TOYOTAMOTOR is to take control of Aero Asahi, Japan's largest commercial helicopter operator, agreeing to buy a 76% stake from the Seibu department store for ´17 billion ($150 million).
Tokyo-based Aero Asahi operates 88 helicopters and 12 fixed-wing aircraft. The fleet includes some 35 Bell 206s, as well as Eurocopter Super Pumas, McDonnell Douglas Explorers and Sikorsky S-76s. Aero Asahi has annual sales of around ´30 billion.
The acquisition will expand Toyota's aviation interests, which includes flight-service subsidiaries in Tokyo and Hokkaido and the Airflite fixed-based operator in Long Beach, California. The company has also developed an aircraft powerplant based on its Lexus car engine in a joint venture with Hamilton Standard.
Source: Flight International
