The Airbus Helicopters H225 has continued its incremental return in the oil and gas market with Westair Helicopters to lease a single offshore-configured example from Milestone Aviation Group.
For operation in Namibia, the Super Puma is due for delivery in the coming weeks and will enter service before year-end; Westair will subsequently introduce two more H225s in the southern African country, it says.
Based in northern Italy, Westair Helicopters provides rotorcraft services in Africa and Europe, primarily serving the oil and gas industry. Its aircraft are operated under an Italian air operator certificate.
The H225 is the first example of the heavy-twin in Westair’s fleet. It recently signalled its intention to operate the type by posting a recruitment notice for Super Puma crews.
Flightcrew were required to have a minimum of 500h of experience as pilot in command on offshore operations and at least 100h on type.
While the H225 has been largely absent from the oil and gas industry since a fatal crash in 2016 caused by a catastrophic main gearbox failure, around 20 offshore-roled examples remain in service, chiefly in China and Vietnam.
However, the contract in Namibia is different as FlightGlobal understands it will see Westair working for a member of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers, a body that until recently appeared at best lukewarm to the H225’s return.
“This agreement highlights Milestone’s commitment to transitioning the H225 back into the oil and gas market, by making significant investment to reconfigure the helicopter from utility to an oil and gas specification,” says Sebastien Moulin, Milestone chief commercial officer.
Edwin Soeter, chief executive of Westair, adds: “The introduction of the H225 will be a game-changer for Westair Helicopters, making us one of the first operators in the oil and gas market to fly the upgraded version of this helicopter.”
Based near Milan Malpensa airport, Westair’s fleet comprises Leonardo Helicopters AW139s, AW169s and AW189s.
