Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore, formerly Bond Air Services (Bond Aviation Group), is an operator of air ambulance, police, and offshore windfarm helicopters in the UK. Babcock operates a mixed fleet of light twin-engine helicopters custom designed to perform specific and specialised tasks. It operates from 17 bases around the UK. It has base maintenance facilities in Staverton and Glasgow.
| LSE: BAB FTSE 250 component | |
| Industry | Aviation |
| Predecessor | Bond Aviation Group |
| Founder | Peter Bond, Stephen Bond |
| Headquarters | Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton, Gloucestershire , England |
Area served | United Kingdom |
Key people | Hayley Belmore, Managing Director David Lockwood, Group CEO |
| Parent | Babcock International |
| Website | www |
Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore has headquarters at Gloucestershire Airport, Staverton, Gloucestershire, which is also home to their training facilities.
Services
editAir Operations
editThe primary business of Babcock is the provision of an Air Operators Certificate service to end users, including turn-key packages delivering aircraft, pilots, engineers and service support in support of emergency services. This is delivered with their fleet of Airbus (formerly Eurocopter) aircraft.
Design and Completions
editBabcock works in partnership with customers and aircraft manufacturers, providing bespoke design and completion services under Part21G/J approvals. This creates bespoke aircraft and accessories designed for specialised and mission-critical roles – from transporting infants to operating on live high-voltage wires.
Air Training Organisation
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Their training facility includes an EC135 training simulator (Level III FTD)[1] at Staverton, providing in-house training and external training.
History
editIn 2013 Babcock provided the first UK night helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) utilising Night Vision Imaging Systems with East Anglian Air Ambulance.[2]
In 2014, they were contracted by the National Police Air Service (NPAS) to upgrade seven EC135 T2 helicopters with new camera and mission systems technologies.
In 2015, Babcock took delivery of a Eurocopter EC145, ordered the previous year for use with the East Anglian Air Ambulance.[3] They have since taken delivery of another two H145's for the Scottish Ambulance Service. Others have since entered service with East Anglian Air Ambulance and Midlands Air Ambulance. In 2018, they began operating the Airbus Helicopters H135 T3 .[4]
In 2018, they were contracted by Western Power Distribution to upgrade five EC135 helicopters with new mission systems, infrared camera equipment, laser scanning devices and a reconfigured crew workspace.[5]
In 2021, Babcock became the first UK HEMS provider to offer a 24/7 helicopter service to East Anglian Air Ambulance,[6] and later in the same year offering it to Wales Air Ambulance's Cardiff based helicopter.[7]
Customers
editBabcock operates a number of helicopters, including air ambulances around the UK and two police support helicopters for Police Scotland, also offering helicopter support for the renewables industry.[8]
Current Helicopter Operations
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Babcock currently provides turn-key helicopter operations for these customers:
- East Anglian Air Ambulance (2011–Present)
- North West Air Ambulance (1999–Present)
- Midlands Air Ambulance (1990–Present)
- Great Western Air Ambulance (2008–Present)
- Police Scotland (2013–Present)
- Scottish Charity Air Ambulance (2010–Present)
- Hampshire & Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (2007–Present)_
- Wales Air Ambulance (2001-2024[9])
Former Helicopter Operations
edit- Scottish Ambulance Service (1990's-2020)[10]
- Air Ambulance Northern Ireland (2015–2022)[11]
- Thames Valley Air Ambulance (2011–2022)[12]
- Ørsted Walney Wind Farm Extension (2018–2021)[13]
- PSE Kinsale Oil Platform Support (2015–2020)[14]
- SSE Greater Gabbard Wind Farm Support (2013-?)[15]
Prince William
editIn 2014, it was announced that Prince William, Duke of Cambridge would take on a full-time role as a pilot with Bond Air Services based at Cambridge Airport.[16] Although a qualified military pilot able to operate as a Sea King captain, William needed a civilian commercial pilot's licence and further training before starting operations for the East Anglian Air Ambulance. The Duke started operational flights on 13 July 2015 and continued until 2017. His salary was donated to charity.
Incidents
edit- On 29 November 2013, G-SPAO, an EC135-T2 operated by Bond Air Services on behalf of Police Scotland, crashed through the roof of the Clutha Vaults pub in Glasgow, killing all three people on board and seven in the building, and injuring 31 people.[17][18]
- On 4 May 2020, G-SASS, an EC145-D2 operated by Babcock on behalf of Scottish Ambulance Service partially lifted the roof of a nearby caravan with its downwash on departure from the Isle of Arran.[19]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Helicopter Training Services". Babcock. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "East Anglian Air Ambulance set for night flights". BBC News. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Police Aviation News May 2016" (PDF). Police Aviation News. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "H135 / EC135T3". helis.com. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ "Babcock works to keep electricity fleet current | Magazine | Business Air News". www.businessairnews.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "EAAA's 24/7 service is saving lives all over the region". East Anglian Air Ambulance. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "A 24/7 Air Ambulance for Wales". Welsh Air Ambulance Charitable Trust. December 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore orders two H135s for UK windfarm contract". Helihub. 13 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
- ^ HeliHub.com (2 November 2022). "Gama Aviation selected as preferred bidder by Wales Air Ambulance". HeliHub.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ HeliHub.com (1 June 2020). "Gama Aviation starts Scottish EMS operations after taking contract back from Babcock". HeliHub.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Perry2016-09-07T11:01:03 01:00, Dominic. "Babcock wins Northern Ireland air ambulance deal". Flight Global. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Cuenca, Oliver. "Thames Valley Air Ambulance to bring air operations in-house". AirMed&Rescue. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ HeliHub.com (14 June 2021). "Babcock lose UK wind farm contract". HeliHub.com. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ "Bond wins contract for offshore air support with PSE Kinsale in Ireland". Vertical Mag. 30 September 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Spruce, Terry. "Bond Air Services supports world's largest wind farm – Helicopter Investor". Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ^ Britain's Prince William to return to work as air ambulance pilot, ABC News Online, 8 August 2014
- ^ "Helicopter crash in central Glasgow". STV. 29 November 2013. Archived from the original on 30 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Police Helicopter Crashes Into Glasgow Pub Roof". Sky News. 29 November 2013. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "AAIB investigation to MBB-BK 117 D-2, G-SASS". GOV.UK. Retrieved 15 November 2022.