Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC
Latin America's first helicopter fractional ownership programme, Sao Paulo-based HeliSolutions, has selected the Bell 430 as its twin-engined aircraft. The first of two aircraft will arrive later this month.
HeliSolutions already offers shares in the Robinson R44 piston single and Eurocopter EC120 Colibri and AS350B3 Ecureuil turbine singles. The company, which began operations in July last year, has sold over 60 shares and has nine aircraft in its fleet: four R44s, two EC120s and three AS350s. A further seven R44s and EC120s, will be added at the end of March, says chief executive Allan Paiotti.
In return for buying a tenth share in a helicopter, owners can use the aircraft for 10h a month. Ownership of the Bell 430 will be divided into one-fifth shares, each providing 15h a month. Aircraft are flown by HeliSolutions pilots, and the scheme serves greater Sao Paulo, which has more than 150 heliports. HeliSolutions will expand to Rio de Janeiro in the second quarter, and plans to serve other Brazilian state capitals, Paiotti says.
Fractional ownership of helicopters has yet to catch on in the USA, where the concept has seen enormous success with business jets, and HeliSolutions is now the largest such programme in the world. "Fractionals may make more sense in Brazil, because there is demand and lots of helistops," says Bell chairman Terry Stinson, adding: "Lack of infrastructure has hurt fractionals in the USA."
HeliFlite Shares, one of only two US helicopter fractional programmes, has operated the Bell 430 intermediate turbine twin since December 1999. The company moved operations to the USnorth east last year after a disappointing start-up in Dallas, Texas. HeliFlite has two 430s and plans to offer the Bell 427 light twin.
HeliSolutions is a joint venture between Phoenix Strategic Financial Advisers and Audi Helicopteros, the Brazilian distributor for Robinson Helicopter.
A shareholding costs $40,000 for the R44, $120,000 for the EC120 and $180,000 for the AS350, built as the Helibras Esquilo in Brazil. Shares in the Bell 430 will cost $1-1.2 million. Owners also pay monthly management and hourly occupancy fees, ranging from 3,700 real ($2,000) and 295 real/h, respectively, for the R44 to 9,500 real (870 real/h) for the AS350.
Source: Flight International
