Al Sharqiya Aviation LLC (ASA), the sole commercial helicopter operator in the Sultanate, announced on Thursday that it will shortly take delivery of its first Airbus H145D3 helicopter, leased from the Milestone Aviation Group Limited.
Not only is this the first five-bladed Airbus H145 for ASA, but it is also the first to be delivered to a customer in the Middle East.
The addition of the new helicopter will support ASA’s fleet expansion and will enable the provision of reliable onshore and offshore passenger transport and Emergency Medical Aviation Services throughout the Sultanate of Oman.
The helicopter will complement ASA’s existing fleet and capabilities affirming ASA’s leading market position in providing commercial helicopter services in the Sultanate of Oman.
Milestone is also providing ASA with a number of training slots and a state-of-the-art Disaster Management Kit to support them with the phasing-in of this new helicopter type into its fleet.
Tariq al Barwani, CEO of Al Sharqiya Aviation, said, “Al Sharqiya Aviation is thrilled to be the first operator of the five-bladed H145D3 variant in the Middle East. The H145D3 complements our fleet perfectly and fulfills a variety of mission profiles which match our overall business development objectives. We have been working closely with Milestone on this project and we are grateful to have Milestone as our leasing partner in this transaction where a certainty of execution is critical to delivering for our customers.”
Michael York, Head of Emerging Markets at Milestone, said, “We are proud to have been selected by ASA as their leasing partner in this transaction. The H145D3 is a new type for ASA, which will provide them with a whole new level of helicopter capability and technology. The Milestone team has worked very hard to put together a tailor-made solution for ASA, a key differentiator for us. Milestone is pleased to start a long-term relationship with ASA, and we look forward to working closely with the team on the successful delivery of this brand-new helicopter to ASA later this year.”
Operating under Air Operator Certificate Nr 003 issued by the Oman Civil Aviation Authority, ASA provides commercial helicopter services in the Sultanate of Oman, including passenger transport, tourism and VIP flights, aerial work, Oil and Gas support services and emergency medical aviation services.
Milestone Aviation Group, a GECAS company, is the world’s leading helicopter leasing and financing company. Milestone has a fleet of helicopters including loan financings worth over $5 billion.
Milestone partners with helicopter operators worldwide, providing a wide array of financial and productivity solutions, including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, engine leasing and fleet advisory.
The company supports over 40 customers in more than 35 countries serving a variety of industries, including offshore oil and gas, search and rescue, emergency medical services, police surveillance, mining and other utility missions.
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