Helitrax’s Ian Garbett Renews Sikorsky S76 Type Rating

Helitrax SLU is pleased to announce that Capt. Ian Garbett has successfully renewed his Sikorsky S76 type rating and has returned to flying this highly respected helicopter.

The renewal represents a welcome return to a familiar aircraft for Ian, who previously accrued around 1000 flying hours on the S76. Having last flown the type in 2017, completing the necessary training and successfully renewing the rating has been both professionally and personally significant.

Ian will now be supporting Penzance Helicopters, operating scheduled passenger services between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.

A Welcome Return to the S76

The S-76 remains a capable, dependable and highly regarded aircraft. Its proven reliability, strong safety record and passenger-focused design have allowed it to serve successfully in a wide range of roles, including passenger transport, offshore, corporate aviation and VIP.

For Ian, returning to the aircraft has reinforced the qualities that have made the S76 such a successful platform.

“I am very pleased to be flying the S76 again. It may not be the newest aircraft type, but it remains an excellent platform with proven reliability and safety. Returning to a type on which I have previously gained considerable experience has been extremely rewarding, and I am looking forward to supporting the Penzance operation.”

– Capt. Ian Garbett

Renewing a type rating after a period away from an aircraft requires careful preparation, study and high-quality instruction. It also provides an opportunity to revisit the aircraft’s systems, procedures, and handling characteristics with the benefit of broader operational experience gained since the type was last flown.

Professional Training and Support

Helitrax SLU would like to extend its sincere thanks to Steve Hogarth of Upland Air Services for his support, experience and professionalism throughout the renewal process.

Steve’s year of experience and in-depth knowledge of the S-76, combined with his practical and structured approach to instruction, made the training both productive and enjoyable. His ability to draw upon extensive operational experience added considerable value and helped ensure that the course remained relevant to real-world commercial operations.

We would also like to thank the entire team at Starspeed Training for delivering an excellent training experience. From the initial coordination and ground training through to the aircraft-based elements of the course, the process was handled professionally and efficiently.

The standard of support provided by both Steve and Starspeed Training helped make Ian’s return to the S76 a thoroughly positive experience. High-quality recurrent and renewal training is essential not only for regulatory compliance, but also for restoring confidence, consolidating technical knowledge and ensuring that pilots are fully prepared for the operational environment in which they will be working.

Supporting Penzance Helicopters

Ian will now be supporting the Penzance Helicopters scheduled passenger operation, flying between Penzance and St Mary’s and Tresco.

This is a distinctive operation requiring consistently high standards of safety, professionalism and customer service. Scheduled passenger flying also demands reliable teamwork across every part of the organisation, from flight operations and engineering to ground handling, reservations and passenger support.

Having recently spent time with the operation, Ian has been particularly impressed by the team at Penzance.

“The team at Penzance has been extremely welcoming. It is a very professional, friendly and safety-focused organisation, and it is clear that everyone takes considerable pride in delivering the service. I am delighted to be joining the operation and look forward to contributing to the team.”

– Capt. Ian Garbett

The routes to St Mary’s and Tresco provide a unique combination of scheduled commercial flying, coastal operations and direct service to the Isles of Scilly. They also offer passengers one of the most memorable ways to travel between the mainland and the islands.

Expanding Helitrax’s Operational Capability

The renewal of Ian’s S76 type rating further broadens the operational capability available through Helitrax SLU.

In addition to extensive experience on the Airbus H145 and H155 families, Ian can once again provide current S76 pilotage support. This additional capability strengthens Helitrax’s capacity to assist operators requiring experienced and adaptable flight crews for scheduled passenger services, VIP operations, aircraft positioning, short-term contracts, and other specialist assignments. Maintaining competence across several complex helicopter types requires continued professional development and comprehensive recurrent training; this latest renewal reflects Helitrax SLU’s core objective of providing clients with experienced, current and operationally relevant helicopter pilots.

Looking Ahead

Returning to the S-76 marks another positive step for both Ian and Helitrax SLU; it combines previous experience with the type, current training, and the opportunity to support a highly professional scheduled passenger operation.

Helitrax is grateful to Steve Hogarth, Upland Air Services and Starspeed Training for their contribution to a successful and enjoyable renewal programme. We also thank the team at Penzance Helicopters for their warm welcome and continued support.

Ian is delighted to be back flying the S76 and looks forward to working alongside the Penzance team while helping to provide a safe, professional and dependable service to St Mary’s and Tresco.