AirTanker Services Limited

2008-2015: Initial concept and launch

In March 2008, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) signed the finalised Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) contract with AirTanker Holdings Limited (ATH) (the legal owner of the aircraft) to provide the Royal Air Force (RAF) with an air transport and air-to-air refuelling capability. The Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft contract stipulated the supply of fourteen Airbus A330 MRTT (A330-243), with all fourteen airframes being converted to the full Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) tanker specification. 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. In addition to its primary role of supporting the RAF, AirTanker Services Limited (ATS) (the legal operator of the civilian AirTanker airline) also holds a UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Type A Global 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.

Prior to the delivery of the aircraft to the RAF, new facilities were constructed RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, the RAF's largest airbase. Known as AirTanker Hub, these facilities are owned by industry, and act as headquarters and registered office for both ATH and ATS, and contain all support services for operation and maintenance of the AirTanker fleet.

In accordance with the dual military and civilian roles, all fourteen aircraft in the fleet must be able to switch between the UK's Civil Aircraft Register, and its Military Aircraft Register. They are thus dual registered, although only one type of registration mark is displayed, dependent on its operator.

On 12 May 2012, sponsored reservists (members of the RAF, but salaried by commercial companies) of No. 10 Squadron for AirTanker Services began RAF operations of its Airbus A330 MRTT, known by the RAF as the Voyager, by operating a military air transport sortie to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus from its home airbase of RAF Brize Norton.

Following the issue of an air operating licence by the CAA, the airline flew its first charter flight to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus for the MoD in January 2013. After delays in certification due to issues with its refuelling drogue baskets, its first operational aerial refuelling flight took place on 20 May 2013 (2013-05-20). Following subsequent successful Voyager tanker aerial fuel delivery operations to all operational RAF, and allied receiver aircraft, in late 2013, No. 101 Squadron RAF retired all their remaining Vickers VC10s and became the second RAF squadron alongside 10 Squadron to operate the Voyager.

Since October 2013, AirTanker has operated the twice-weekly South Atlantic Air Bridge between RAF Brize Norton and RAF Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands, a distance of more than 7,900 miles (6,900 nautical miles; 12,700 kilometres), using a demilitarised Airbus Voyager. The service primarily transports military personnel, contractors and freight, although civilian passengers may also book seats. The route normally includes a refuelling stop at RAF Ascension Island. When Ascension's runway became unavailable between 2019 and 2023, refuelling was temporarily conducted in Cape Verde and later Blaise Diagne International Airport in Dakar during the COVID-19 pandemic, before returning to Ascension following runway repairs.

From late 2014, up to two AirTanker Holdings RAF Voyager KC3 aircraft operated by the RAF have been involved in combat missions in support of Operation Shader. They are tasked for tanker sorties supplying fuel to RAF Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s and other probe-equipped coalition receiver aircraft. These Voyagers are assigned to No. 903 Expeditionary Air Wing based at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

2015-present: Diversification and civilian partnerships

In May 2015, AirTanker Holdings leased one de-modified and demilitarised A330-243 aircraft to Thomas Cook Airlines to be deployed on holiday routes. The contract ran for three years, and involved mainly long-haul flights from Glasgow Airport, Manchester Airport and London Stansted Airport. The first commercial flight took place on 1 May 2015 (2015-05-01), from Manchester to Cancun in Mexico and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. In April 2017, a second aircraft was also leased to Thomas Cook Airlines and in May 2019 another was leased to Jet2.com, following a different aircraft being leased to Jet2.com in June 2017.

AirTanker Holdings has a 27-year contract to provide 14 aircraft. All airframes are the Airbus A330 MRTT; based upon the A330-243 civilian airliner with a dual-aisle, two-four-two passenger cabin, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce Trent 772B-60 turbofan jet engines. Each aircraft can carry a total fuel load of 111 tonnes (109 long tons; 122 short tons). The Voyagers are able to dispense 50,000 kilograms (110,231 pounds) of fuel, from its existing wing and fuselage fuel tanks, to receiver aircraft via its hose-and-drogue systems. They have a loiter time of up to four hours, and a range of more than 1,852 kilometres (1,151 miles).

The AirTanker Holdings fleet originally consisted of a 'core' fleet of nine military aircraft; eight with UK military registration marks (starting in series with ZZ330, as a nod to its Airbus A330 type) and one UK civilian registration (G-VYGJ, permanently used for the South Atlantic Air Bridge), along with a 'surge' fleet of five UK civil registered de-modified demilitarised aircraft (similar to A330-243 standard configuration) which it uses for additional revenue. The surge fleet can be recalled for military use at any time as required. This fleet balance was subsequently revised; the military-registered core fleet was increased to ten aircraft, and the civilian-registered surge fleet reducing to four.

Versions

The AirTanker Holdings owned fleet of fourteen aircraft are known by the following official nomenclature, as defined by their primary operator (identified by its ICAO airline designator code):

Royal Air Force (RAF)

Primarily operated by RAF military Sponsored Reservist pilots and cabin crew of No. 10 Squadron and No. 101 Squadron, along with No. 1312 Flight of the RAF by AirTanker Services. All aircraft (excluding the gloss-white VIP converted Vespina) are externally painted in a low-visibility matt-grey livery, with RAF insignia and roundels, identified by their British military aircraft registration mark:

Accidents and incidents

On Sunday 9 February 2014, an RAF Voyager KC3, registration ZZ333, carrying 189 passengers from RAF Brize Norton to Camp Bastion in Afghanistan when it rapidly lost 4,440 feet (1,350 metres) of altitude in 27 seconds while cruising over Turkey at 33,000 feet (10,000 metres). It reached a maximum descent rate of 15,800 feet per minute (4,800 metres per minute). The sudden descent caused several injuries to twenty-five passengers and seven crew members. The aircraft diverted to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey and landed without further incident, but the RAF Voyager fleet was grounded for twelve days. Investigators determined that the captain's improperly stowed DSLR camera had become jammed between their armrest and the side-stick controller, forcing the controls forward when the captain adjusted his seat.