Air BP is proudly fuelling air ambulance charities

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Centre_right_Russell_Halley_Air_BP_and_Angela_Hughes_Chief_Executive_Wales_Air_Ambulance_and_team

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Ambulance

Air BP is celebrating six months since its most recent air ambulance contract signing, with Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). This complements existing customers: Wales Air Ambulance Charity and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
The contract to supply GWAAC comes following Air BP’s strong track record with the co-located National Police Air Service (NPAS).

Air BP, the international aviation fuel products and services supplier, is proud to fuel air ambulance charities as it grows its portfolio of customers in the UK. In April, Air BP celebrated six months with its most recent emergency services contract signing, the Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC). Air BP was selected as the new fuel supplier given its supply reliability capabilities that will enable the charity to respond to life-saving, medical emergencies. This latest customer complements Air BP’s other air ambulance charity customers including Wales Air Ambulance Charity (WAAC) and Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA).

Since October 2018, Air BP has provided Jet A-1 fuelling services for GWAAC’s Airbus EC135 at its Almondsbury, South Gloucester base in the UK. GWAAC provides critical care and an air ambulance service for 2.1 million people across Bristol, Bath, North and North East Somerset and Gloucestershire.

Russell Halley, Air BP’s general aviation regional sales manager, UK, comments: “We’ve had a great start supplying GWAAC and are immensely proud to be supporting them, along with all our air ambulance customers. By providing safe and reliable fuelling services we are supporting the charities to go about their work providing life-saving, rapid response emergency services to millions of people.”

The contract to supply GWAAC builds on the strength of Air BP’s successful five-year relationship with the National Police Air Service (NPAS), which is co-located with GWAAC at its South Gloucestershire base. During the course of the relationship, Air BP’s focus on operational safety and reliability, coupled with support from a dedicated account manager, has ensured that NPAS can provide a seamless service, crucially responding to call-outs rapidly and effectively whenever needed.

Anna Perry, GWAAC chief executive explains: “We were impressed with the reliable service that Air BP has been providing to the NPAS. We knew that Air BP would provide a reliable service to us, delivering fuel just when we need it to make sure we never have excess nor run out. With GWAAC handling over five missions a day on average, we cannot afford downtime whilst we wait for fuel. I am pleased to report that we’ve received excellent service from Air BP to date. ”

Meanwhile, Air BP supplies Jet A-1 to support WAAC’s four helicopters at three of its four locations across Wales including Cardiff, Caernarfon and Dafen. WAAC’s team is capable of reaching a critically ill patient anywhere in Wales within 20 minutes of receiving a call. Air BP also supplies Jet-A1 fuel to long-standing customer YAA’s two Airbus H145 helicopters at its two locations at Nostell Priory and RAF Topcliffe. YAA covers a vast topography comprising both remote rural areas and densely populated areas including major motorways and road networks such as the M62, M1, A1 and M18. Its rapid response service means that it can reach 90 percent of Yorkshire within 20 minutes flying time from one of the two bases.

About Air BP

As the aviation division of BP, Air BP is one of the world’s leading suppliers of aviation fuel products and services. We have been investing in the aviation industry for over 90 years to keep people flying safely around the world. We supply around 6.6 billion gallons of aviation fuel a year; fuelling over 6,000 flights a day at over 800 locations in more than 55 countries – that’s more than four planes a minute.

Our customers include commercial airlines, the military, business and private aircraft owners, airports and airfield operators. We offer a wide range of services to support our fuel offer including the design, build and operation of fuelling facilities, technical consultancy and training, low carbon solutions, the Sterling Card for efficient general aviation refuelling and innovative digital platforms to increase efficiency and reduce risk.

For more information, go to www.airbp.com

Further enquiries

Emerald Media: +44 1420 560094 / liz.danner@emeraldmedia.co.uk

Paul Cremer

My name is Paul Cremer, and this marks my 42nd year working within the business and general aviation industry. Over this time, I’ve had the privilege of overseeing a diverse array of sector activities, ranging from aircraft charter and management to air ambulance services, ground operations, air traffic control, airport management, technology implementation, and the outsourcing services I currently manage.

In my role focused on delivering advisory, technology, and outsourcing services to aviation customers, I handle a wide spectrum of responsibilities. This includes overseeing International Trip Support, Operations Control Centre Services (OCC), Continuing Airworthiness Management Service (CAMO), Airworthiness Reviews, ARC Services, Aircraft Delivery and Re-delivery Support Services, Maintenance Coordination Services including AOG, Tech Ops (Maintenance Control Centre), and managing myairops software products. As the Head of Aviation Delivery, I lead the customer-facing delivery of Technology & Outsourcing products and services for the market, drawing upon a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and industry connections within Gama Aviation’s Technology and Outsourcing Strategic Business Unit.

My journey into Business and General Aviation began during my teenage years while still in school. I was fortunate enough to be welcomed into the industry, starting at a flying club, and later working at the Air Traffic Services Unit at Blackbushe Airport. There, I maintained the ATC Movement Logs in the Control Tower during weekends, solidifying my passion for aviation. Upon completing my schooling, I seized opportunities at Fairoaks Airport, where I began as Ground Crew while pursuing my Aerodrome Flight Information Service Officer’s license. Advancements in my career led me to the role of Air Traffic Services Manager.

Since joining Gama Aviation in 1996, I’ve held various positions, including Operations Manager (Post Holder), Operations & Commercial Manager, Commercial Manager, Operations Delivery Manager, Head of Business Aviation Delivery, and currently, Head of Aviation Delivery. This role encompasses Gama Aviation Group’s Gama Aviation, myairops, and FlyerTech companies.

In 2023, I was honoured to be invited to serve as the Chair of the Operations Working Group for the British Business & General Aviation Association. This opportunity allows me to contribute to industry initiatives within BBGA’s membership of nearly 200 industry companies, focusing on challenges such as regulatory compliance, Air Services Agreements, technological advancements, workforce development, operational matters, and sustainability.

Marc Bailey

Marc Bailey has spent his entire career in aviation and has worked in most areas of Aviation Services with scheduled airlines, MRO’s, military contract support and latterly with associations, government, and its agencies.

Marc represents your position in Europe (even post Brexit) – as President of ECOGAS (European Council of General Aviation Support) which maintains a voice with EASA. All the major member states are represented on the ECOGAS board. With EASA restructuring its meetings with industry, ECOGAS is now well positioned to represent our position in all areas following industry partnerships with the European Independent Maintenance Group and with ARPAS the new drone and autonomous association.

Marc is chair of the UKASF (United Kingdom Airworthiness Strategic Forum) as part of an initiative to develop Aviation Services across all aviation activities. The UKASF pulls together airlines, MROs, Rotary, Drones, and commercial GA bodies to work with CAA and DfT. The objective is for industry to take the lead to drive strategic issues to benefit all parties. We are well positioned after four years to continue our good work and with the re-established role of Chief Surveyor in the CAA we have a good focal point to do this.

Marc chairs the CAA Finance and Services Forum which allows industry in the UK to discuss in the financial plans for the CAA and the value for money delivered by those funds paid by industry. This is a new and valuable new platform for all parties.

Under recent developments Marc has formed an alliance with, ARPAS, AOPA, BHA and BBGA so that we can strengthen our voice under a joint ‘GA 4 Biz’ banner. This alliance is working to do everything possible to represent the industry’s business interests with UK government and to help realise the Government’s desire to make UK General Aviation a Global Leader in a post Brexit environment. GA4Biz – GA4Biz

The next Generation initiatives with industry and government have continued to develop with the retention platform now evolving into the “Aviation Skills Recruitment Platform”. The platform now not only offers a vehicle for those offering and seeking posts in aviation, it also provides pathways with its TalentView portion seeking to provide pathways for new entrants into our sector. The recruitment platform is being further developed to include training opportunities across a wide range of providers, from government agencies through academic bodies. Getting our next generation activities right in the UK over the next couple of years is our single most important issue which we in aviation must grab with both hands. Marc is playing a central role to help develop many of these channels.

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