UK-based Heliflight has boosted its charter flight capacity with the addition of a refitted twin engine Agusta A109.

Operations manager John Williams says: "Heliflight UK is now able to offer flights to almost anywhere in the European Union, whether it be Ireland in the west or France or Spain on the continent. The A109 has been refitted with full executive trim, leather upholstery and is ideal for vip charter."

He adds: "Heliflight's JetRangers and LongRangers are very popular and efficient helicopters, but we felt the time was right to 'go twin' for speed and comfort and to extend the range of Heliflight's area of operation.

"With the addition of this impressive twin engine, luxury helicopter and its cruise speed of 175 miles per hour, the service just got better." Examples of total flight times that can be achieved are Gloucester to Dublin one hour 20 minutes, London to Glasgow two hours, Birmingham to Paris two hours and Plymouth to Edinburgh two hours 20 minutes, Williams says.

The A109, based at Gloucestershire airport, has undergone a full refit, to accommodate up to five passengers. It has a cruise speed of 140kts. Williams says this means Battersea Heliport is only 40 minutes away and Dublin one hour and 20 minutes.

Charter demand is probably equally split between business and leisure, Williams estimates.

The company was launched in 1996 with one R22 and one B206 JetRanger. A second base at Gloucestershire airport was opened in 2000 and Heliflight today operates seven R22s, three R44s, four JetRangers and two LongRangers.