Executive Helicopters, the company named as the preferred tenderer for future Aran Islands air transport services, has claimed its helicopters are safe to fly in all weather conditions.
A spokesman for the company was responding to claims that airplanes are able to operate in worse weather conditions than helicopters on the Aran Islands air service.
Last month, Minister of State for the Gaeltacht Joe McHugh announced that Executive Helicopters had been selected as the “preferred tenderer” to provide the air service contract for the next four years – replacing Aer Arann Islands, which has provided the link for more than 40 years.
Galway Airport
He said the helicopter service would fly from Galway Airport at Carnmore rather than the airstrip used by Aer Arann at Inverin, 8km from the ferry terminal to the islands at Rossaveal. Galway Airport is 52km from the port.
It has since emerged that the decision was made without confirming that Galway Airport was licensed for the new link, and Mr McHugh’s department has now asked Aer Arann to continue its service for another four months.
Aer Arann Islands, which is appealing the decision to select the helicopter company as the preferred tenderer, has not confirmed it will continue the service from October 1st to February 1st, potentially leaving islanders in limbo.
“Airplanes are not permitted by law to operate in worse weather than helicopters for this route. Airplanes require a minimum visibility of almost twice [1,500 metres] that required by a helicopter [800 metres] to operate to the relevant airports,” the Executive Helicopters spokesman said.
Helicopters are the air transport of choice to offshore islands such as the Tory Island service off the Donegal coast, he added.
Executive Helicopters had been operating helicopters in the west of Ireland for almost 20 years “without any problems whatsoever”.
Diversion airfield
“It must be noted that helicopters are better placed to deal with deleterious situations such as rapidly deteriorating weather, as [they have] the option to either slow down or land, whereas the fixed wing aeroplane has to seek a suitable diversion airfield. Safety statistics show that helicopters are every bit as safe as airplanes,” the spokesman said.
Executive Helicopters, in its statement, also said the helicopters for the routes will have a greater passenger capacity than the existing Aer Arann Islander aircraft, will have similar luggage/cargo capacity and can fly in a greater range and variety of weather conditions.
It said the new helicopter service will provide a reliable, faster, more efficient service to Galway city under the terms of the public service tender.
A series of protests have taken place both on the mainland and in the Aran Islands since the proposed changes to air services were announced in August.
Apart from concerns about the weather conditions that helicopters would be able to fly in, islanders have also raised concern about the fact the helicopters would fly from Galway city, a one-hour road journey to the existing ferry service to the islands, reducing the option to use the ferry if flights are cancelled due to weather.