HeliOperations News

Mr Steve Gladston (CEO of HeliOperations) recently spoke to the BBC about taking ownership of sixteen Sea King helicopters from the Ministry of Defence. A transfer ceremony was held at HeliOperations’ heliport at Osprey Quay in Portland earlier this month, where the company will train the next generation of Search and Rescue pilots, including those…

Vice Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt CB OBE, the Master of the Household, was guest of honour at HeliOperations’ Osprey Quay on Thursday 8 August, in his role as Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dorset. Admiral Johnstone-Burt, accompanied by his wife Rachel, presided over the transfer-of-title of sixteen former-Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Sea King Helicopters from…

HeliOperations was delighted to welcome a Whirlwind HAR Mk10 aircraft from Historic Helicopters to our Portland Headquarters. The Whirlwind was operated by the RN and RAF in the 50s and 60s, including for Search and Rescue, reflecting HeliOperations own operations. Now flying as G-BVGE, the aircraft is the last airworthy example of the type in…

When Steve Gladston, Chief Executive, received a telephone call from Manor Park First School in Dorchester, he never imagined it would result in up to ninety children coming to visit the HeliOperations base in Portland. Knowing how important it is for the people in the area to understand what it is that they do there,…

HeliOps are delighted to announce that as of October 2018 it has taken ownership of the Sea King simulator at RNAS Culdrose. The simulator itself will remain in situ at RNAS Culdrose and in the current building familiar to all current and past Sea King operators who have trained with the RN. Aircrew Simulator and…

The outgoing Commander of the German Navy’s Fleet Air Arm has commended the flying training delivered to his Service by HeliOperations. In a recent letter Kapitän sur See Matthias Potthoff applauded HeliOperations’ ability to deliver a comprehensive training solution; one which fully-met the FGN Fleet Air Arm’s urgent operational requirement to train both ab initio…

Farnborough 2018: Jane’s talks to Steve Gladston CEO and founder of HeliOperations on their UK MOD Approved Training Facilities and training programme for German Navy Sea King Search & Rescue Helicopter Pilots operating ex Royal Navy Sea King MK5 Helicopters on the UK Military Register. HeliOperations Train German Navy SAR pilots

2018 has been a busy year for HeliOperations; in early September we welcomed our colleagues from the Federal German Navy and their FGN MK41 Sea King to our base at Portland. The Sea King disembarked from FGS Bonn last week and enjoyed a comfortable overnight stay with XV666 Damien. Our FGN students have also been…

Dara Fitzpatrick was the Irish Coast Guard’s most senior helicopter search and rescue pilot. She lost her life in March 2017 whilst Captain of the Irish Coast Guard Dublin-based Rescue 116 helicopter. Dara was the first Irish Marine Emergency Services woman pilot. In 2010 she and her crew received the “Best of Irish Award” for…

HeliOperations was delighted to host a CV 22B Osprey from the USAF’s 7th SOS based at RAF Mildenhall. This astonishing tiltrotor aircraft combines the vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. The USAF’s CV 22 and the USMC’s MV 22…

The training of SAR (Search And Rescue) helicopter pilots at HeliOperations Portland base. Helioperations are delighted that Weymouth Council have recently confirmed that all helicopter operations at the former Coastguard base at Portland are in accordance with the existing planning permission for the heliport…

HeliOperations were delighted to welcome Admiral Nemeyer FGN to Portland to present SAR Pilot Training completion certificates. The Portland Base was also officially opened by Capt Pothoff FGN.