AirTanker
IATA ICAO Callsign
9L TOW TOWLINE
Founded14 July 2007 (2007-07-14)[1]
Commenced operationsJanuary 2012 (2012-01)
AOC #2388[2]
Operating basesmilitary:
RAF Brize Norton[3]
RAF Akrotiri
RAF Mount Pleasant
Focus citiescivilian:
Manchester Airport[3]
Fleet size14x Airbus A330-243
Parent company
HeadquartersAirTanker Hub,
RAF Brize Norton,
Carterton,
Oxon, OX18 3LX,
United Kingdom[1][4]
WebsiteAirTanker.co.uk

AirTanker Services Limited, incorporated in England and Wales on 14 July 2007,[1] is a private limited company in the United Kingdom, operating as AirTanker (IATA: 9L, ICAO: TOW, call sign: TOWLINE),[5] a British aircraft leasing and operating company. Under contract to the British Government, it provides a fleet of fourteen Airbus A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport aircraft (based upon existing civilian A330-243 airliners (type code: A332) retro-converted to military specification), known by the British military service name Voyager, to the Royal Air Force (RAF) as its primary tanker aircraft for aerial refuelling, troop and cargo transport, and aeromedical roles.[1][6] For additional revenue, AirTanker operates air charter flights using reserve aircraft,[6] operating as a civilian airline.[3]

AirTanker Services Limited is owned by a consortium consisting of Airbus, Rolls-Royce plc, Cobham plc, Babcock International, and Thales Group.[7] Its registered office is AirTanker Hub, RAF Brize Norton, Carterton, Oxfordshire, England.[1]

History

In March 2008, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed the finalised Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract with AirTanker to provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) with an air transport and air-to-air refuelling capability.[6] This new capability was to provide a modern replacement for the RAF's then ageing fleet of aerial refuelling tankers; namely the Vickers VC10 and Lockheed TriStar.[6] An addition to its primary role of supporting the Royal Air Force, AirTanker Services Limited also holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, permitting it to operate as revenue-generating civilian airline capable of carrying fare-paying passengers, cargo, and mail on aircraft with twenty or more seats.[8][9]

On 12 May 2012, AirTanker Sponsored Reservists for No. 10 Squadron RAF (nicknamed Shiny Ten) began Royal Air Force operations of its Airbus A330 MRTT (militarised conversion of the civilian A330-243 airliner), known by the RAF as the Voyager, by operating a military air transport sortie to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus from its home base of RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, England.[6]

Following the granting of an air operating licence, the airline flew its first charter flight to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for the UK Ministry of Defence in January 2013.[10] After delays in certification due to issues with its refuelling drogue baskets, its first operational aerial refuelling flight took place on 20 May 2013.[11] Following subsequent successful Voyager tanker fuel delivery operations to all operational RAF and allied receivers, in late 2013, No. 101 Squadron RAF retired all their VC10s and became the second squadron alongside 10 Squadron to operate the Voyager.[6]

From October 2013, AirTanker's civilian flight crews started to provide the twice-weekly scheduled passenger flights using an aircraft with a single-class cabin of 291 premium economy seats between RAF Brize Norton and RAF Mount Pleasant on the Falkland Islands, known as the South Atlantic Air Bridge, mainly for the movement of military personnel and contractors,[3] though fare-paying civilian passengers are also allowed to travel. These air bridge flights originally refuelled at Wideawake Airfield on RAF Ascension Island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but due to the deteriorating condition of its runway, the refuelling stop was transferred to Cape Verde.[3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, this refuelling stop was moved to Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar. However, in June 2020, A330-243 registration G-VYGM (MSN: 1601) set a record by flying non-stop direct from Brize Norton to Mount Pleasant without refuelling.[12] Following major repairs to the runway at Wideawake Airfield by US contractors, refuelling stops resumed at RAF Ascension Island in May 2023.

In May 2015, AirTanker leased one demilitarised A330-243 aircraft (civilian registration: G-VYGK, MSN: 1498) to Thomas Cook Airlines[3][13] to be deployed on holiday routes. The contract ran for three years, and involved mainly long-haul flights from Glasgow, Manchester, and London Stansted Airport. The first commercial flight took place on 1 May 2015 from Manchester to Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.[14] In April 2017, a second aircraft (G-VYGM, MSN: 1601) was also leased to Thomas Cook Airlines; in May 2019, G-VYGM was then leased to Jet2.com,[15] following a different aircraft (G-VYGL, MSN: 1555) being leased to Jet2.com in June 2017.[16]

On 30 September 2016, AirTanker reached the final establishment phase milestone in the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme, with the achievement of Full Service Date on time and on budget delivering all fourteen A330-243 aircraft.

In 2017, AirTanker established a new operating base at Manchester Airport to support its civilian leasing operations of its demilitarised A330-243 aircraft.[3] The same year, members of AirTankers' cabin crew were seconded to Thomas Cook Airlines, fostering its existing relationship and facilitating training of A330 cabin crew for Thomas Cook Airlines.[3]

Two AirTanker Voyager KC3 aircraft (ZZ333 and ZZ334) operated by the Royal Air Force have been involved in combat missions in support of Operation Shader, supplying fuel for Typhoons and F-35Bs of the Royal Air Force, AV-8B Harriers and F/A-18 Hornets of the US Marine Corps, along with other coalition receiver aircraft.[6] The pair Voyager KC3s were assigned to No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing (903 EAW), based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.[17]

Personnel and support

AirTanker Services Limited owns the entire fleet of fourteen Airbus A330-243 aircraft under the terms of its contract with the UK government. Furthermore, AirTanker provides full support infrastructure to service and maintain the fleet, operational management, personnel training, and some specific aircraft crews. For Royal Air Force operations, this latter includes pilots and engineers who are classed as 'Sponsored Reservists'.[6][18]

Its surge fleet, the demilitarised A330-243 aircraft, used as civilian air charter are operated by AirTanker pilots, but draw cabin crew from the respective civilian airline they operate for.

Fleet

AirTanker Services Limited has a 27-year contract to provide fourteen aircraft; all Airbus A330 MRTT based upon the A330-243 civilian airliner with a twin-aisle two-four-two passenger cabin,[19] powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60 turbofan engines, each with a rated take-off thrust of 316.3 kilonewtons (71,107 pounds-force) and a continuous rating of 282.7 kilonewtons (63,553 pounds-force).[20] This originally consisted of a 'core' fleet of nine military aircraft, eight with military registrations and one civilian registration, along with a 'surge' fleet of five civil registered demilitarised aircraft (similar to A330-243 standard configuration) which it uses for additional revenue. The surge fleet can be recalled for military use as required.[6][21] This balance was subsequently revised; the military core fleet was increased to ten aircraft, and the civilian surge fleet reducing to four.

AirTanker Services Limited aircraft fleet (Feb 2022)[22]
military
reg.		civilian
reg.		MSNtype &
desig.		operator /
user		passenger
capacity		home
base		date in
service		notes / livery /
operations
ZZ330G-VYGA1046Voyager KC2Royal Air Force (RAF)291
ZZ331G-VYGB1248Voyager KC2Royal Air Force (RAF)[23]29121 Feb 2013originally EC-331
ZZ332G-VYGC1275Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[24]291RAF Brize Norton13 Sep 2013originally EC-330
ZZ333G-VYGD1312Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[25]291RAF Akrotiri15 Aug 2013originally EC-337, assigned to 903 EAW in support of Op Shader
ZZ334G-VYGE1033Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[26]291RAF Akrotiri13 Aug 2012originally MRTT016, assigned to 903 EAW in support of Op Shader
ZZ335G-VYGF1334Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[27]291RAF Brize Norton15 Aug 2013originally EC-338
ZZ336G-VYGG1363Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)
VIP transport		VIP, 158 including 58 business class seats[21]RAF Brize Norton6 Dec 2012originally EC-336, known as Vespina since Union Jack corporate livery in June 2020
ZZ337G-VYGH1390Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[28]291RAF Mount Pleasant26 Feb 2014operated by 1312 Flight to support the four Typhoon FGR4 of 1435 Flight
ZZ338G-VYGI1419Voyager KC3Royal Air Force (RAF)[29]291RAF Brize Norton6 Jun 2014
ZZ339G-VYGJ [30]1439A330-243AirTanker (TOW)[5] for RAF[31]RAF Brize NortonJun 2013low-visibility matt grey livery,[32] primarily tasked for the South Atlantic Air Bridge
ZZ340G-VYGK[33]1498A330-243AirTanker (TOW)[5] for RAF
(formerly Thomas Cook UK Airlines)[13]		320 economy when leased[34]RAF Brize Norton29 Jan 2014low-visibility white livery[35]
ZZ341G-VYGL[36]1555A330-243AirTanker (TOW) for Jet2.com[16]327 economyManchesterJul 2014white Jet2.com livery
ZZ342G-VYGM[37]1601A330-243AirTanker (TOW)[5] for Jet2.com (formerly Thomas Cook UK Airlines)[15]327 economyManchesterJan 2015originally EC-332, low-visibility white livery[38]
ZZ343G-VYGN1610Voyager KC2Royal Air Force (RAF)
military
reg.		civilian
reg.		MSNtype &
desig.		operator /
user		passenger
capacity		home
base		date in
service		notes / livery /
operations

Notes:

  1. The dates in service indicate the point in time when each aircraft was commissioned into service by AirTanker Services Limited, specifically for Voyager following conversion of existing civilian airliner by Airbus Military into its MRTT specification; these airframes were actually manufactured some years earlier.
  2. One RAF Voyager (currently KC3 ZZ337) is permanently based at RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands as part of No. 1312 Flight RAF to provide aerial refuelling for the 1312 Flt stablemate A400M Atlas (and its former C-130 Hercules) transport aircraft, along with the four quick reaction alert (QRA) Typhoon FGR4 fighter jets of No. 1435 Flight RAF. An additional demilitarised A330-243 operated by AirTanker is used twice weekly to provide the air bridge between RAF Brize Norton in the UK and RAF Mount Pleasant in the South Atlantic.[3][6]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "AirTanker Services Limited - Company number 06279646 - overview". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "UK Aeroplane and Helicopter AOC Holders (A-C)" (PDF). CAA.co.uk. Civil Aviation Authority. 3 April 2023. p. 2. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Civil flying". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  4. ↑ "AirTanker - Legal Information". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "AirTanker fleet". Flightradar24.com. Flightradar24 AB. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Voyager". RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force. n.d. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  7. ↑ "AirTanker Services Limited - Company number 06279646 - people". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Companies House, Government of the United Kingdom. n.d. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  8. ↑ "Type A Operating Licence Holders". CAA.co.uk. Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014.
  9. ↑ "AirTanker - Compliance and Regulation". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. 2021. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  10. ↑ "AirTanker's first flight as an airline". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 January 2013.
  11. ↑ Osborne, Anthony (20 May 2013). "AirTanker cleared to begin air-to-air refueling operations". AviationWeek.com. Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "UK/Falklands air bridge sets two new records with the A330-200". MercoPress.com. MercoPress. 6 June 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  13. 1 2 "G-VYGK – Airbus A330-243 - 1498, operated by Air Tanker". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  14. ↑ "AirTanker makes commercial debut". Airliner World: 5. July 2015.
  15. 1 2 "G-VYGM – Airbus A330-243 - 1601, operated by Air Tanker". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  16. 1 2 "G-VYGL – Airbus A330-243 - 1555, operated by Air Tanker". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  17. ↑ AirForces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. February 2015. p. 5.
  18. ↑ "Maintenance". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  19. ↑ MartinezRoe7 (photographer) (7 April 2022). G-VYGK. JetPhotos.com (photograph). Santiago de Chile Arturo Merino Benítez Int'l (SCEL), Chile: JetPhotos. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  20. ↑ "Rolls-Royce Deutschland Ltd & Co KG – RB211 Trent 700 series engines – Type-Certificate, TCDS No.: E.042, Issue: 05" (PDF). EASA.Europa.eu. European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). 21 February 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 March 2019.
  21. 1 2 Stevenson, Beth (6 July 2016). "RAF reveals VIP-configured Voyager". www.Flightglobal.com. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  22. ↑ "G-INFO - AirTanker". CAA.co.uk. Civil Aviation Authority. Archived from the original on 26 December 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
  23. ↑ "ZZ331 – Airbus Voyager KC2 - 1248, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "ZZ332 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1275, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  25. ↑ "ZZ333 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1312, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  26. ↑ "ZZ334 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1033, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  27. ↑ "ZZ335 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1334, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  28. ↑ "ZZ337 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1390, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  29. ↑ "ZZ338 – Airbus Voyager KC3 - 1419, operated by United Kingdom - Royal Air Force (RAF)". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  30. ↑ "Flight history for aircraft - G-VYGJ". Flightradar24.com. Flightradar24 AB. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  31. ↑ "G-VYGJ AirTanker Airbus A330-200". www.planespotters.net. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
  32. ↑ "'G-VYGJ' photo results". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  33. ↑ "Flight history for aircraft - G-VYGK". Flightradar24.com. Flightradar24 AB. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  34. ↑ "AirTanker Leasing - Our Customers". AirTanker.co.uk. AirTanker Services. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
  35. ↑ "'G-VYGK' photo results". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  36. ↑ "Flight history for aircraft - G-VYGL". Flightradar24.com. Flightradar24 AB. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  37. ↑ "Flight history for aircraft - G-VYGM". Flightradar24.com. Flightradar24 AB. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  38. ↑ "'G-VYGM' photo results". JetPhotos.com. JetPhotos. n.d. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
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