British International Helicopters
A British helicopter operator providing military, search-and-rescue, offshore, charter, training, engineering and specialist aviation services.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
British International Helicopters (BIH) is a British helicopter operator whose activities have included military support, search and rescue, offshore and commercial aviation services, charter, pilot training and helicopter engineering. The company developed from the helicopter division formerly known as British Airways Helicopters. Following privatisation in September 1986, the business was sold to publisher Robert Maxwell and renamed British International Helicopters. BIH's corporate history subsequently passed through several ownership and restructuring phases. CHC Helicopter acquired a 40 percent voting interest in 1993 and increased its holding to 90 percent within a year, after which the UK operation became associated with CHC and operated under the Brintel Helicopters name. Brintel acquired Cardiff-based Veritair in 1996. A new version of the business was established in 2000 through a management buy-in backed by 3i Group and the Bank of Scotland. The transaction combined non-oil-related operations from Scotia Helicopters and CHC Helicopter and was supported by £22 million in Bank of Scotland financing, according to the referenced historical account. The company completed another management buy-out in 2006, financed by investors led by Matrix Private Equity Partners, with support from Finance Cornwall and Chrysalis Venture Capital Trust. In 2008, following the loss of a South Wales Police air-support contract, the Cardiff operation was sold to a management team led by Captain Julian Verity. That business became Heli Charter Wales, trading as Veritair Aviation. Veritair changed its name to British International Helicopter Services in October 2008. In June 2013, the company was acquired by Patriot Aerospace, a subsidiary of the Rigby Group, to complement the group's other aviation interests. Before withdrawing from scheduled passenger flying, BIH operated services from Penzance Heliport to St Mary's Airport and Tresco Heliport in the Isles of Scilly. The seasonal and year-round routes used Sikorsky S-61 helicopters, but were discontinued on 31 October 2012. The withdrawal followed financial and operational difficulties associated with delays surrounding the proposed sale of Penzance Heliport and a judicial review initiated by Tesco concerning the transaction. In its later operating configuration, BIH maintained bases at Newquay Airport, Coventry Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. From Newquay, it operated Eurocopter AS365N2 Dauphin helicopters for the Royal Navy's Flag Officer Sea Training organization, supporting activity associated with HMS Drake and HMNB Devonport. Its Coventry operation, BIH (Onshore), covered utility and specialist helicopter work, including police and air-ambulance support, aerial surveying, pipeline patrols, television-mast calibration, load lifting, forestry, national-park work, filming, VIP and commercial charter, flight training and aircraft engineering. In 2015, BIH, as part of the wider group, won a ten-year, £180 million contract to provide aviation support from RAF Mount Pleasant. The contract began in 2016 and covered military transport and logistics in the Falkland Islands, where the geography and limited road network make rotary-wing transport particularly important. Sikorsky S-61 helicopters initially performed routine military transport and logistical duties. Search-and-rescue work was conducted with AW189 helicopters. The S-61 aircraft were replaced by Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in 2023. Bristow Group announced in April 2022 that it would acquire BIH in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition was completed on 2 August 2022 and included BIH's aircraft, personnel and existing contracts. Bristow stated that the BIH name and branding would be phased out in favor of the wider Bristow Group identity. As a result, BIH is best understood as a legacy operating brand and business unit within Bristow rather than an independent aviation group with a separately promoted consumer identity.
History
British International Helicopters originated in the helicopter business formerly operated as British Airways Helicopters. The business was privatised in September 1986, sold to Robert Maxwell and renamed British International Helicopters. This change established the BIH identity as an independent British helicopter-services brand. CHC Helicopter became a major shareholder in the following decade. It acquired 40 percent of BIH's voting shares in 1993 and increased its interest to 90 percent within a year. Under CHC ownership, the UK business became associated with the Brintel Helicopters name. Brintel acquired Veritair, a Cardiff-based operator, in October 1996. The present form of the business dates from 2000, when a management buy-in backed by 3i Group and the Bank of Scotland combined non-oil operations from Scotia Helicopters and CHC Helicopter. Bank of Scotland provided £22 million of financing for the transaction. The company undertook a further management buy-out in 2006, backed by a syndicate led by Matrix Private Equity Partners and supported by Finance Cornwall and Chrysalis Venture Capital Trust. In 2008, the Cardiff business was sold after the company lost a South Wales Police helicopter air-support contract. The buyer was a management team led by Captain Julian Verity, and the resulting company became Heli Charter Wales, trading as Veritair Aviation. Veritair adopted the British International Helicopter Services name in October of that year. Passenger operations formed a notable but ultimately discontinued part of BIH's history. The company operated scheduled and seasonal flights from Penzance Heliport to St Mary's Airport and Tresco Heliport in the Isles of Scilly, using Sikorsky S-61 helicopters. In August 2012, BIH announced the withdrawal of these services. The cessation was associated with delays affecting the proposed Penzance Heliport transaction and a judicial review brought by Tesco. The last flights operated on 31 October 2012. In June 2013, Patriot Aerospace, a subsidiary of the Rigby Group, acquired BIH. The acquisition expanded the aviation portfolio of the Rigby Group and retained BIH as a provider of contract and specialist helicopter services. BIH's later operations were concentrated at Newquay Airport, Coventry Airport and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. At Newquay, two AS365N2 Dauphin helicopters supported Royal Navy Flag Officer Sea Training activity connected with HMNB Devonport. A Sikorsky S-61 could also be used for that work. The Coventry-based BIH (Onshore) division provided a broad range of utility and specialist services, including police and air-ambulance support, aerial surveying, pipeline patrols, television-mast calibration, load lifting, forestry, national-park work and film production. It also supported charter, pilot training and engineering. The Falkland Islands became one of BIH's most important contract operations. In 2015, the wider group won a ten-year contract worth £180 million to operate from RAF Mount Pleasant, commencing in 2016. Two S-61 helicopters initially provided military transport and logistical support in an environment with limited roads and significant separation between the islands. Two AW189 helicopters were used for search and rescue. The S-61 fleet was replaced by Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in 2023. Bristow Group announced its intention to acquire BIH in April 2022 and completed the transaction on 2 August 2022. The deal included BIH aircraft, employees and existing contracts. Bristow indicated that the BIH name and visual identity would be phased out in favor of the parent group's branding. BIH therefore represents both a historical operating company and a legacy brand within Bristow's helicopter-services portfolio.
- 2023
Falkland Islands fleet renewal
[1]Sikorsky S-61 helicopters used for military transport and logistics were replaced by Sikorsky S-92 helicopters.
- 2022
Bristow acquisition completed
[1]Bristow Group completed its acquisition of BIH on 2 August, including aircraft, employees and contracts.
- 2015
Falkland Islands contract awarded
[1]The wider group won a ten-year contract to operate from RAF Mount Pleasant, beginning in 2016.
- 2013
Acquisition by Patriot Aerospace
[1]Rigby Group subsidiary Patriot Aerospace acquired BIH.
- 2012
Scheduled passenger flights end
[1]BIH ended its Penzance-to-Isles-of-Scilly scheduled passenger services on 31 October.
- 2008
Cardiff operation sold
[1]Following the loss of a South Wales Police contract, the Cardiff operation was sold to a management team led by Captain Julian Verity.
- 2006
Secondary management buy-out
[1]A further management buy-out was financed by investors led by Matrix Private Equity Partners.
- 2000
Management buy-in creates the current business
[1]A management buy-in backed by 3i Group and the Bank of Scotland combined non-oil operations from Scotia Helicopters and CHC Helicopter.
- 1996
Veritair acquisition
[1]Brintel Helicopters acquired the Cardiff-based operator Veritair.
- 1993
CHC Helicopter takes a major stake
[1]CHC Helicopter acquired 40 percent of BIH's voting shares and raised its holding to 90 percent within a year.
Products and positioning
A specialist British rotary-wing operator serving public-sector, defence, emergency-services, infrastructure, commercial and charter customers, with a strong emphasis on contract aviation rather than mass-market passenger travel.
Defence aviation services · 2016
Military transport and logistics support
BIH provided rotary-wing transport and land-logistics support for military operations from RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands. The service used Sikorsky S-61 helicopters before transitioning to Sikorsky S-92 aircraft in 2023. The operation was designed for an island environment with limited roads and substantial separation between populated areas.
Emergency aviation services · 2016
Search-and-rescue helicopter operations
The Falkland Islands operation included search-and-rescue capability using AgustaWestland AW189 helicopters. The aircraft formed part of the specialist fleet supporting the RAF Mount Pleasant contract and complemented BIH's broader public-sector and emergency-services experience.
Military training support
Royal Navy Flag Officer Sea Training support
From Newquay Airport, BIH operated Eurocopter AS365N2 Dauphin helicopters on behalf of the Royal Navy's Flag Officer Sea Training organization. The aircraft supported training activity associated with HMS Drake at HMNB Devonport, with a Sikorsky S-61 available on occasions.
Commercial helicopter services
BIH (Onshore) utility aviation
The Coventry-based onshore division handled specialist assignments including police and air-ambulance capability, aerial surveying, pipeline patrols, television-mast calibration, load lifting, forestry, national-park work and filming. The division also maintained charter, pilot-training and engineering activities across several helicopter and aeroplane types.
Scheduled helicopter passenger service
Penzance–Isles of Scilly passenger flights
BIH operated seasonal and year-round scheduled helicopter flights from Penzance Heliport to St Mary's Airport and Tresco Heliport in the Isles of Scilly. The routes used Sikorsky S-61 helicopters and ended on 31 October 2012.
Brand decisions
2022
Sale to Bristow GroupM&ABackground
BIH was operating as a specialist helicopter-services company under Patriot Aerospace and the Rigby Group.
Action taken
Bristow Group announced an all-cash acquisition and completed it on 2 August 2022, acquiring BIH's aircraft, employees and existing contracts.
Aftermath
The BIH name and branding were scheduled to be phased out in favor of Bristow Group branding.
2015
Acceptance of the Falkland Islands aviation-support contractOtherBackground
The wider group was selected to provide rotary-wing support from RAF Mount Pleasant in a geographically dispersed environment with limited road infrastructure.
Action taken
BIH and its wider group committed to a ten-year contract beginning in 2016, using S-61 helicopters for transport and logistics and AW189 helicopters for search and rescue.
Aftermath
The contract became a central part of BIH's later operating profile. The transport fleet was subsequently modernised with Sikorsky S-92 helicopters in 2023.
Contract value. £180 million (Ten-year contract announced in 2015; operations began in 2016)
2012
Withdrawal from scheduled Isles of Scilly passenger servicesStrategyBackground
BIH operated scheduled services from Penzance to St Mary's and Tresco, but delays surrounding the sale of Penzance Heliport and a judicial review affected the financing and timing of fleet replacement.
Action taken
The company announced the withdrawal of the service in August and ended flights on 31 October 2012.
Aftermath
BIH exited this scheduled passenger market and concentrated more heavily on contracted, military, utility, charter, training and engineering work.
Sources1 sources
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