Well can't say I'm suprised.
Unfortunately the last three attempts at the ownership of the old "Skyline" facility at Booker have been made by individuals with absoulutely no experience of the heli industry at all. Camp Freddie and headsethair have hit the nail right on the head, they all tried to get too big too soon and tried too many ideas that had been proved defective.
Skyhopper tried the "Fractional Ownership" route and had far too many salaried pilots sat around scratching their Harris' (not Leon Harris for those that know him!). FlightWorks went into the pipe dream of the Intercontinental Heli-shuttle (Breeze), Multiple Maintenance Organisations (Wycombe, Costock, Sywell) and funded the whole lot from the profits made by the FTO at Booker.
Virgin were just plain unlucky when the branding got pulled after one incident (but a very good school did rise from the ashes as 2 sticks says)
And Time Aviation have been ripped apart from the inside after the Shareholders fell out. A real shame as the staff who work their proverbials off to keep it all runninng have been there for years and have now been left up the heli-lanes without a tail rotor.
Best of Luck Alex, someone will snap you up I'm sure.
For those questioning the finances the FTO TRTO at that facility has always been very profitable and has always attracted a wide ranging customer base (even with the excellent local competition).
The Income from renting Hangarage to private owners and from the fuel sales should be enough to cover the (Not extortionate but comparatively steep) Ground Rent.
The location has always been very succesful for all aspects of charter work.
Why it hasn't worked for the previous incarnations simply comes down to the "I know it ALL" attitudes of the owners and the reluctance of the Bean Counters to listen to the people who are most experienced to advise them.
And cyclicfondler - No. If you look very carefully at the hangars you can still see the Bell and Enstrom logos peeping through - types that have not had a service centre there since Skyline (I beleive).
But at least now a successful Helicopter Operator will be taking over the reins. John Michalakis has been itching to get back into Wycombe since he left after the closure of Skyline, and now the facility will be back in very capable hands. The FTO will undoubtedly flourish, and I just hope that Heliair can lose their reservations with regards to AOC work.
Best of luck to you John & Aileen and welcome home!
(Bet Andy Russell is sick as a pig!)