South Korea's Citiair has turned its preliminary agreement on the purchase of three transport helicopters into a firm contract, while Polish oil company Petrobaltic has ordered a maritime version.
Citiair has ordered the Sokol in its W-3A variant, first bought by German police in Saxony, adapted to meet US Federal Aviation Regulations Part 29 certification requirements..
The helicopters will additionally be fitted with floats, as two of them will be serving the island of Ul-Lung-Do, some 180km (110 miles) from the mainland. The third is to be operated in the mountainous regions of South Korea.
Deliveries are scheduled to begin at the end of this year, and will be completed in the first quarter of 1996.
Petrobaltic has ordered a single W-3RM Anaconda maritime helicopter, primarily designed for search-and-rescue (SAR) duties. The aircraft will be fitted with floats, a transponder, a global-positioning-system unit, night-vision equipment, and a Lucas winch.
The helicopter will be serving Baltic drilling platforms, transporting crews, supplies and equipment, and will be delivered this year.
Four Anacondas are in Polish naval service in the SAR role. The type has also recently been demonstrated to Lithuanian defence and interior ministry officials.
Swidnik leasing subsidiary Heliseco has also recently won a three-month contract for one Sokol and one Mil Mi-2 to be used in firefighting duties on the Canary Islands.o
Swidnik says that the contract was won partly because of references from Spain, where 24 Sokols with 100 pilots and maintenance personnel have been performing firefighting duties this year.o
PZL W-3A was first purchased by German police in Saxony
Source: Flight International
