The Helicopter Company expands fleet
with the purchase of 26 aircraft
from Airbus Helicopters
Jeddah, Saudi
Arabia, 4 December 2021 – The Helicopter Company (THC),
established by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) as the first
and only helicopter services provider licensed to operate
commercial flights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today
announced that it has signed a second purchase agreement with
Airbus Helicopters.
The agreement was signed by Raid Ismail, Chairman of
the Board of THC and Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters,
in the presence of His Excellency Khalid Al Falih, Minister
of Investment and His Excellency Franck Riester, Minister
Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness.
The partnership will contribute to the ongoing
expansion of THC’s regional fleet ahead of announcing an
exciting new journey as a General Aviation champion, with
twenty orders of the newly launched five bladed H145 and six
ACH160 models. All aircraft feature cutting-edge technologies
and biofuel-compatible engines, marking a significant
milestone in developing alternatives to conventional aviation
fuels and achieving decarbonization of helicopter flights.
Launching its services in 2019, THC was established
by PIF as part of its strategy to activate new sectors in
Saudi Arabia that support the realisation of Vision 2030 and
generate long-term commercial returns, while meeting the
growing demand for luxury tourism and air travel services.
THC previously signed an agreement to buy 10 Airbus H125
helicopters to increase access to domestic tourism
destinations and provide services such as filming and aerial
surveying – and is now further expanding its services with
the addition of the H145 and H160 to its fleet.
“Our mission is to create a world-class National
Aviation Champion and today, by signing this agreement with
our trusted partner Airbus, we mark an important milestone in
our journey to grow together with the nation in focus to
fulfil Saudi Vision 2030. This deal comes as part of THC’s
commitment to introduce new services with advanced technology
that fulfill market demand and support the development of the
Kingdom’s wider aviation sector,” said Raid Ismail, Chairman
of the Board of THC.
“We are honored by the trust that THC is placing once
again in our products and our teams and I am personally
thrilled with this expansion of our partnership”, said Bruno
Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters. “THC will be taking full
benefit of Airbus’ latest innovations with the five-bladed
H145 and the ACH160, which we are certain will be valuable
assets in their portfolio, enabling them to develop
operations in the country,” he added.
Commenting on the partnership, Captain Arnaud
Martinez, CEO of THC said, “We are extremely proud to sign
this deal today with a world-leading aircraft manufacturer
like Airbus. This important milestone is indicative of our
growth as a business since our inception and of our positive contribution
to the delivery of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision in terms of
stimulating new sectors. Moreover, it is a commitment to the
recently announced goals of the Saudi Green Initiative to not
only grow our business and industry, but to do so in a
sustainable manner.”
The purchase agreement forms part of THC’s ongoing
strategic regional alliances with industry leaders, including
a recent partnership with The Red Sea Development Company
(TRSDC), the developer behind the world’s most ambitious
regenerative tourism project. The contract for the provision
and operation of a twin engine helicopter, crew and
maintenance technicians, facilitates TRSDC emergency medical
services (EMS) with alternate configuration change capability
for passenger utility transport at TRSDC’s site on the west
coast of Saudi Arabia.
John Pagano, CEO of TRSDC said, “As we strive to lead
the way in creating a smart and sustainable mobility network
for our destinations, we are thrilled to witness the growth
and expansion of our partner, The Helicopter Company, who are
paving the way to a sustainable future for aerospace in Saudi
Arabia. It is imperative that the full aviation ecosystem
continues to come together to build a resilient, stronger and
greener future.”
About The Helicopter Company (THC)
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) established THC as
part of its strategy to activate new sectors in Saudi Arabia
that support the realization of Vision 2030 and generate
long-term commercial returns. THC is the Kingdom’s first and
only commercial helicopter operator and has been operating
since mid-2019.
For more information, please visit: www.thehelicoptercompany.com.sa
About Airbus
Airbus pioneers sustainable aerospace for a safe and united
world. The Company constantly innovates to provide the most
efficient and technologically-advanced solutions in
aerospace, defence, and connected services. In commercial
aircraft, Airbus offers the most modern and fuel-efficient
airliners. Airbus is also a European leader in defence and
security and one of the world's leading space businesses. In
helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and
military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
For more information, please visit: https://www.airbus.com/en
About The Red Sea Development Company
The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC - www.theredsea.sa)
is a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public
Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia. TRSDC was established
to drive the development of The
Red Sea Project, a luxury, regenerative
tourism destination that will set new standards in
sustainable development and position Saudi
Arabia on the global tourism map.
The project is being developed over 28,000 km2 of
pristine lands and waters along Saudi Arabia’s west coast and
includes a vast archipelago of more than 90 pristine
islands. The
destination also features sweeping desert
dunes, mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient
cultural and heritage sites. It is designed to include
hotels, residential properties, leisure, commercial and
entertainment amenities, as well as supporting infrastructure
that emphasizes renewable energy and water conservation and
re-use, as well as a circular waste management system to
achieve zero waste to landfill.
Activity for the first
phase of development is well underway and is
on track to be completed by the end of 2023. The project has
surpassed significant milestones, with over 700
contracts signed to date, worth nearly SAR 19 bn
($5bn).
The 100-hectare Landscape Nursery, which will provide more
than 25 million plants for the The Red Sea Project and
AMAALA, is now fully operational. There are more
than 10,000 workers currently on-site and 80km of new
roads are now complete. The Construction Village and the
Waste Management Centre are both fully operational and
development is progressing well at the Coastal Village, which
will be home to around 14,000 people who will eventually work
at the destination.
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