Sloane Helicopters has appointed Captain Justin Wood as general manager (Penzance). He will be responsible for the day to day management of the heliport and delivery of the service between the mainland and the Isles of Scilly.

Based in Truro, Cornwall, Wood has consistently championed the return of the Penzance-based helicopter service. Flights to Tresco and St Mary's will resume early next year; the AW139 service will be the only scheduled helicopter operation between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Wood flew on the previous Isles of Scilly helicopter operation for over a decade until its closure in 2012.

Formerly with the Royal Navy, Wood flew Sea King and Lynx helicopters from a variety of ships worldwide, was captain of a minesweeper and later served as commander (Air) of the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible. He completed a further 13 years in the Royal Naval Reserve culminating as head of the RNR Air branch. He also gained experience flying the AW139 on search and rescue missions.

“Re-establishing the helicopter link to the Isles of Scilly will be the highlight of my career,” says Wood. “The AW139 is the best helicopter I have ever flown and, based at the brand new Penzance Heliport, it will provide a fast, stylish and resilient service between the islands and the mainland.”

Sloane will operate the AW139 for Penzance Helicopters up to 17 times per day, with a flight time of only 15 minutes. To support greater connectivity for the islands' communities, Penzance Helicopters has launched a new Residents Helicopter Travel Club, offering a 15 per cent reduction on fares for Isles of Scilly residents.