Why no Passenger Helicopters??
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Why no Passenger Helicopters??
can anyone advise why there arent many passenger helicopter operating in the UK? Especially on shorter sub 200/400 mile routes etc. Is it economics?
Join Date: Jun 2008
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Cost, simple as that? Probably. But I don't think the industry in UK has tried hard enough to make people who would benefit from heli transport think about the option. Not sure how to achieve that, either!
Airfield - to - airfield I would agree planks are cheaper to operate. But....
Helicopters come into their own when operated to congested sites (ie not to an airfield). UK has a more restrictive attitude to helicopters in cities than some other countries (eg US) and an official "dislike" of single-engined machines for passenger transport (again compared to eg US) (no IFR, no landing on raised structures, etc, etc).
So more expensive anyway, being pushed to a twin makes it much more expensive, then we don't let you land where you would like to (eg right in the city), and (finally) if you can land "close" - eg Battersea in London - it is not really that close and even more expensive.
That means scheduled heli flights don't make a lot of sense in most cases. Trips to rigs are an obvious exception - it is that or boat!
However, where the passenger owns (or has use of) a field / garden etc at each end then helis make really good sense.
eg Redhill (near Gatwick) to Hull for a business meeting - 1hr 40min each way landing in the garden of the hotel (it was the Rowley Manor). Can't beat that by car, train or cheap fixed wing! (OK a Harrier would be quicker!). 4 pax in a single (subject to VFR, cancel the meeting or find another form of transport if wx is poor) and it can make sense financially compared to 4x1st class rail plus taxis etc each end, or (approx) 5 hrs each way by car with a driver.
Airfield - to - airfield I would agree planks are cheaper to operate. But....
Helicopters come into their own when operated to congested sites (ie not to an airfield). UK has a more restrictive attitude to helicopters in cities than some other countries (eg US) and an official "dislike" of single-engined machines for passenger transport (again compared to eg US) (no IFR, no landing on raised structures, etc, etc).
So more expensive anyway, being pushed to a twin makes it much more expensive, then we don't let you land where you would like to (eg right in the city), and (finally) if you can land "close" - eg Battersea in London - it is not really that close and even more expensive.
That means scheduled heli flights don't make a lot of sense in most cases. Trips to rigs are an obvious exception - it is that or boat!
However, where the passenger owns (or has use of) a field / garden etc at each end then helis make really good sense.
eg Redhill (near Gatwick) to Hull for a business meeting - 1hr 40min each way landing in the garden of the hotel (it was the Rowley Manor). Can't beat that by car, train or cheap fixed wing! (OK a Harrier would be quicker!). 4 pax in a single (subject to VFR, cancel the meeting or find another form of transport if wx is poor) and it can make sense financially compared to 4x1st class rail plus taxis etc each end, or (approx) 5 hrs each way by car with a driver.
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.....and don't forget the Scillies Isles run by BI(H)....think its the longest running commercial helo transport service in the UK....but as has been said above it represents the case in point.
The other issue is environmental...noise.....the Heathrow to Gatwick service (using S61s) some years go was proving very popular- avoiding the M25 nonesense...but failed to regain long term approvall due to environmental objections.
However much as I may love 'em...to many in the great UK public...helos are noisy, dangerous and expensive play things..and sadly will probably always be seen as such.
This is why so much store is placed on commercially efficient designs such as the AB 609 tilt-rotor...seen as very much the panacea for profitable VSTOL civ "rotary" ops......we shall see....
The other issue is environmental...noise.....the Heathrow to Gatwick service (using S61s) some years go was proving very popular- avoiding the M25 nonesense...but failed to regain long term approvall due to environmental objections.
However much as I may love 'em...to many in the great UK public...helos are noisy, dangerous and expensive play things..and sadly will probably always be seen as such.
This is why so much store is placed on commercially efficient designs such as the AB 609 tilt-rotor...seen as very much the panacea for profitable VSTOL civ "rotary" ops......we shall see....
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Penzance Scillies
The Penzance - Scillies service is the most successful helicopter service in the world, ever, having been in operation for 46 years and carried some 4 million pax. It has been so successful because of the combination of the right aircraft, the right route, benign weather, instrument approaches at each end and great passenger demand. MAUW allows 25 pax and bags and just the right amount of fuel. The fare is not cheap but still the aircraft operates to capacity most of the year.
It can also offer more seats than any fixed-wing that can operate commercially into St Mary's airport.
During my last year, I was asked by a passenger if the company had considered a service from Penzance to Truro or Newquay. When I pointed out that a flight would take twenty minutes, and cost £120 against thirty minutes and £5 by train or bus, he saw the problem. If it can be done by any other means its almost always cheaper than by helicopter.
It can also offer more seats than any fixed-wing that can operate commercially into St Mary's airport.
During my last year, I was asked by a passenger if the company had considered a service from Penzance to Truro or Newquay. When I pointed out that a flight would take twenty minutes, and cost £120 against thirty minutes and £5 by train or bus, he saw the problem. If it can be done by any other means its almost always cheaper than by helicopter.
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The Penzance - Scillies service is the most successful helicopter service in the world, ever, having been in operation for 46 years and carried some 4 million pax.
