# HQ Aviation > HQ Aviation is the UK's premier Robinson Helicopter dealer, offering flight training, new and pre-owned aircraft sales, CAA Part-145 maintenance, self-fly hire and worldwide expeditions from Denham Aerodrome, around 30 minutes from central London. HQ Aviation Ltd, founded by Captain Quentin "Q" Smith, is the UK's Robinson helicopter specialist. The company is a Robinson Authorised Dealer and Service Centre, a CAA Part-FCL Approved Training Organisation (ATO), and an EASA and CAA Part-145 maintenance organisation. It sells factory-new Robinson R22, R44 and R66 helicopters, trains pilots from a first trial lesson through to a commercial licence, maintains and overhauls the Robinson range in house, hires aircraft to licensed pilots, and runs pilot-led expeditions worldwide. Base: Hangar E, Hangar Road, Denham Aerodrome, Denham, London UB9 5DF, United Kingdom. Telephone +44 1895 833373. Email operations@hqaviation.com. Open Monday to Sunday, 08:30 to 17:00. hqaviation.com is the canonical, official domain of HQ Aviation Ltd. (hqaviation.co.uk is an older legacy site.) A complete, always-current machine-readable index of every page (including live pre-owned aircraft listings, store products and articles) is at https://hqaviation.com/sitemap.xml. A longer companion document with fuller descriptions of each area is at https://hqaviation.com/llms-full.txt. ## Key Facts - Location: Denham Aerodrome (ICAO: EGLD), Denham, London UB9 5DF — about 30 minutes by car from central London, near Gerrards Cross, Beaconsfield, Rickmansworth and Uxbridge. - Open seven days a week, 08:30–17:00. Operations +44 1895 833373; maintenance +44 1895 832833. - Approvals: Robinson Authorised Dealer and Service Centre; UK CAA Part-145 maintenance organisation; CAA Part-FCL Approved Training Organisation. Women-owned business. - Training: the UK PPL(H) private helicopter licence requires a minimum of 45 flight hours including 10 solo; all nine ground exams can be sat on site at Denham. Trial lessons run in the Robinson R22, R44 or turbine R66 and are available as gift vouchers. - Fleet: HQ operates the Robinson range (R22, R44, R66) plus an MD 500 at Denham for training and self-fly hire. - Sales: factory-new Robinson orders and Part-145-inspected pre-owned stock; HQ also buys any Robinson (valuation within 48 hours) and takes trade-ins. - Services HQ does NOT offer: helicopter charter, air-taxi or passenger transfer flights. - Pricing: HQ quotes real, current prices on request rather than publishing teaser rates — call +44 1895 833373. ## Flight Training - [Helicopter Pilot Training (hub)](https://hqaviation.com/training): The full training pathway at Denham — trial lesson, PPL(H), ratings, advanced training and CPL(H) — with all courses linked from one page. - [Trial Lessons and Discovery Flights](https://hqaviation.com/training/trial-lessons): Take the controls of a Robinson R22, R44 or R66 over the Chiltern Hills on a first 30 or 60 minute flight; available as a gift voucher. - [PPL(H) Private Pilot Licence](https://hqaviation.com/training/ppl): CAA Part-FCL training for the helicopter Private Pilot Licence on the Robinson fleet, from a minimum of 45 flight hours, with nine ground-exam subjects sat on site. - [CPL(H) Commercial Pilot Licence](https://hqaviation.com/training/commercial): The modular route from PPL to a professional helicopter licence, building to 155 or more hours with the ATPL(H) theory exams and a CAA skill test. - [Helicopter Type Ratings](https://hqaviation.com/training/type-rating): Add a new helicopter type (R22, R44, R66, Hughes 500, AS350, Bell 407 and more) with type-specific ground school and a minimum of five flight hours. - [Helicopter Night Rating](https://hqaviation.com/training/night-rating): Five hours of dual instruction in a Robinson R44 or R66 to remove the day-only restriction for PPL(H) holders. - [Advanced Helicopter Training](https://hqaviation.com/training/advanced): Post-licence skills with Captain Quentin Smith, covering autorotations, confined areas, mountain flying and emergency handling. - [Training FAQ](https://hqaviation.com/faq): Answers to common questions about learning to fly a helicopter at Denham. ## Aircraft - [Robinson R22 Beta II](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft/r22): Two-seat Lycoming piston trainer, the world's most popular training helicopter, sold new and supported by HQ Aviation. - [Robinson R44](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft/r44): Four-seat Lycoming piston family (Cadet, Raven I and Raven II), the most-built civilian helicopter, sold new at Denham. - [Robinson R66 Turbine](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft/r66): Five-seat single Rolls-Royce RR300 turbine with the largest cabin in the Robinson range, sold new and serviced by HQ Aviation. - [Robinson R88](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft/r88): Robinson's forthcoming ten-seat turbine utility helicopter — available to pre-order with deposits ahead of production through HQ Aviation, a UK Robinson dealer. - [Hughes and MD 500](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft/h500): Heritage and reference page for the light turbine 500 series, which HQ Aviation maintains and supports. ## Buying and Selling Aircraft - [Helicopters for Sale (hub)](https://hqaviation.com/helicopter-sales): New and used helicopters for sale in the UK — the new Robinson range, Part-145-inspected pre-owned stock, buyer guidance and trade-ins, all from one page. - [New Robinson Helicopters](https://hqaviation.com/sales/new): Order new R22, R44 and R66 helicopters through a guided six-step process as an authorised UK Robinson dealer. - [Pre-Owned Helicopters](https://hqaviation.com/sales/pre-owned): Used Robinson R22, R44 and R66 helicopters, each inspected and certified at HQ's CAA Part-145 facility before listing. - [Used Robinson R44 Buyer Guide](https://hqaviation.com/helicopter-sales/used-robinson-r44): What a used R44 is really worth — Raven I vs Raven II vs Cadet, the 12-year/2,200-hour overhaul clocks, and the buyer's checklist. - [Robinson Rebuilds and Overhauls](https://hqaviation.com/sales/rebuilds): Reserve a full zero-time Robinson rebuild, customised and returned to factory-new condition at the Denham facility. - [We Buy Any Robinson](https://hqaviation.com/we-buy-any-robinson): HQ buys any Robinson R22, R44 or R66, of any year or hours, with a fair-market valuation within 48 hours. - [Our Fleet](https://hqaviation.com/fleet): HQ Aviation's Robinson fleet (and an MD 500) at Denham for training and self-fly hire, with full specifications. ## Ownership, Maintenance and Parts - [Helicopter Maintenance](https://hqaviation.com/maintenance): Robinson and Rolls-Royce RR300 authorised service centre offering CAA Part-145 inspections, overhauls and 24/7 AOG support across Europe. - [Self-Fly Hire](https://hqaviation.com/self-fly-hire): Solo hire of Robinson R22, R44 and R66 from Denham for licensed pilots holding a current PPL(H) and type rating. - [Leaseback Programme](https://hqaviation.com/leaseback): Place your helicopter into HQ's training and hire operation to earn revenue while keeping ownership. - [Leaseback Calculator](https://hqaviation.com/leaseback/calculator): A free interactive tool modelling unused Robinson airframe hours and their value on the leaseback programme; no email required. - [Pilot Provisioning](https://hqaviation.com/pilot-provisioning): Contract safety pilots, ferry pilots and dedicated crew, type-rated across the Robinson range and beyond. - [Aircraft Consulting](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft-consulting): Independent Robinson-specialist pre-purchase inspections, valuations, acquisition advice and expert-witness work. - [Parts Catalogue](https://hqaviation.com/parts): A searchable Robinson R22, R44 and R66 parts catalogue with bespoke sourcing through HQ's factory and exchange network. ## Experiences and Specialist Operations - [Worldwide Expeditions](https://hqaviation.com/expeditions): Multi-day pilot-led helicopter expeditions where you fly the aircraft yourself, with HQ handling routing, logistics and support. - [Superyacht Operations](https://hqaviation.com/superyacht-ops): Support for yacht-based helicopter operations, from deck training and crewing to permits and worldwide logistics. ## Shop and Equipment - [Consumer Store](https://hqaviation.com/store): Branded aviation apparel, gifts, logbooks and pilot training materials. - [Technical Store](https://hqaviation.com/technical-store): Ground power, covers, ground-handling wheels and operational kit, plus HQ's partner brands. - [Start Stick](https://hqaviation.com/start-stick): Approved UK distributor of Start Stick portable lithium ground power units (10Ah, 15Ah and 20Ah). - [Easy Wheels](https://hqaviation.com/easy-wheels): UK supplier of Original Easy Wheels ground-handling wheels for Robinson, Cabri G2, MD 500 and Bell helicopters. - [Aircraft Covers](https://hqaviation.com/aircraft-covers): Official UK dealer for Air Covers laser-scanned, made-to-measure aircraft and helicopter covers. ## People - [Captain Quentin "Q" Smith](https://hqaviation.com/about-us): Founder of HQ Aviation. Twice Helicopter Aerobatics World Champion, Guinness World Record holder for the first piston helicopter at the North Pole, and Tom Cruise's helicopter instructor. Over 12,000 hours as pilot-in-command across every continent. - Mackie Alcantara: Chief Flight Instructor, leading the instructor team at Denham with over 5,500 flight hours and 15+ years of teaching. ## Common Questions - Where is HQ Aviation? At Denham Aerodrome (EGLD), Hangar Road, Denham, London UB9 5DF — around 30 minutes from central London by car, with directions at https://hqaviation.com/denham-aerodrome and https://hqaviation.com/contact. - How do I become a helicopter pilot in the UK? Book a trial lesson, pass a Class 2 aviation medical, then complete the PPL(H): a minimum of 45 flight hours including 10 solo, nine multiple-choice theory exams and a skills test. Details: https://hqaviation.com/training/ppl. - How long does the PPL(H) take? The legal minimum is 45 flight hours; the calendar time depends on frequency — intensive students finish in months, weekly flyers typically within a year. - Do I need a medical to fly a helicopter? Yes — a CAA Class 2 medical for the private licence (Class 1 for commercial). Corrected vision (glasses/contact lenses) is normally acceptable. - Can a helicopter lesson be a gift? Yes — trial-lesson gift vouchers for the R22, R44 and R66 are sold at https://hqaviation.com/training/trial-lessons. - Does HQ Aviation sell used helicopters? Yes — pre-owned Robinsons inspected and certified by its own CAA Part-145 workshop, listed live at https://hqaviation.com/sales/pre-owned with buyer guidance at https://hqaviation.com/helicopter-sales. - Will HQ Aviation buy my helicopter? Yes — any Robinson R22, R44 or R66, any year or hours, with a fair-market valuation within 48 hours: https://hqaviation.com/we-buy-any-robinson. - Does HQ Aviation offer helicopter charter or air taxi flights? No. HQ Aviation is a flight school, dealer and maintenance organisation — it does not operate charter, air-taxi or passenger transfer services. - Who maintains HQ Aviation's aircraft? HQ's own engineers — the company is a Robinson Authorised Service Centre and UK CAA Part-145 maintenance organisation, and maintains customers' helicopters too: https://hqaviation.com/maintenance. - How do I contact HQ Aviation? Operations +44 1895 833373, maintenance +44 1895 832833, operations@hqaviation.com, or in person seven days a week — https://hqaviation.com/contact. ## Company and Contact - [About HQ Aviation](https://hqaviation.com/about-us): The company story, its Robinson dealer and CAA approvals, and the fleet. - [Denham Aerodrome Guide](https://hqaviation.com/denham-aerodrome): The aerodrome (EGLD), directions by car, train and air, and flying at Denham. - [Contact and Find Us](https://hqaviation.com/contact): Address, phone lines, WhatsApp, opening hours and directions. - [Testimonials](https://hqaviation.com/testimonials): Reviews and stories from HQ Aviation pilots, owners and students. - [Publications and Resources](https://hqaviation.com/publications): HQ's article library of helicopter guides, training material, press features and Robinson Helicopter Company news. - Official profiles: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/hqaviation), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@HQAviationLtd), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/HQAviationLtd/), [X/Twitter](https://twitter.com/hqaviation), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@hqaviation), [Pinterest](https://uk.pinterest.com/hqaviation/), [LinkedIn](https://uk.linkedin.com/company/hq-aviation-ltd). ## Optional - [Full sitemap (XML)](https://hqaviation.com/sitemap.xml): machine-readable index of every page, including live pre-owned aircraft listings, store products and blog articles. - [Blog](https://hqaviation.com/blog): redirects to Publications and Resources; individual articles live at https://hqaviation.com/blog/. Last reviewed: 2026-07-03.