Cabair Helicopters, based at Elstree, UK, has completed the first commercial helicopter flight in Bahrain airspace. Chief pilot Captain Rod Wood flew a Eurocopter AS355 from Bahrain International Airport and headed south into the military airspace controlled by the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF).

Following the 30 minute flight, Captain Wood and deputy chief

pilot John Hill were granted permission to operate throughout Bahrain for the duration of the

Gulf Air sponsored Bahrain Grand Prix. Cabair (under contract to

Sloane Helicopters) provided the AS355 as an air ambulance for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

“This was a very exciting time for us,” said Wood. “Being the first civilian helicopter to fly commercially within Bahrain airspace, we wanted to ensure that all went well.

“I would like to thank the Bahrain Air Traffic controllers and the

BDF for their assistance,” he continued. “Everyone from Bahrain extended a fantastic welcome to us and could not have done more to help; it was a great honour and experience for us.”

The successful flight in Bahrain enabled Sloane and Cabair to operate helicopter shuttle flights to the Grand Prix. The helicopters

and crew for the shuttle were supplied by Abu Dubai Helicopters, who arrived on the Thursday prior

to the Grand Prix with Bell 212s

and 412s for pilot briefing and familiarisation flights.

Sloane operations manager Darren Harrison contracted Cabair’s Marion Melbourn and Paul Forster, former Sloane operations director, to assist with the operation.

“Our task was to provide a vip helicopter shuttle service from Bahrain International Airport

and the Ritz Carlton to the circuit,” said Harrison.

“The whole operation has taken six months of planning and, as you would expect, it was quite a task.

“The most difficult part, not to mention getting the AS355 air ambulance there and back within

10 days, was not being in

Bahrain until the week before the event,” he added.

“The landing sites were literally built within a few days of our arrival and were superb.”