206 Jock,
Don't post if you don't want to become involved.
I say this to you. I ran a police/hems outfit for many many years as Chief Pilot. I did the maths for procuring the a/c (direct purchase, not lease), for comparing turnkey with other options. I knew the salaries of everyone working there including the Insepctor who ran the whole caboodle. I knew the running costs down to the last penny and presented this to the CC each and every year for his public audits.
When you describe what you come across as a trustee suggests to me that you have swallowed the band wagon pill......
£75,000 to run a one / two ship operation is ridiculous - try £45000.
Turnkey - possibly the most expensive form of operating ever. The helicopter lease company is most certainly laughing all the way to the bank here with YOUR money. IF you had any business acumen you would recommend someone sat down and costed the purchase and running of their outfit as a stand alone outfit. Overheads would HALVE overnight. But no-one wants the hassle of logistics/PBH/SBH and all that is associated with running their own show. After all it's someone' else's money (public) and the boss is only getting £75000 for his efforts
If I told you the running costs of a modern police outfit by comparison - you'd choke on your muesli and cafe latte
[And the reason for the disparity - one is publically audited and the other isn't].