EHL > Lynton > PremiAir
Robin Keith was the first MD of McAlpine Helicopters and went on (in 1987) to form European Helicopters in partnership with Tommy Sopwith and Lynton Group Ltd (headed by Christopher Tennant). Lynton owned 40% of EHL and the other two shareholders 30% each.
The company was formed to carry out corporate helicopter rebuilding, maintenance, sales and consultancy but there was some controversy when it sought to win the Aerospatiale helicopter distributorship away from McAlpine Helicopters. McAlpine sued and won damages and an injunction preventing European Helicopters from approaching Aerospatiale.
In August 1990 Lynton Group acquired remaining 60% of EHL's equity from the other partners and EHL was absorbed into Lynton along with Air Hanson and Magec Aviation. Later Lynton sold the combined helicopter operations and maintenance business to Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons and merged with the operating arm of McAlpine Helicopters (McAlpine Aviation Services formerly OSS) to form PremiAir.
McAlpine Helis carried on as the Eurocopter distributor until it was purchased by Eurocopter in 2007 and became Eurocopter UK.
Incidentally Lynton was/is also a major shareholder in PDG Helicopters when its subsidiary Dollar Helis merged with PLM Helis. Do they still have an interest?
It's amazing how few degrees of separation lie between all those famous names of the UK Heli industry?