As Longmint also own Alan Mann and Fast it begs the question why they could not juggle the situation inside the group.

What is happening with the remainder of their police helicopter operation and do I understand that side of the business is also grounded?

Yes, it's all grounded, as I sit here in the comfort of my living room when I should have been doing my Schweizer LPC today.

I would guess that Norfolk Constab also have a contingency plan, likely involving the Suffolk police helicopter.

I sincerely hope that something gets sorted for Sterling PDQ as none of the chaps and chapesses working there deserve to have been treated in the way they have been and someone, somewhere needs a good hiding for letting a well-managed and highly reputable business get into this situation.

Cheers

Whirls

Whirls,

Cant you just get down to Cambridge and keep the R22 current - Much better machine :cool:

MADY

G-MADY, well yes ... I'm doing that as well :ok: As for better machine? I'm not going to be drawn into that argument; suffice to say, I want to get my S300 rating current again and would so prefer to do it on my dorrstep.

Cheers

Whirls

The girl's been in Norfolk too long - she's taken on the local accent. Next thing, she'll be driving at less than 30 mph! :E

Was involved in something that required an aerial search in Norfolk last Thursday. Suffolk Helicopter was tasked to carry out the search. Interestingly we were informed that the Norfolk aircraft was u/s and therefore unavailable.

Some really nice people at Sterling so hope matters get sorted for them.

OMG that is so true, no more than 25 in town and maybe 40 on the open road with the wind behind them, my own theory is that they just cant think fast enough so they overcompensate.

as for the "National speed limit" signs, because it doesnt say a number, i am sure they dont know what it means :)

CF

FATAlbert:

Touche!

Ye Olde Pilot: I think you'll find that the property portfolio was owned by another Neil Bellis/Lucy Cummings disaster, Erinaceous Group which has been in administration for some time.

With their previous record I'm amazed that anyone would go into a contract with them.

Nice to see that despite all the problems Ms Cummings can still drive a nice new shiny Aston.

Take a trawl through Google, their business background is beyond belief.

Sir Niall Dementia Oh dear bol10kz - I rather cocked up the cut and paste there old man. Didn't mean it to come out the way it probably did - having re read I feel regret.:ugh::ouch:

What I meant to come out was that I agreed with your post. Sorry bout that. However, thank you for being a stout fellow about it.;)

And as for your recent submission - I agree again. Does the car wear a registration indickatave of AM? I believe it is so.

Frank.

Erinaceous Group...

Weren't they also ex owners of Shoreham until some (alleged) dodgy sale to one of the director's new companies?

HTC

HTC,

There was a lengthy thread on Pprune regarding whom owned Shoreham airport about a year ago. The lease was purchased by Erinaceous and then sold to a 'new' company (owned by a former Erinaceous employee), at about the same time Erinaceous encountered problems, and other Erinaceous employees created Longmint. Draw from that what you will.

Previous other business ventures for those mentioned earlier include Thurston aviation based at Stansted airport, Filemart, and Temple Microsystems. Google is your friend ;)

Sliding Doors - I knew I should have included a :rolleyes: or an :hmm: !

HTC

As I see it who in their right mind would take on the role of CAM when the current staff are not being paid on time and quite often only a little bit at a time. However if the owners drive an Aston Martin they must be doing something right :O

National Grid
 

Hi there NITRAM

Does Helicentre have the new contract for National Grid then? You say that a mate of yours seems to be flying the "grid". How many helicopters do they have working the grid?

Sterling had 2 every week (ha!ha!) Okay in theory there were 2 every week alternating between lines.

Where have they got the crews from?

Maybe your mate can answer the questions!

I would ask for Longmint management to reply but from what I understand I would be better asking the monkeys in the zoo if I wanted a sensible reply.

So with the operation grounded for what could be several weeks are the staff being paid?..

Lease charges and insurance on the helicopters plus ground costs must be clocking up with no income. No press release to reassure the public the air ambulance operation will be back in place soon is not good news.

If I was a gambling man I'd not be placing bets on Sterling being airborne in the near future.

What news Skydrift?

neutral stabi, ignoring advice is what this "management" do best.:uhoh:

Legalapproach, The Police aircraft could well be unserviceable. (as well as unavailable) The engineering effort has also been badly effected by this, and it could be due servicing which they do not have the manpower to provide.:uhoh:

Ye Olde Pilot, Skydrift, I believe i am correct in saying, was the "not-for-profit" arm of Longmint aviation..... it was not planned to be like that though. :E

Whirls, thanks for naming the culprits, I have spent a few hours googling (thanks to all who recommended it!) their escapades.
There is a massive dent in my desk now caused by my chin!:sad:

It is astonishing that they can get away with all that and still be in a position to "manage" anything or anybody! :suspect:

Made an entry in my diary today. It simply says "Bugger!"

FATAlbert;

No insult was ever taken; its a shame that apologies as graceful as yours (if unnecessary on this occasion) are so rare these days.

I bet no-one from EAAA/Sterling will ever receive one from Bellis/Cummings.

I didn't see the reg on the car, just the cloud of dust and small pebbles as it left.

SND

I heard a "rumour" today that Sterling have officially lost the contract for EAAA.

Is there anyone on this thread able to verify this?

My sympathies go to the long serving staff who made Sterling Helicopters what it was until ....... well enough said :mad:

WNW
From what he was saying Helicentre stepped up to the mark and it is NG/Transco employees in the LHS

I'd be interested to see how the BO105 works even in the short term. With EAAA's recent investment in a robust doctor/paramedic service, I believe that the room available for effective work on the patient in flight is severely restricted in the old Bolkow. No doubt the medics will be making a noise about it if that is the case.

Although of course, any helicopter is better than no helicopter.