Bel Air Aviation
Bel Air A/S (UK: Ltd.) is a Danish helicopter operator, headquartered at Holsted Heliport in Vejen Municipality. Bel Air has a fleet of 3 helicopters and has been providing helicopter services in Denmark for 15 years. Bel Air’s core business is operations in several areas of public transport and sling/hoist industry services. Other business areas include helicopter maintenance and pilot training facilities. Bel Air is a leading entrepreneur and lobbyist for private HEMS services in Denmark. Co-founder of Bel Air, Bjarne Lastein founded Responce A/S in 2008, a Danish EMS provider.
History
While her husband Bjarne Lastein is a fixed wing pilot working for Cimber Air, Susanne Lastein trained in Denmark and later in America to become a helicopter pilot. Together they founded Bel Air in 1994. Operating a Schweizer 300C and a Bell 206B, Susanne H. Lastein provided helicopter services until 1997, when she was hired by Maersk Helicopters and later CHC Helicopter. Beside her offshore pilot job she was running Bel Air with single engine helicopters. In 2002 Susanne H. Lastein was the driving force and co-founder of DanCopter, a Danish offshore helicopter company, where she was the CEO and pilot until 2007. Bjarne Lastein had assumed control of Bel Air while Susanne worked in DanCopter. Several heliports had been founded across Denmark and the company expanded with more helicopters and personnel. Following the sale of Bel Air's stocks in DanCopter, Susanne H. Lastein returned as CEO of Bel Air in 2007. Since then Bel Air has continued to expand its activities. In 2009 they were approved to conduct helicopter maintenance (EASA part 145) and airworthiness check certification. In spring 2009 Bel Air took delivery of their first AgustaWestland AW139 helicopter in order to expand into the offshore service business. In the summer of 2009 Bel Air was certified as Type Rating Training Organization (TRTO) and registered facility for training of private helicopter pilots by the Danish Civil Aviation Authorities. Bel Air is also approved as AgustaWestland Service Center for the Northern Europe area.
Business units
Bel Air Helikopter og Fly (Helicopters and airplanes)
This Bel air unit provides a wide range of services:
Pleasure flights and tours, including wedding flights, water-casting and event flying
Public transport (Taxi and VIP flights)
Photo flights
Sling, Hoist and crane operations
Cargo transport
===Bel Air Træningscenter (Training Center)=== Bel Air is a registered facility and thus approved to conduct private pilot training. Flight training is done on a Schweizer 300C, a very safe two seat helicopter. Bel Air is working to expand their pilot training program to include training to a commercial level and beyond offering more advanced and specialized courses. CPL course training is expected to be offered to applicants in the fall of 2009.
Bel Air Ambulanceflyvning (HEMS)
While Bel Air does not perform Helicopter Emergency Services yet, this business unit is the project to realize that venture. Bel Air has been working on this project since 1996, and it is expected that HEMS services will commence latest in 2011.
Bel Air Offshore
In July 2008 Bel Air conducted their first offshore flight and in June 2009 the first of a fleet of AgustaWestland AW139 was ferried to Holsted to be used in this units offshore venture. The AW139 was officially named “Spirit of Agusta” and introduced to His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark, Consort to her Majesty the Queen of Denmark Margrethe II, during an official ceremony on June 27 2009 at Bel Air’s headquarters in Holsted.
Bel Air Maintenance
Bel Air has its own workshop to facilitate maintenance of helicopters. This includes airworthiness checks and certification as official AW139 maintenance center.
Fleet
Bel Air Operate
- 1 - Schweizer 300C
- 5 - Robinson R44
- 1 - Eurocopter EC120 B
- 1 - AgustaWestland AW139
Media
Bel Air featured in Youtube movies
Eurocopter EC120B performs pleasure flights at Ribehøj Familiepark
Bel Air’s AgustaWestland AW139 ferryflight from Italy arrives at Holsted Heliport
His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark visits Holsted Heliport and names Bel Air’s AgustaWestland AW139 “Spirit of Agusta”