March Helicopters has recently acquired a Hughes 369D helicopter. It was flown back from Portugal in February. Owner Archie Mackenzie told EBAN, “Its a second-hand 1981 D model – one of the last D models to be built.”

Mackenzie owns the aircraft with John Ford, director of Ford Helicopters. The aircraft will be operated by maintenance company and AOC operator March Helicopters which is owned by Ford Helicopters and MacKenzie’s company, Helilogistics. Talking about the choice of helicopter, MacKenzie said, “I’ve always been associated with them, they’re a really nice pilot’s machine and I know them better than any other.”

Being used primarily for demonstrations, the aircraft is probably going to be put up for sale. “I bought two helicopters – this is the second one, I have already sold the first,” MacKenzie continued. The Hughes 369D is currently in Northampton awaiting its UK C of A.

At a running cost of £300 per hour, the helicopter will fly around Northampton, down to London and up to Scotland for demonstration purposes, and will also be employed by the company itself.