remaining aircraft is expected to fly 500 hours a year The unexpected move of serial ZR323 back to the UK civil... Read more
1-May-2013Source: Isle of Wight radio
The first test flight for St Mary’s Hospital’s new helipad has taken place (see full story)... Read more
30-Apr-2013Source: Serco
Serco has been awarded a contract extension by AgustaWestland Ltd to assist them in maintaining the fleet of Sea King aircraft for the Ministry of Defence under their Integrated Operational Support Contract. The extension, which will run from April 2013 until December 2015, is worth over £7m for the two and a half year period... Read more
29-Apr-2013Source: HeliHub.com
It has come to our notice by scanning property websites that the new 4,000 sq.ft (371 m²) are rent-free, courtesy of landlords Land Securities. That fact was missed from the press release issued by London’s Air Ambulance, which merely said “the office move has been prompted by continuous growth”. Checking the report on the CoStar... Read more
29-Apr-2013Source: Birmingham Mail
West Midlands Police’s eye-in-the sky helicopter helped cops snare more than 500 suspects last year. The aircraft spent 1,175 hours in the sky and was also responsible for finding 27 people who had been reported missing. (See Full Story)... Read more
26-Apr-2013Source: Bond
Bond Offshore Helicopters Ltd (Bond), one of the UK’s leading providers of energy support services, is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a new contract with EnQuest PLC, the largest UK independent oil producer in the UK North Sea. The contract is for up to ten years and it will provide crew change... Read more
26-Apr-2013Source: This Is Cornwall
Helicopters could return to the skies of west Cornwall by next summer after an international company backed plans for a new transport link. (See Full Story)... Read more
25-Apr-2013Source: Eurocopter
With a series of deliveries, Eurocopter has further extended its lead in Britain’s private/VIP market and once more confirmed the company’s role as Britain’s civil helicopter hub. Two of the rotorcraft are the AS350 B3e evolved members of Eurocopter’s Ecureuil family, while the third is an EC120 B. [Editor note – Eurocopter has already issued... Read more
25-Apr-2013Source: BBC News
They help save lives and can get to anywhere in Greater London within six minutes, but 25 years ago London’s Air Ambulance did not even exist except as an idea in the mind of A&E consultant Alastair Wilson. (See Full Story)... Read more
24-Apr-2013Source: HeliHub.com
British manufacturer Dyson has added a second AgustaWestland AW139 to its corporate fleet. HeliHub.com understands this will replace their Dauphin G-DOLF and joins their first AW139 G-OAWL. The new aircraft carries registration G-DCOI which reflects the original vacuum cleaner which Dyson produced – the DC-01 – which launched the success of the company after James... Read more
24-Apr-2013Source: Yorkshire Air Ambulance
Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) paramedics treating trauma patients in severe pain can now administer the powerful analgesic drug ketamine. The helicopter medics, who provide a life-saving service to over five million people in Yorkshire and the Humber, have been given the green light to use the very strong painkiller. Until recently, only doctors were able... Read more
24-Apr-2013Source: London’s Air Ambulance
London’s Air Ambulance, the charity that delivers an advanced trauma team to critically injured people in London, has formed a strategic partnership with mobile operator EE, to develop new systems that will use 4G technology to enhance its service and cut vital minutes off mission times to benefit its patients. London’s Air Ambulance has already... Read more
23-Apr-2013Source: RAF
The RAF Cosford 75th Anniversary Air Show team is excited to announce that a Chinook and an Apache helicopter from the MOD Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) will be coming to the event on Sunday 9th June. The Chinook helicopter, operated by the Royal Air Force primarily to support troop movements, will be joined by an... Read more
23-Apr-2013Source: RAF
A Qualified Helicopter Instructor with the Central Flying School (Helicopters) at RAF Shawbury has achieved a flying milestone in passing an incredible 6000 hours of flying. Flight Lieutenant Jim Hobkirk is a Qualified Helicopter Instructor with Central Flying School (Helicopters) at the unit. He spends his days training future Qualified Helicopter Instructor pilots on the... Read more
23-Apr-2013Source: London’s Air Ambulance
London’s Air Ambulance is delighted to announce that our charity office is moving to the City of London on 29th April 2013. After many years of residency at The Royal London Hospital, our charity team is to relocate to 7/8 Philpot Lane, EC3M 8AA. Telephone 020 7220 5470 The office move has been prompted by... Read more
22-Apr-2013Source: Helicopter Museum
The Helicopter Museum in Weston-super-Mare received a very special guest this week when World Speed Record Holder Trevor Egginton visited the museum to give a unique talk to members of the Empire Test Pilots School in the museums lecture facilities. Piloting the Lynx helicopter, registered G-LYNX, he flew a 15km course across the Somerset Levels... Read more
22-Apr-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance is making good progress and last week had their Eurocopter Bo105 at Perth’s Scone Airport to show off its colour scheme. It’s visit was only for a few days as it still needs some further equipment fitted before going live, but it did provide the charity the opportunity to announce that... Read more
22-Apr-2013Source: Helicentre Aviation
With just over a week to go until the application deadline for Helicentre Aviation’s 2013 Professional Helicopter Pilot Scholarships, the training academy has announced the launch of at least two further scholarship places to be awarded in 2014. The announcement comes as exciting news for this year’s scholarship hopefuls, who will get a second chance... Read more
19-Apr-2013Source: Bond Aviation
Bond Aviation (Bond), the UK’s largest independent emergency and mission critical helicopter operator, is proud to announce that it has been awarded the inaugural Moral Courage Safety Award by the US Department of Transportation. The award was created to celebrate helicopter companies and crew who put safety first, even when that means taking the difficult... Read more
18-Apr-2013Source: Lucy Air Ambulance for Children
Lucy Air Ambulance for Children has joined the Association of Air Ambulances (AAA), the representative body for Air Ambulance Services in the UK, as an Associate Member. The charity funds life-saving medical air transfers for critically ill children from local hospitals to the relevant centres of excellence with the co-operation and assistance of regional air... Read more
17-Apr-2013Source: London’s Air Ambulance
International SOS and London’s Air Ambulance today announced a strategic partnership for 2013. The partnership will focus on securing additional funding for London’s Air Ambulance to sustain the vital life-saving services it delivers across the capital and support a number of key enhancements being made by the charity. London’s Air Ambulance, the charity that delivers... Read more
17-Apr-2013Source: CAA
As part of a process to improve the way it handles official transactions with the aviation industry, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will from today accept more applications online, including secure online payments. UK based aircraft maintenance organisations, for example, can now apply for, or apply for variations to their ‘Part 145’ approval electronically,... Read more
16-Apr-2013Source: Boeing
Boeing recently completed the first flight of the newest CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The March 15 flight, at the Boeing helicopter facility near Philadelphia, happened ahead of schedule and confirmed initial airworthiness for the Mk6 Chinook. “This is a truly impressive achievement for both Boeing and the project... Read more
12-Apr-2013Source: Pirate FM
Pirate FM has learnt an announcement on a new air link to the Isles of Scilly could be just weeks away (see full story).... Read more
11-Apr-2013Source: AAIB
The monthly bulletin from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been released. This month’s issue covers the accident(s) of:- Hiller UH-12 B (N38763), tail struck ground during landing, Elstree Aerodrome, Hertfordshire, 4 August 2012... Read more
10-Apr-2013Source: ExecuJet Europe
ExecuJet Europe, the leading global business aviation organisation, is adding the first helicopter to its managed fleet, the Eurocopter EC155, based at Cambridge Airport. The EC155 helicopter has capacity for eight VIP passengers and two pilots. With a range of more than 500 miles, the aircraft will primarily be used for transfers to the City... Read more
10-Apr-2013Source: London's Air Ambulance
Our team will be followed in Channel 5’s Trauma Doctors in four 60 minute programmes, beginning on Thursday 11th April 2013 at 9pm. Shadowing London’s Air Ambulance and the UK’s leading trauma centre, The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, Trauma Doctors allows the audience to witness this specialist group of clinicians making the split second... Read more
9-Apr-2013Source: HeliHub.com
British operator Air Harrods is currently unable to fly their helicopters commercially. The company has never been able to operate public transport flights in their own right – which we understand is due to the company being majority owned outside the UK/Europe. In the past, Air Harrods entered into commercial partnerships with a series of... Read more
7-Apr-2013Source: HeliHub.com
Capital Air Services of Oxford have taken on two Sikorsky S76 helicopters recently on a management contract. Previously under the control of Premiair Aviation Services at Blackbushe, HeliHub.com expects that the recent significant changes there have led the owner to move his S76A+ and S76C++ to Capital. Both have been re-listed on the CAA website... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Sloane Helicopters
The Sloane Helicopters app is now available to download on iPad/iPhone and Android mobile devices. Please click on the link below for your respective devices. You will find detailed information on Sloane together with helicopter news items, Sywell Airfield status and NOTAMS for this area. We hope you enjoy this new facility and welcome any comments. iPad/iPhone https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/sloane-helicopters/id623857718?mt=8 Android... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Londonist
London’s solitary air ambulance could gain a companion if plans to seek funding from the City are successful.Unlike our urban counterparts, Paris, New York and Sydney who have at least four air ambulances each, we rely on just one (see full story).... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Unity4
Not for profit organisations count on donations to further their cause and extend much needed help to the communities they serve. As a non-government funded charity, Wales Air Ambulance (WAA) needs the necessary financial support and selected Unity4, the global home agent contact centre outsourcer and technology provider, to carry out this key function noting... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Scottish Crown Office
On 1 April 2009 Super Puma helicopter AS332 L2 G-REDL crashed into the North Sea resulting in the deaths of all 16 men on board. Having carefully considered all the circumstances of this incident, Crown Counsel have decided that there is insufficient evidence for a prosecution and as result no criminal proceedings are instructed. The... Read more
5-Apr-2013Source: Bond Air Services
Bond Air Services (Bond), the largest operator of air ambulance aviation units in the UK, has been awarded a new seven-year contract by North West Air Ambulance (NWAA). The contract, worth just over £10 million, is to provide air ambulance support across five counties in North West England. Under the new contract, Bond will continue... Read more
