This is the latest in a regular series of Business Q&A features published weekly.
This week we spoke to Jack Schofield, managing director of Atlas Helicopters in Harrogate.
Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does.
Atlas Helicopters provides private helicopter charter in the UK and near continent. We buy and sell aircraft and offer private management services for helicopter owners, so we can guide you through the buying process and then take care of your helicopter for you. We can also put your helicopter on our charter fleet to help you offset the running costs.
What does it require to be successful in business?
You need determination and a great team of people around you to make sure everything runs well – that’s crucial.
Our business is definitely not nine-to-five, so we put a lot of time and effort into being available 24/7.
Having said all that, I’ve never really thought of myself as a businessman. I was a pilot and ended up running the business and spending more time in the office than in the air.
What drives you to do what you do every day?
I enjoy getting involved with all aspects of the business. As a pilot, I like making sure customers get everything they need, and I also work with the operations team and spend time training pilots.
It can be hectic – we often have lots of people all wanting to fly on the same day, so it can be a logistical nightmare, but we work well together and that gives me a strong sense of satisfaction.
What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months?
All aircraft have to be fully serviced every 50 hours of flying time, and parts get replaced all the time. But recently, getting hold of spare parts for aircraft has been very tricky.
We’ve just had to spend a lot of time tracking down a spare part for a helicopter that would have grounded it, had we not been able to find one. The helicopter company, Leonardo in Italy, had said it would take a year to get the part to us – it’s hard to understand why – so we had to source one by other means, otherwise it would have caused chaos in the fleet.
Getting spare parts has definitely been a lot worse this year, possibly as a knock-on effect of the global microchip shortage.
Which other local firms do you most admire and why?
We work closely with a company in Harrogate called MEC Chauffeurs. It’s a similar company to ours, but with cars rather then helicopters. If our customers need cars to get them to their final destination, we use them. It’s only been around for a year, but it’s a top service.
Who are the most inspiring local leaders?
Sorry – I’ve got nothing on that one!
What could be done locally to boost business?
It’s a good question, but I don’t have an answer to that either. There’s a lot of demand for helicopter charter, so business is good for us.
Best and worst things about running a business from Harrogate?
We’ve got helicopters all around the country, so we could be based anywhere. We’re based in Harrogate because it’s where I live. I’ve lived here all my life and it’s a lovely place to live and work.
The worst thing is probably the cost of living here.
What are your business plans for the future?
We started last year with three aircraft and now have seven, so we’re growing.
Demand is slowly increasing to be driven around in larger aircraft, so we’re looking to get one. At the moment, we tend to fly small, light two-seaters, but we’re now looking to add a bigger aircraft to the fleet that can seat nine or 10 people.
We’re always looking to get new aircraft on the books and grow our charter business.
What do you like to do in your time off?
I don’t have a huge amount of spare days, but when I have the time I like to go to the gym. I try to go every day.
I come from a family of six siblings and we all live in Harrogate. We’re quite close, so when I have a day off I like to meet up with them for walks (we all have dogs), or maybe to watch the rugby at the weekends.
Best place to eat and drink locally?
My favourite pub is Three’s A Crowd on West Park. It’s got a nice atmosphere and on sunny days it’s nice to sit in the big windows, or outside on the pavement when it’s really warm.
My favourite restaurant is Pranzo on Cold Bath Road. I love the pasta there – it’s so good!
- If you know someone in business in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon, Boroughbridge, Nidderdale, Masham or the surrounding area and you’d like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Read more:
- Business Q&A: Gemma Aykroyd, The Cheeseboard
- Business Q&A: Andy Ormrod, Flying Colours
- Business Q&A: Mona Norman, Fogal & Barnes
Yorkshire Air Ambulance to spend £15 million on new helicopters
Yorkshire Air Ambulance is set to spend £15.3 million upgrading its fleet of helicopters.
The charity will replace its current G-YAAC and G-YOAA models with two new state of the art Airbus H145.
Bosses at YAA said the decision to upgrade its fleet was to ensure the people of Yorkshire receive the best operational and medical service.
They added that the new helicopters would be paid for through the charity’s reserves, financial planning and by selling the current models.
Steve Waudby, director of aviation at the charity, said:
“Our two current helicopters, G-YAAC and G-YOAA have served us well since 2016 and will continue to do so for another few years.
“However, the typical effective lifespan of an air ambulance helicopter is somewhere between seven to 10 years, so we are placing a timely order now for delivery in 2023, whilst taking advantage of early Airbus production line slots, as this helicopter has become very popular within the air ambulance community.
“There have also been a lot of advancements made to the H145 since we bought our current aircraft – both technically in the cockpit, and medically with regards to the equipment we carry.
“We had the choice to look at retrospectively fitting these technological advancements or upgrading to brand-new helicopters that include everything as part of their specification. Given the complexities of helicopter mechanics, we would have also faced a longer lead time with having everything retrospectively fitted rather than buying new, so it was sensible for the Charity to upgrade the helicopters for new ones.”
How the new Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopters, the Airbus H145, would look.
The first of the two new helicopters is expected to arrive in Yorkshire in Spring 2023, with the second following shortly after in Summer 2023.
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The new fleet will come with full medical fit out, on board Wi-Fi to allow patient records to be updated inflight and a secure communications system which will allow the crew to send patient data ahead to their destination hospital.
Peter Sunderland, Chairman of the YAA, said:
“We are delighted to be able to announce our plans for these new helicopters.
“The H145 has become the most popular new aircraft globally and we are very much looking forward to welcoming the two new models to Yorkshire in Spring and Summer of 2023.
“Our current H145 D2 helicopters have served us well, so there was no question about considering other makes or models – it is fast becoming the air-ambulance helicopter of choice within the air ambulance sector.”