PremiAir Aviation International is under new owner-ship, with a strengthened management team that it will showcase at Helitech International. PremiAir is due to appear at the largest dedicated helicopter exhibition in Europe as a sponsor and exhibitor.

Owner and chairman Graham Avery, who acquired PremiAir late last year, has spent the past six months reshaping the brand and as a result the business is now debt free and will focus on one operational base at Blackbushe Airport in Surrey. It has its own AOC along with a team of 60 engineers, technicians, design specialists, admin and sales executives, all working to rebuild the business.

Avery has also acquired an E-learning training organ-isation for airline pilots, with bases in London (Gatwick), Dubai, Houston, New York, Seattle and Singapore. He has integrated this into PremiAir to create PALS (PremiAir Aviation Learning Systems), a comprehensive library of aviation computer-based training and vocational content delivered by a team of airline professionals.

“Helitech, at the new, enlarged London venue, is the perfect showcase to meet with industry and demonstrate that PremiAir is firmly back and ready for business” states Avery. “My goal is to bring the company back to its former glory.” The chairman was one of the early pioneers of managed helicopter operations when his three owned aircraft helped launch a charter firm, and he has also been involved in the successful development of several aviation firms over the past decade.

Among appointments he has made is Craig Chislett as director of marketing. Chislett is a former RAF officer who has accrued considerable bran-ding and marketing experience in his time with the DTI. He was ceo of the British Luxury Council and chairman of the British Jewellery and Giftware Federation Export Board. Another recruit is Alan Howard, who joins the team as finance director.

Christopher Forrest is retained as operations director and accountable manager. He is a professional helicopter pilot with more than 6,500 flight hours and has worked for PremiAir and its predecessor McAlpine Aviation Services for nearly three decades. He serves on the committees of the UK CAA, the European Helicopter Association, and is also a member of the EASA Ops 001 review group. He is currently leading a new initiative to create formal status for its Blackbushe site as the new west London heliport, offering full FBO facilities including line maintenance support, fuel and hangarage. PremiAir will host a press briefing during Helitech to give more details.

The company says its Blackbushe facility has traditionally been one of the world's largest and most capable helicopter mainten-ance and engineering centres: at one point it supported a fleet of nearly 30 aircraft. Accordingly, it is keen to re-establish a strong engineering business. During the restructure, PremiAir Aviation Services acquired a new EASA Part 145 authorisation, enabling line and base maintenance for helicopter types including Bell, Sikorsky and Eurocopter to be undertaken. Part M approval is retained and it has also received EASA Part 21J approval for design and modification work on all aircraft. To this end PremiAir is actively recruiting more licensed engineers. It is also continuing with its pilot training and pilot provision for police air support units.

Another development is that the company intends to build up a managed fleet of twin turbine IFR helicopters, which it will both maintain and offer for third party charter. It is in the market to acquire pre-owned machines and is looking forward to renewing contacts with the OEMs at Helitech.