HELICOPTERS could return to the skies of west Cornwall by next summer after an international company backed plans for a new transport link.
AgustaWestland has agreed to provide helicopters for an operator to fly the 28 miles between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.
The announcement is a major step forward in plans to revive the service after flights were grounded in October.
"Pieces of the jigsaw necessary to resurrect a helicopter service are coming together but there is still a tremendous amount to be done," said west Cornwall and Isles of Scilly MP Andrew George who has been campaigning with other local stakeholders for a revamped helicopter service.
"We need to temper people's expectations. The fact that we have a major player involved is a very significant contribution but this doesn't provide a service on its own."
Land owned by the Bolitho Estate near the former heliport at Eastern Green has long been linked with plans for a new venue for flights and although he wouldn't confirm its location, Mr George said a site had been earmarked.
A business case will now be drawn up to show that the service is viable and talks will get under way with potential operators. Bristow, Bond and CHC are three big aviation names that could be approached as part of discussions, The Cornishman understands.
An "appealing" offer will be put on the table for operators with the use of an AgustaWestland 189 craft. Able to seat around 18 passengers, the model will also be used by Bristow to provide search and rescue operations across the country.
"We would be very pleased to be able to supply our helicopters for the proposed operation," said Graham Cole, chairman of AgustaWestland UK.
"Andrew George has made a strong case for this operation and due to the strategic nature of this opportunity for AgustaWestland and the importance to the region, we are prepared to work with potential operators of this service to find an appropriate and viable solution."
Mr Cole added that with the support of Regional Growth Fund, the company is in the process of establishing a commercial helicopter capability at its facilities in Yeovil in Somerset, and plans for a new air link in west Cornwall would fit "perfectly" with that strategy.
Pleased but cautious about the news is Marian Bennett, a councillor on the Isles of Scilly and member of the Friends of Isles of Scilly Transport group, which is lobbying for reliable and affordable travel between the islands and mainland.
"This is a positive piece of news," she said.
"I want to throw my hat in the air and shout yippee but let's be realistic and hear the other costs, like the price of building a new heliport in Penzance and the price of tickets, before we pop the champagne."
A resurgent helicopter service would also be a welcome shot in the arm for the local tourism industry, which is said to have been hit badly when British International Helicopters stopped flights.
"From a business point of view and for the regeneration of the town this is fantastic news," said Arnaud Reutsch, chairman of the Penzance and District Tourism Association, who added that the closure of the heliport, soon to be home to a new Sainsbury's store, had had a damaging impact on the local area.
"If there is a slight chance of this happening then everyone needs to come together and push for it."
Mr Cole is expected to travel to west Cornwall in the next few weeks to talk to stakeholders about the service.
