Hoverman: I have to tell you you are misinformed and wholly wrong about London Helicopter Centres. In fact the 12 Gazelles they have were passed to them by the MoD's disposals company JMC Disposals after a period of evaluation of potential outlets which left several other Gazelle dealers disgruntled.
LHC was chosen by the MoD because it was the first company in the UK to get a Permit to Fly for an ex-military Gazelle and has put more such machines on permits than all other UK operators combined. It has been maintaining Gazelles, civilian and military, for more than a decade, and its chief executive, chief engineer and several other engineers are AAC trained. Its chief pilot has thousands of hours as an AAC and civilian Gazelle instructor and four more of its instructors are experienced on type.
I have instructed there is the past and continue to do so on occasion. I have kept my own helicopter there, and I share the MoD's confidence in the company. I let it go when Flying Lawyer mentioned another operator, but your disparaging remarks cannot go unchallenged. Your statement: 'The LHC aren't Gazelle specialists and they haven't got a proven track record,' is the antithesis of the truth. There is no 'guy who bought them' and there are no more auctions, and MW will find it difficult to obtain any more in the near future. Thanks for the advice, but rest assured, I know someone who 'really knows Gazelles'.