How often does the helicopter get serviced and who maintains it?
There are very strict rules regarding the maintenance of an aircraft. The pilot performs a daily check of the helicopter, which includes mechanical serviceability, fluid checks, electrical systems and aircraft structure. The engines are also rinsed weekly with distilled water to combat corrosion. A CAA approved helicopter maintenance company is contracted to maintain the helicopter. This is currently Eurocopter UK Limited. An engineer is assigned to our aircraft and makes two scheduled visits per week to check over the helicopter and at other times to carry out unscheduled maintenance. The aircraft has a major inspection every 400 hours and an annual inspection. These are carried out at Eurocopter UK’s main base at Oxford Airport. Each major component has a ‘shelf life’ and is replaced when its’ time is up.
