East Anglian Air Ambulance temporarily grounded/Longmint status
Whilst picking over the bones....
I would be interested to hear what happens to the two BK117s previously operated on behalf of the EAAA and their engine parts that were donated to the Sterling operation [using charity money
to keeping Sterling viable for a while .... I assume
].
I can ask the Charity [they told me originally] but first I would like to know there is a question to ask.... and that might be when the aircraft [+ engine parts] move.
I would be interested to hear what happens to the two BK117s previously operated on behalf of the EAAA and their engine parts that were donated to the Sterling operation [using charity money
to keeping Sterling viable for a while .... I assume].I can ask the Charity [they told me originally] but first I would like to know there is a question to ask.... and that might be when the aircraft [+ engine parts] move.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: In the rigging
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Whirls
Thanks for that info.
Clado
Sterling have not been wound up but there are no contracts left so unless there is some sort of a miracle lurking around the corner. However it is being said by management that when the AOC is reinstated the contracts will return
, but can't see that happening. Just hope the CVs are going to the right places but times are hard for everyone so who knows what will happen.
Thanks for that info.
Clado
Sterling have not been wound up but there are no contracts left so unless there is some sort of a miracle lurking around the corner. However it is being said by management that when the AOC is reinstated the contracts will return
, but can't see that happening. Just hope the CVs are going to the right places but times are hard for everyone so who knows what will happen.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern UK
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Still here?
So where is this now?
Have new people(postholders) come in and the AOC is still going?
Will the contracts come back?
Has anyone been paid for March?
Is Longmint still up to its normal grinding evryone down?
With nearly 30,000 views and over 200 posts there was a lot of interest can't believe that's all gone now
Have new people(postholders) come in and the AOC is still going?
Will the contracts come back?
Has anyone been paid for March?
Is Longmint still up to its normal grinding evryone down?
With nearly 30,000 views and over 200 posts there was a lot of interest can't believe that's all gone now
Todays the day
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: North
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I feel that it is unlikely that anyone will get paid. There is no income just a pile of unpaid bills. How long do you display loyalty before you realise that in fact you are in public with your head in the sand and your pants around your ankles? Guess what comes next then! 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 143
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been contacted privately by a current employee who asked me to state thus:
1. Those who resigned and walked out because they had another job to go to, got nothing.
2. Those who resigned giving the required notice then left, but were told they could go immediately and would be paid in full, didn't get paid for some or all of their notice period.
3. Some employees still on the books, haven't been paid properly for months, March being one of them. However, if they walk it's construed as "choosing to leave" and they'll get no state benefit for about 6 months, so they're as well to stay and take the Government minimum redundancy when the Company finally sinks to the bottom of the western apron at NWI.
Its a bloody awful position to be in for them - damned if they do, damned if they don't.
To be ruled over by such an incompetent bunch must make it all the worse, especially when some of the incumbant "Senior Management" in situ at NWI must have had a good idea what was happening.
In my personal opinion, they, let alone Longminge have lot to answer for.
1. Those who resigned and walked out because they had another job to go to, got nothing.
2. Those who resigned giving the required notice then left, but were told they could go immediately and would be paid in full, didn't get paid for some or all of their notice period.
3. Some employees still on the books, haven't been paid properly for months, March being one of them. However, if they walk it's construed as "choosing to leave" and they'll get no state benefit for about 6 months, so they're as well to stay and take the Government minimum redundancy when the Company finally sinks to the bottom of the western apron at NWI.
Its a bloody awful position to be in for them - damned if they do, damned if they don't.
To be ruled over by such an incompetent bunch must make it all the worse, especially when some of the incumbant "Senior Management" in situ at NWI must have had a good idea what was happening.
In my personal opinion, they, let alone Longminge have lot to answer for.
Last edited by Danscowpie; 11th Apr 2011 at 18:20.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Wherever I lay my head
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As a (now) independent observer, this is my first post. Having suffered at the hands of this bunch two years ago, I just wonder if any-one has given a thought to the fact that the Directors of Rats Inc are not as incompetent as people are alluding, but very cold, calculating people who have no thought or feelings for staff. Their track record is littered with closure of companies, leaving people in a mess and onlookers wondering where all the money went. Could this be part of a master plan?
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern UK
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Independent
You are not the first to raise this spectre. Despite what we think of the "family" there is no doubt that they are clever enough to amass a large amount of money and several companies. They must be convincing to get banks to keep giving them the money (no need to comment about the intellegence of the banks
)
No doubt they are doing what they can to keep everythng going. However you must wonder what this has done to the reputation/ future prospects of the individual companies. Each was a well established and well run organisation, each was well respected and each had personel that were trusted. Hopefully they will be able to rise above this mess once the dust has settled.
I see this issue is now getting larger circulation due to the paraphrasing on Helihub website.
You are not the first to raise this spectre. Despite what we think of the "family" there is no doubt that they are clever enough to amass a large amount of money and several companies. They must be convincing to get banks to keep giving them the money (no need to comment about the intellegence of the banks
)No doubt they are doing what they can to keep everythng going. However you must wonder what this has done to the reputation/ future prospects of the individual companies. Each was a well established and well run organisation, each was well respected and each had personel that were trusted. Hopefully they will be able to rise above this mess once the dust has settled.
I see this issue is now getting larger circulation due to the paraphrasing on Helihub website.
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Wherever I lay my head
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ExMage - absolutley right. The whole setup must be like a spiders web and the only reason they keep going is because of the fog of confusion their dealings have created. They have companies and sub-companies and buy/sell/ exchange assets and liabilties across them all. Pity the people (auditors) who have to pick the pieces - it's a web (of deceipt?) and will take years to unravel.
They leave behind them a wake of despair, wrecked careers and people's lives in total disarray.
I really feel for the ones at the coal face, not knowing which way to jump. I only hope they are able to recover their lives from this disgraceful event.
They leave behind them a wake of despair, wrecked careers and people's lives in total disarray.
I really feel for the ones at the coal face, not knowing which way to jump. I only hope they are able to recover their lives from this disgraceful event.
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: North
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
IO - interesting first post there Richard, I bumped into an old buddy a number of weeks ago who has some experiences of the 'minge' and he proffered almost the exact same scenario that you have. I wonder if we know the same people. Be careful mate, the person I refer to is known to and has a credible track record of, exacting retribution on those who offend. Just a friendly caution.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ex Maggie:
Without question IMHO
I am sure that we all hope that will be the case and there is the potential for that provided that the quality personnel remain in sittu but I sincerely doubt that will be the case. There is a large mushroom cloud hanging overhead, I do not think it will end well. The fickle industry is not disposed for forgiving. 
future prospects of the individual companies. Each was a well established and well run organisation, each was well respected and each had personel that were trusted.
Hopefully they will be able to rise above this mess once the dust has settled.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Up where the air is clear, away from Baldrick!
Age: 54
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
F.A.Talbert
There is one easy solution Longmint go! Gerry Hermer comes out of retirment and takes over again, staff would return, contracts would return and that would be down to trust and respect, not words used to desribe the current senior managment, just pay people you B******s
There is one easy solution Longmint go! Gerry Hermer comes out of retirment and takes over again, staff would return, contracts would return and that would be down to trust and respect, not words used to desribe the current senior managment, just pay people you B******s
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
WhoDickedUs - I agree entirely, Gerry was a 'gentleman' of the 'old school' who understood the meaning of the word HONOUR and as such whether you liked the man or not, you could not fault his even handed conduct. Sadly there are very few left of his diameter and though his retirement is well deserved one cannot help feeling that he should take advantage of the newly announced legislation. GH engendered loyalty within his staff and that fact is self evident even now. Such a legacy - the people who call themselves Longmint could learn a few tips but hey........that is just wishful thinking and pure fantasy. I doubt they can understand the concept of Honour. Clearly their antics over the last 20 years or more have shown that to be true.
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 38
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
UK: Longmint Aviation on brink of collapse
Total Air Management Services – previously at Shoreham and believed merged into Fast Helicopters.
Skydrift – a fixed wing operator at Norwich
There have been a number of issues surrounding these companies, and the current cashflow (or lack thereof) is of crucial concern to the group’s employees. The monthly salary payment date was moved from 31 March to 6 April, and yesterday brought the now-usual monthly concerns which have been affecting them for many months. In anonymous (and unverified) postings on an online forum last night, the employees fell into three categories
Resigned and left for another job – paid nothing
Resigned, giving the required notice – told they could go immediately and be paid in full, but were not paid for some (or all) of their notice period
All others were “not paid properly”, implying not as much as they should have been.
If the employees do not turn up for work, Longmint is assuming that they have chosen to leave – which under UK law means that the Government does not pay unemployment benefit for the first six months. So the employees might as well stay put and take the Government benefits when the company fails, as observers expect. HeliHub.com cannot imagine the personal dilemma this puts employees in.
Other aspects of the situation of this group of companies is as follows
Alan Mann Helicopters lost its operating licence in July 2010 and did not get it back until February 2011 (see HeliHub.com story). This would mean that the company made zero money from chartering helicopters during that time.
Sterling Helicopters lost its operating licence in February 2011 after key personnel left and they were unable to meet the UK CAA requirements by replacing them with suitably qualified individuals. This has put serious pressure on the company to pay leases/loans on the contracted aircraft when not receiving monies on the contracts they were then unable to fulfil:-
East Anglian Air Ambulance with two BK117s – Service has been taken over by Bond Air Services as an interim measure (see HeliHub.com story)
Norfolk Police did not intend renewing their contact for one AS355 anyway (see HeliHub.com story)
National Grid Transco had three contacts with Sterling with Bell 206s which have since been passed to other operators as an interim measure pending putting them back out to formal tender.
Other ad-hoc work would have been routinely undertaken – Sterling frequently supplied a helicopter or two for aerial filming of sporting events.
Total Air Management Service won the National Grid Transco contract some years back wtih Schweizer 333s but had various problems with them and
HeliHub.com has attempted to contact Mr Neil Bellis, CEO of Longmint, for an interview but without his response. The company is owned and run Mr Bellis, his wife Juliet and her sister Lucy Cummings. The three live together in a very large house quoted some years back by the Sunday Times as being worth £5.3 Million, although the recession has probably knocked a third off that in the interim. All three, and Cummings’ brother Nick (who runs Alan Mann Helicopters but has no shares) previously all worked together at a property services company called Erinaceous Group plc. We invite readers to check out this link and take your own conclusions, while noting that the publicly quoted company suffered a “share price collapse” and the resignation from directorships of these three people being forced upon them by shareholders.
The Longmint group of companies also includes the prestigious Newick Park Hotel, as well as other property assets.
The same people were also involved in the purchases of Shoreham and Fairoaks Airports in 2007-08 though a company owned by Albermarle Syndicates. As part of the purchase process, Mr Bellis apparently promised to fund a helicopter training scholarship for a year in an attempt to be seen as philanthropic. However, as soon as the purchase went through, HeliHub.com understands that the scholarship fund received no further payments and the airport purchaser denied any deal existed. Fortunately the scholarship candidate was known to someone else in the industry who put up the cash to ensure their licence was achieved.
Further controversy surrounded the sale of Fairoaks Airport. Previously owned by Alan Mann, this idyllic Surrey airfield also included a number of aviation companies, from the eponymous helicopter operator mentioned above to fixed wing maintenance, avionics and so on. In an unusual move, the £42 million deal price was allegedly split into £1 (one pound) being paid by Longmint for the operating companies and the balance by Albermarle Syndicates company Albermarle Fairoaks Airport LLP
HeliHub.com would welcome a statement from Longmint on the current situation which we will be happy to run on this website.
Skydrift – a fixed wing operator at Norwich
There have been a number of issues surrounding these companies, and the current cashflow (or lack thereof) is of crucial concern to the group’s employees. The monthly salary payment date was moved from 31 March to 6 April, and yesterday brought the now-usual monthly concerns which have been affecting them for many months. In anonymous (and unverified) postings on an online forum last night, the employees fell into three categories
Resigned and left for another job – paid nothing
Resigned, giving the required notice – told they could go immediately and be paid in full, but were not paid for some (or all) of their notice period
All others were “not paid properly”, implying not as much as they should have been.
If the employees do not turn up for work, Longmint is assuming that they have chosen to leave – which under UK law means that the Government does not pay unemployment benefit for the first six months. So the employees might as well stay put and take the Government benefits when the company fails, as observers expect. HeliHub.com cannot imagine the personal dilemma this puts employees in.
Other aspects of the situation of this group of companies is as follows
Alan Mann Helicopters lost its operating licence in July 2010 and did not get it back until February 2011 (see HeliHub.com story). This would mean that the company made zero money from chartering helicopters during that time.
Sterling Helicopters lost its operating licence in February 2011 after key personnel left and they were unable to meet the UK CAA requirements by replacing them with suitably qualified individuals. This has put serious pressure on the company to pay leases/loans on the contracted aircraft when not receiving monies on the contracts they were then unable to fulfil:-
East Anglian Air Ambulance with two BK117s – Service has been taken over by Bond Air Services as an interim measure (see HeliHub.com story)
Norfolk Police did not intend renewing their contact for one AS355 anyway (see HeliHub.com story)
National Grid Transco had three contacts with Sterling with Bell 206s which have since been passed to other operators as an interim measure pending putting them back out to formal tender.
Other ad-hoc work would have been routinely undertaken – Sterling frequently supplied a helicopter or two for aerial filming of sporting events.
Total Air Management Service won the National Grid Transco contract some years back wtih Schweizer 333s but had various problems with them and
HeliHub.com has attempted to contact Mr Neil Bellis, CEO of Longmint, for an interview but without his response. The company is owned and run Mr Bellis, his wife Juliet and her sister Lucy Cummings. The three live together in a very large house quoted some years back by the Sunday Times as being worth £5.3 Million, although the recession has probably knocked a third off that in the interim. All three, and Cummings’ brother Nick (who runs Alan Mann Helicopters but has no shares) previously all worked together at a property services company called Erinaceous Group plc. We invite readers to check out this link and take your own conclusions, while noting that the publicly quoted company suffered a “share price collapse” and the resignation from directorships of these three people being forced upon them by shareholders.
The Longmint group of companies also includes the prestigious Newick Park Hotel, as well as other property assets.
The same people were also involved in the purchases of Shoreham and Fairoaks Airports in 2007-08 though a company owned by Albermarle Syndicates. As part of the purchase process, Mr Bellis apparently promised to fund a helicopter training scholarship for a year in an attempt to be seen as philanthropic. However, as soon as the purchase went through, HeliHub.com understands that the scholarship fund received no further payments and the airport purchaser denied any deal existed. Fortunately the scholarship candidate was known to someone else in the industry who put up the cash to ensure their licence was achieved.
Further controversy surrounded the sale of Fairoaks Airport. Previously owned by Alan Mann, this idyllic Surrey airfield also included a number of aviation companies, from the eponymous helicopter operator mentioned above to fixed wing maintenance, avionics and so on. In an unusual move, the £42 million deal price was allegedly split into £1 (one pound) being paid by Longmint for the operating companies and the balance by Albermarle Syndicates company Albermarle Fairoaks Airport LLP
HeliHub.com would welcome a statement from Longmint on the current situation which we will be happy to run on this website.
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Devon
Age: 49
Posts: 48
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Money on account
If anyone out there training within one of the Longmint owned companies that has money on account then perhaps it would be prudent to get it out pretty quickly or use it up.
You never know they may survive to see another day/week/month but better to be safe than sorry.
It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last. Remember if you have money on account and it all goes belly up then getting it back will be virtually impossible.
You never know they may survive to see another day/week/month but better to be safe than sorry.
It's not the first time this has happened and it won't be the last. Remember if you have money on account and it all goes belly up then getting it back will be virtually impossible.