British International Helicopters

British International Helicopters
IATA ICAO Callsign
BS BIH BRINTEL
Founded 2000
Hubs Coventry Airport, Newquay Cornwall Airport, RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands
Subsidiaries
  • BIH (Onshore) Ltd
  • British International Helicopter Services Ltd
  • Patriot Aviation Ltd
Fleet size 25
Parent company Rigby Group PLC
Headquarters Coventry Airport, Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Website britishinternationalhelicopters.com

British International Helicopter Services Limited (BIH), owned by Rigby Group PLC, is the largest British-owned helicopter operator and the only domestically-held company in the UK's offshore helicopter / EMS sector. It operates a fleet of 25 helicopters covering offshore and defence, engineering, charter and flying training activities from its bases at Newquay, Coventry and RAF Mount Pleasant – Falkland Islands.

It operates from Newquay using two Eurocopter AS 365N2 Dauphin helicopters on behalf of the Royal Navy Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) based at HMS Drake in HMNB Devonport. A Sikorsky S-61 helicopter is also used on occasions for FOST duties.

BIH also operates two Sikorsky S-61 helicopters from RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, where they are used for everyday military transport and land logistic support around the islands, where there are few roads and a 12-mile strip of sea separating the two main islands.

Coventry Airport operator BIH (Onshore) Ltd functions as BIH’s utilities division, servicing an operational workload that includes Police and Air Ambulance capability, commercial helicopter support including surveying, pipeline patrols, TV mast calibration, load lifting, forestry and national park services and film work. BIH (Onshore) Ltd also maintains BIH’s VIP and commercial charter business, flight training for both commercial and private pilots and helicopter engineering across a wide range of helicopter and aeroplane types.

History

The company was originally British Airways Helicopters until its privatisation in September 1986, when it was sold to publisher Robert Maxwell and subsequently renamed to British International Helicopters (BIH).

In 1993 CHC Helicopter acquired 40% of BIH's voting shares, and raised their shareholding to 90% within a year. BIH became the UK subsidiary of CHC, as Brintel Helicopters Limited. In October 1996 Brintel acquired the Cardiff-based Veritair Limited.

The current incarnation of the company was formed in 2000 with the backing of 3i Group PLC and the Bank of Scotland, through a management buy in of the non-oil related operations of Scotia Helicopters and CHC Helicopter, with the Bank of Scotland providing funding of £22million.

One of the company's Sikorsky S-61 helicopters at Tresco Heliport

In 2006, BIH finalised a secondary management buy-out financed by a syndicate of investors led by Matrix Private Equity Partners, with the backing of Finance Cornwall and Chrysalis Venture Capital Trust.

As a result of the loss of a South Wales Police helicopter air support contract, the business of British International at Cardiff was sold in May 2008 to the management team led by Captain Julian Verity. The new company Heli Charter Wales Limited is trading as Veritair Aviation.

Veritair Limited changed its name to British International Helicopter Services Limited in October 2008.[1]

In June 2013, the company was acquired by The Rigby Group PLC subsidiary Patriot Aerospace to supplement its existing aviation activities.[2]

Cessation of passenger flights

On 1 August 2012 it was announced that the service between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly would be withdrawn from 1 November 2012.[3] A Judicial Review triggered by the Tesco supermarket group over the sale of Penzance Heliport to Sainsburys created a period of delay which affected the finance to replace the fleet of helicopters.

BIH flew seasonal and year round domestic scheduled services from its main base at Penzance Heliport (EGHK/PZE), with services to St. Mary's Airport (EGHE/ISC), and Tresco Heliport (EGHT/TSO), Isles of Scilly. It used two Sikorsky S-61 helicopters from a pool of nine of the type that it owned. The flights ceased on 31 October 2012.

Fleet

Accidents and incidents

Although British International Helicopter Services Ltd. (including its time under the Veritair banner) has suffered no accidents since its inception in May 2000, the following events were experienced by its predecessors:

A British Airways Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N G-BEON crashed into the southern Celtic Sea en route from Penzance to St. Mary's Airport in low visibility. The crash killed 20 of the 26 passengers and crew (see 1983 British Airways Sikorsky S-61 crash), making it the worst UK Helicopter accident until the Sumburgh disaster.

A British International Helicopters Boeing 234LR Chinook crashed on approach to Sumburgh Airport, Shetland Islands, killing 45 (see Sumburgh disaster).

A Sikorsky S-61N ditched into the North Sea, no injuries (see 1988 British International Helicopters Sikorsky S-61N crash).

A Veritair Eurocopter AS355 operating for South Wales Police crashed into a house in Cardiff when the tail rotor drive failed.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Companies House – English Company 02575976
  2. ↑ "Patriot Aerospace Group buys British International Helicopters". 20 June 2013.
  3. ↑ "Penzance to Isles of Scilly helicopter flights ending". BBC News. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "British International Helicopter Services Ltd". CAA. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Rotor failure caused helicopter crash". BBC News. 25 April 2000.
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