Royal endorsement for Airbus Helicopters’ new London Oxford Airport facility

Airbus Helicopters formally inaugurated its £50m new hangarage facility at its London Oxford Airport UK home on Friday, 13th September.

Parliamentary Secretary Abena Oppong-Asare MP cut the ribbon in front of 200 industry guests, comprised of suppliers, customers and VIPs, including James McAlpine, Great Grandson of British industrialist Sir Robert McAlpine. She remarked that helicopters have a critical role “helping us keep resilient and secure. Helicopters used by the police, air ambulance and security forces keep the public safe and Airbus is an important part of that,” she said.

After the formalities, HRH The Prince of Wales arrived without fanfare, flying in aboard an ACH145, one of three flown and managed by Oxford-based Capital Air Services. He took a tour of the new facility with Airbus Helicopters’ UK Managing Director Lenny Brown and chatted with young apprentices.

The Prince of Wales toured the new facility with Airbus Helicopters’ UK Managing Director Lenny Brown.

It was a double celebration for the leading helicopter OEM, also marking 50 years in the UK, originally as McAlpine Helicopters in 1974. The OEM acquired the company in 2007, renaming it Eurocopter UK and later Airbus Helicopters UK as their group branding changed. Its new facility, branded simply ‘Airbus,’ is home to 250 from a total 450 employees devoted to helicopters in the UK.

“Our new headquarters in Oxford represents more than just a physical space,” stated Airbus UK Chairman John Harrison. “It symbolises the future of Airbus Helicopters in the UK with advanced facilities for completions, retrofits, and maintenance, as well as a cutting-edge design office.”

Parliamentary Secretary Abena Oppong-Asare MP.

The new 11,700 m² facility offers more space for teams to work collaboratively and more efficiently, said Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. Its previous facility on the other side of the airport, built in the late 1940s, was spread over five buildings and rather disjointed. We no longer have to pull helicopters out to put others in, he noted.

Sustainability is a key feature of the facility. Thanks to its sophisticated lighting, climate control and construction techniques, the building has 50% lower carbon emissions than the ones they vacated. Airbus Helicopters also pledges to regularly uplift with sustainable aviation fuel, now available at Oxford, just as it does at its Marignane, France and Donauworth, Germany bases.

Aerial view of Airbus Helicopters' new facility at Oxford, UK.

The UK is a ‘Home Countries’ market for Airbus Helicopters highlighted Bruno Even. Half of all corporate, private and utility use helicopters flying in the UK are manufactured by Airbus and the OEM also accounts for two thirds of the UK’s air ambulance fleet. In addition, all military rotary pilots and rear crews learn to fly on Airbus’ fleet of 36 Junos and Jupiters in the Military Flying Training System. Airbus, which is responsible for 12,000 jobs cross sector in the UK, is passionate about bringing young people into aviation. Airbus Helicopters has trained nearly 200 technical helicopter apprentices in the UK over the years, while more than 4,000 apprentices have passed through all Airbus divisions over the last ten years.

Three more H145s for Gama Aviation

Bruno Even took the opportunity to announce a new order from Gama Aviation for three H145s, which will fly for the Scottish Air Ambulance from both Inverness and Glasgow Airports, the latter where Gama runs helicopter maintenance facilities and an expanding FBO. Having acquired certain assets of Specialist Aviation Services in December 2023 and widened its HEMS activity, the company now operates a 16-strong helicopter fleet from 12 bases.

Group CEO Marwan Khalek, Special Missions MD Mark Smith and Group Head of Engagement Duncan Daines were proud to share in the celebrations.

The Prince of Wales, who flew an H145 for East Anglia Air Ambulance during 2015 to 2017, especially enjoyed looking over one of two new H135s for London Air Ambulance (LAA), a charity of which he is Patron. Officially handed over at the event, LAA are due to put two new H135s into service on 1st October, replacing two MD Explorers.

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 19th September 2024 | Issue #764