HeliOperations

HeliOperations is a British helicopter company headquartered at the former Royal Naval Air Station Portland, also known as HMS Osprey, on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. Its business combines live helicopter flying, synthetic training, aircraft and equipment support, regulatory assistance, and operational management. The company serves military and government customers, major aviation operators, and private clients. A central part of HeliOperations' work is aircrew and groundcrew training. Live training is conducted from the company's Portland heliport and, where required, at overseas locations. The company also operates a helicopter simulator facility at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, allowing customers to conduct synthetic training without using an aircraft for every exercise. Its service scope extends beyond instruction: HeliOperations provides operational and regulatory support, equipment, aircraft-management assistance, maintenance-related capabilities, and personnel support. From 2017, the company became closely associated with three former Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Westland Sea King helicopters. The aircraft remained owned by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence and were leased to HeliOperations under a commercial arrangement to support training for the German Navy, or Marineflieger, and other private customers. Following the Fleet Air Arm's retirement of the type, HeliOperations became the last United Kingdom operator of the Westland Sea King. This gave the company a distinctive position in legacy military-helicopter training and operations. The fleet began to change in 2022, when HeliOperations acquired an AgustaWestland AW139 search-and-rescue helicopter. Later that year, two of its Sea Kings were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force. The company's current fleet includes three AW139 helicopters and two Sea Kings, with the Sea Kings leased from the Ministry of Defence. The AW139 platform has become particularly important to the company's more recent search-and-rescue, maritime-support, and training activities. HeliOperations operates across several United Kingdom locations. Portland is the principal base for live training and has been used to train Federal German Navy search-and-rescue pilots. RNAS Culdrose is home to the former Royal Navy Sea King simulator operated by the company. A separate facility at Somerton in Somerset provides maintenance, logistics, storage, and office capacity, including space suitable for aircraft up to Merlin size. In August 2025, HeliOperations was reported to have received a five-year Fleet Helicopter Support Unit contract valued at £41 million. The arrangement is intended to support United Kingdom and NATO global operations by supplying two AW139 helicopters, technical support, maintenance, pilots, and crew to Navy Command. The aircraft are intended to replace a single Dauphin N2 and are scheduled to begin operating from Portland in spring 2026. The contract reportedly includes extension potential to 2036, with a possible total value of up to £68 million. Its operational purpose is to support the movement of personnel and equipment to ships and other vessels at sea and to assist Fleet Operational Standards and Training. The company also began construction of a new hangar at Portland during summer 2025. The project includes a new air-traffic-control tower, a flight simulator, and improved facilities for employees and flight crew. Completion is planned for 2027. These investments indicate an effort to expand HeliOperations' infrastructure and capacity for military, maritime, and commercial rotary-wing support.

HeliOperations is based at the former Royal Naval Air Station Portland in Dorset, a site historically associated with HMS Osprey. The company developed as a specialist operator supporting helicopter training and related aviation services rather than as a conventional scheduled-airline or commercial passenger brand. Its activities include the training of aircrew and groundcrew, live flying from Portland and other locations, synthetic instruction using a simulator at RNAS Culdrose, and wider operational assistance for government, military, commercial, and private customers. From 2017, HeliOperations primarily operated three former Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Westland Sea King helicopters. Although the Ministry of Defence retained ownership of the aircraft, it leased them to HeliOperations for training work. The company used the helicopters to support the German Navy's Marineflieger and other private customers. This arrangement gave HeliOperations a role in maintaining access to a military helicopter type that was being retired from frontline British naval service. After the Fleet Air Arm retired its Sea Kings, HeliOperations became the last operator of the type in the United Kingdom. The Sea King fleet therefore represented both a core operational capability and a distinctive historical position in British rotary-wing aviation. In May 2022, the company broadened its fleet by acquiring an AgustaWestland AW139 search-and-rescue helicopter. The AW139 is a newer platform suited to search-and-rescue, maritime, and training-support missions. In late 2022, two of the company's Sea Kings were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force, reducing the number of Sea Kings remaining with HeliOperations. The company maintains a multi-site operating model. Portland is used for live helicopter training, including search-and-rescue pilot training for the Federal German Navy. At RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, HeliOperations owns and operates a former Royal Navy Sea King helicopter simulator. The simulator complements live flying by providing a controlled environment for procedural, emergency, and crew training. HeliOperations also has a maintenance and storage facility in Somerton, Somerset. The Somerton site covers more than 3,000 square metres and includes maintenance, logistics, and office functions, with capacity for an aircraft of Merlin size. A major subsequent development was the Fleet Helicopter Support Unit contract announced on 8 August 2025. The reported five-year contract, valued at £41 million, calls for HeliOperations to support United Kingdom and NATO global operations. The company is to provide two AW139 helicopters together with technical support, maintenance, pilots, and crew to Navy Command. The aircraft are intended to replace one Dauphin N2 and are scheduled to operate from Portland from spring 2026. The contract is designed to support the transfer of people and equipment to warships and other vessels at sea and to contribute to Fleet Operational Standards and Training. It reportedly has extension potential through 2036 and could reach a value of up to £68 million. In summer 2025, HeliOperations also began a substantial Portland facilities project. The planned development includes a new hangar, air-traffic-control tower, flight simulator, and improved facilities for employees and flight crews. The project is expected to be completed by 2027. Together, the infrastructure programme and the AW139-based support contract point to a strategic emphasis on expanding modern rotary-wing training, maritime support, and military aviation services while retaining expertise in legacy helicopter operations.

• 2025

  Portland facilities expansion launched

  [1]HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org

  Construction began on a new hangar, air-traffic-control tower, simulator, and improved employee and flight-crew facilities, with completion targeted for 2027.

• 2025

  Fleet Helicopter Support Unit contract announced

  [1]HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org

  HeliOperations was awarded a reported five-year, £41 million contract to provide AW139 aircraft, personnel, maintenance, and technical support to Navy Command for UK and NATO operations.

• 2022

  AW139 added to the fleet

  [1]HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org

  The company acquired an AgustaWestland AW139 search-and-rescue helicopter.

• 2022

  Sea Kings transferred to Ukraine

  [1]HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org

  Two HeliOperations Sea King helicopters were transferred to the Ukrainian Air Force late in the year.

• 2017

  Sea King training operations established

  [1]HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org

  HeliOperations primarily operated three former Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Westland Sea Kings from Portland, leasing the aircraft from the Ministry of Defence for training services.

A specialist rotary-wing aviation services provider focused on military, government, search-and-rescue, maritime, and professional helicopter training requirements.

• Training services

  Live helicopter training

  HeliOperations provides practical helicopter training for aircrew and groundcrew. Flying activity is conducted from its Portland heliport and can also be delivered at overseas locations. Its work has included search-and-rescue pilot training for the Federal German Navy and training support for other military, government, and private customers.

• Simulator services

  Synthetic helicopter training

  The company operates a former Royal Navy Sea King simulator at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall. The facility supports procedural and crew training in a synthetic environment, reducing the need to use live aircraft for every training event and preserving expertise associated with the Sea King platform.

• Rotary-wing aviation operations · 2022

  AW139 maritime and search-and-rescue support

  HeliOperations' AW139 capability supports search-and-rescue, maritime, military, and training-related requirements. The company acquired its first stated AW139 in 2022 and later planned to provide two AW139 aircraft, together with pilots, crew, maintenance, and technical support, under the Fleet Helicopter Support Unit arrangement.

• Aviation consultancy and support

  Operational and regulatory support

  Beyond flying and simulator work, HeliOperations supplies aviation equipment and offers regulatory assistance and operational management services. These capabilities are intended for governments, substantial aviation operators, and private individuals requiring specialist helicopter expertise.

• 2025

  Expand Portland operating infrastructureStrategy

  Background

  The company planned to increase its capacity for helicopter operations, training, and staff support at its Portland base.

  Action taken

  Construction began on a new hangar, air-traffic-control tower, flight simulator, and improved employee and flight-crew facilities.

  Aftermath

  The facilities project is planned for completion in 2027 and is intended to strengthen the Portland base.

  Source

• 2025

  Undertake Fleet Helicopter Support Unit contractStrategy

  Background

  Navy Command required rotary-wing support for UK and NATO global operations, including the movement of personnel and equipment to vessels and support for Fleet Operational Standards and Training.

  Action taken

  HeliOperations was awarded a five-year contract to supply two AW139 helicopters, pilots, crew, maintenance, and technical support. Operations from Portland were scheduled to begin in spring 2026.

  Aftermath

  The reported contract value is £41 million, with extension potential through 2036 and a possible total value of up to £68 million.

  Reported contract value. £41 million for the initial five-year term; up to £68 million including potential extensions (Announced 2025; possible extensions through 2036)

  Source

• 2022

  Add the AW139 search-and-rescue platformOther

  Background

  HeliOperations had been strongly associated with former Royal Navy Sea King helicopters and their use in training. The company acquired an AW139 in May 2022, broadening its modern rotary-wing capability.

  Action taken

  The company acquired an AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter for search-and-rescue and related operational work.

  Aftermath

  The AW139 became part of the company's current fleet and supported its later maritime and military-service expansion.

  Source

1. 1HeliOperationsen.wikipedia.org