Gama Aviation marked its involvement in the recent Live 8 concert in London, as the official aviation provider. The company had just three weeks of lead time to prepare the first heliport in Hyde Park.

Said Gama md Marwan Khalek: “I received a ‘phone call late one night from [concert promoter] Harvey Goldsmith, telling me we had three weeks to set up a heliport, organise helicopter transfers for the singers, who were breaking out of their tours to perform at Live 8, and arrange aircraft transfers between concerts. We love a challenge, but this was probably one of our biggest yet!”

The company organised a fleet of helicopters to shuttle musicians and singers into and out of the park, ferrying the likes of Dido and Youssou N’Dour to perform at the concert at the Eden Project, Cornwall, and then flying them on to Versailles.

Gama noted that the National Air Traffic Services, the Directorate of Airspace Policy, the Royal Parks, Air Traffic Control at Battersea Heliport, the Royal Air Force at Northolt and ATC Lasham were instrumental in gaining approval for the site.