And when that happens to a company it can only mean cash flow problems.
These must be interesting times in the Longmint office.
With the police and ambulance contracts gone where is the income going to come from to cover the lease/ insurance etc of grounded aircraft? Staff, buildings and other operational costs will be stacking as the revenue dries up.
This must be a very sad time for Gerry (who built the operation from one helicopter) to watch it all falling apart.
Now for facts on the ground. To get a picture of how the new air ambulance operation slots together the following may help.
There are 4 hangars at the western end of the field (south of 27 threshold). Google earth shows the layout well.
Sterling live in the most northerly (H14).
Sterling sub-let 1/2 the next down (H13) to NHV, and use the other 1/2 for storage, with offices on two floors to the rear - top floor is EAAA.
Sterling sub-let the next down (H12), currently 1/2 to Bond Offshore and 1/2 to Centreline (5 Rockwell Commanders maint), but in a couple of weeks Centreline leave and Bond OH take the whole of H12.
Skydrift live in most of the most southerly (H10) (there is no H11), but accommodate SaxonAir's EC120 while the new Saxon hangar is being built at the south end of taxiway E (not yet on G-earth) but due to open around Easter.
The EAAA operation is based in offices to landside of H13, and Bond Air Services have simply begun using those facilities, although I guess there may be some synergy with BOH in H12.
I understand EAAA were threatened that if they pulled the contract from Sterling they would be ejected from the offices forthwith (no prizes for guessing who made the threat), but in the event I understand EAAA are fully covered by a clause giving them 3 months notice in the event of contract termination. This I would guess would give sufficient security of tenure that Sterling will probably be history before they have to move out.
In any event EAAA have additional accommodation immediately adjacent to the field 1/2 mile south, which could hold their admin staff, and the crews could easily slide into H12 with BOH (as sister Co) without crowding.
There can be no doubt that Bond will get the contract but I feel for the staff at Sterling who played no part in this saga.