Booming prosperity in Gloucestershire as well as the timing of one of the UK”s most prestigious horse races, has persuaded a premium helicopter company to start services using a range of single and twin-engined machines.
Based at Gloucestershire Airport near Cheltenham, Severn Aviation decided to introduce services using Bell 206 Jetranger, Eurocopter AS335 and Agusta 109 helicopters, following a visit by entrepreneur and director, Peter Saunders.
”I have visited Gloucestershire frequently, both on business and for pleasure and realised there is huge potential for a premium charter service,” said Saunders, adding: ”There are many businesses for which time is money and these individuals may prefer to escape the crowds.”
Severn Aviation says that what sets it apart from the herd is its ability to operate using helicopters that are suitable for instrument only flying, allowing utilisation in all weather conditions. ”We can take to the skies in weather that would ground others,” said Saunders. ”We hope our Instrument Rating capabilities and personal attention will set us above the rest.”
And the company”s launch comes at an auspicious moment in both Gloucestershire Airport and the racing world”s calendars ” the Cheltenham Festival that starts next Tuesday (13 March) ” and whose Gold Cup climax on Friday will see tens of thousands of punters descend on the normally quiet town.
”We are absolutely jam-packed,” said a Severn Aviation spokesman, ”and we have seven aircraft in use that will pick customers up from personal sites and fly them to the racecourse.”
Nearby Gloucestershire Airport is also expecting one of its busiest weeks of the year. ”We are taking quite a few [aircraft] bookings, but it is weather-dependent,” said a Gloucestershire Airport spokeswoman. ”There are an awful lot of helicopters that land at the racecourse and we get them coming back for refuelling.”