What's going on at Heli Air?
 

Quentin Smith ('Q') has gone after countless years of providing great service and PR (he of landing a 44 at the North Pole and on top of a moving car in Top Gear fame). I also hear several maintenance and admin folk have also suddenly gone, but now two more instructors, including the CFI?! :\

I've been hearing (and seeing) similar things too... Don't know whats happening.
Might not be helping that R44 sales are down 90% on last year!!!

MADY

I'm sure all those R44 private owners buying an R66 will save them. An extra few hundred grand just to hear a turbine noise, is surely a good deal.

who knows... bit of a gamble! Robinson have a good record but turbine/belt driven systems dont.
With an economic downturn surely private owners wont be buying anything for a while yet...

MADY

Apart from the odd "more money than sense" private owner, I am struggling to see a market in the UK for the R66, sure Heliair will use them for filming, but police/EMS? - not enough engines. Charter? Very small 5th seat, and the aircraft just looks plain ugly.

If they had made it look more attractive and gave it a proper cyclic/5th seat then maybe it will be a rival to the EC120/206/AS350.

I agree, but it's still a great value aircraft and although the third seat in the back is only just big enough for children, it's no worse than, say a 500.

Back on topic, I'm sure the R66's lack of style isn't behind the sudden mass exodus from Heli Air..

Did "Q" have any running or ownership in the company or just operate as an instructor/pilot?

Have these people actually gone or are they moving to a new setup?

MADY

HeliAir Woes
 

In addition to Q (who was a director and son of the founder), the Ops mgr of 20 years and another instructor also pushed. The CFI and at least two other instructors have since quit. Moral at a record low. Not nice at all for those involved.

toptobottom: Suddenly? How do you know it is in fact 'sudden'. Perhaps it is nothing other than a 'normal' departure discussed following a need to tighten belts due to lack of training custom etcetera. Times are hard and becoming more so for everyone. Seems to me nothing sinister, just a common response to market forces. But you never know, do tell more if you have it.


I am not connected with them at all nor have I ever been and I don't know anything about what is going on there.

Frank

'sudden' is a fact by definition; it was without warning :}

6+ key personnel leaving within a month or so, a couple of whom have 20+ years in the saddle, would indicate to me that this is more than just market pressures. I've heard rumours of nepotism and bullying... shame on the management if that's true...

And regarding 'going to a new set up', my undestanding is that some, including the CFI, have nowhere to go to - it's that bad.

toptobottom

Thanks for posting. :ok:
Seems odd to me too.


Heliport

Heli Air/Silverstone 2011
 

Spent the day at Heli Services the other day, only thing that was flying from Heliair was a 500D, I suppose at least they are flying proper helicopters !!!!!!

It would be good to know what the hell is happening with the GP this year. No landing fees yet, and very large rumours in the industry that the FATO will not exist this year and that the "off circuit" scenario is going to happen.

nowhere to go? Well the maintenance folk will have a few opportunities (granted they will have to move) especially if they are licenced.

But I suppose instructing is finally feeling the bite of the downturn?

MADY

Plain English PPRuNe....dont make me laugh...its always cryptic here.!;) We have to keep some pride.!

I am guessing that Heliair are experieincing the same financial hardship that everyone else in our community is. Tough decisions have to be made during tough times.....and not everyone likes or wishes to stay with companies during these times.

That said, i hope that their R66 Launch goes well, and that the market place improves for all those involved with sales - afterall, sales keeps the cogs turning in our community............

RE: Grand Prix. - Yes it would be nice to have pricing, but hey, simply add 10% margin nto last years costs, and you will be safe i am sure..............most operators will have laready done this, and will already be selling their shuttle tickets like hot cakes.!!!

It will all become clearer in due course.
GO.

I wonder what Sir Charles thinks of the lack of man/woman management being displayed by his appointed leader??

Strictly...
Now that's proper cryptic.......:ok:

Very Sad to hear that Q has left/is leaving Heliair. Hasn't really been the same since MJHS left.

Where has Q gone? Does he have something else yet?

CF

I think we can assume Heli Air are suffering as much as every other company then?

Well I always did enjoy the show whilst having my lunch in the new Denham cafe! You always knew who was flying!

MADY

What's going on at Heli Air?

Some very strange things.

Based upon what I was told today by a couple of very reliable sources around the bazaars:

• A number of people have left, as TTB said in the first post. More than normal turnover in the industry.
• Q has not left - but how much longer he'll be there is unknown.
• For some reason, emails to Q @ HeliAir don't seem to get through to him.
• It would be a wise precaution not to say anything in an email to Q that you wouldn't want read by anyone else.

I'm not free to say any more because I assured my sources I would say no more than the above.

H.

Silverstone 2011
 

yes it will be sad if the once "bussiest airspace in the world" moves off circuit!

MADY

When Sean bought in he said there'd be less work some pilots due to financial constraints, while buying his 2 daughters back from Bond Offshore and giving them full time positions, as well as creating a job for one of their husbands. Nepotism yes, but the pilots that miss out are freelance so that's the business...

Pilots were told that pipeline work would get everyone involved but this has been only really done by one of the girls, the CP and with the expanding pipeline work another new pilot joined to do it rather than existing guys getting opportunities. Commitment to existing long serving guys?

Will Denham survive without Q? He is a big draw. I'm sure that if he is off then there are plenty of owners and pilots who will enable him to be very sucessful in his own right.

What about Flying TV? if all their regular piots are out of the door will they be sticking with HeliAir for pilotage / AOC work or making other arrangements?

I guess in the end if Sean can crew everything with Wellesbourne pilots he has brought in and share his vision for the company then that will suit him, a real shame to see the old HeliAir go by the wayside.

My suggestion for Q in an after-life ? Go East, young man (with Daddy doin' the intros). They'll treat you like God out there. :ok:

R66 launch at the weekend...
"I have over 20,000 hours flying everything from an R22 to a 747 and this beats them all"
Sean Brown

Nothing to do with UK distributor rights then...

:hmm:

At the launch on Saturday, I wonder who will be flying the R66.

Will it be Q who's one of the most experiences Robinson pilots in the UK

or

Will it be SB because he's the boss and can pull rank!!

I have to second that! I remember watching "friends in high places" about Q and J Murray flying round the world. All when I was learning to fly and a real inspiration!

MADY

Heli Air - an update
 

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SPINtastic!

Spindryer

Good username for Head of Marketing. :ok:

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is it just me or has his post been removed?????????

MADY

Just too much SPINdryer!

yes it has MADY

The Pipeline companys will not let just any pilot fly on the lines there is the need for experience

So the pipeline companies accept over water IFR hours, in a big bus, spent on autopilot at 2/3000 feet as experience for flying low level VFR overland missions over the pilots with thousands of hours instructing, performing photography & filming missions and other charters, all VFR over land, in the same types as used for the lines?

Is that true and therefore an expample of the strange thinking that any hours in a twin are more valuable than relevant experience for a role?

Pipeline requirements?

What's this got to do with heli-air changes???

glad to see that bus is still there :rolleyes:

All i was thinking is "practice engine failure go!"

Did Shaun pilot it?

MADY