Aercap-owned Milestone Aviation has announced the placement of three Leonardo AW139 helicopters and two Airbus H145 helicopters with Aramco, the Saudi Arabian energy company.
The "factory new" aircraft are to be used for offshore oil and gas missions in Saudi Arabia after deliveries are carried out in 2023, by which time Aramco will have a fleet of 35 helicopters on lease from Milestone.
“Aramco has pioneered offshore oil and gas helicopter operations in the Middle East for decades and we are honoured to support Aramco as their trusted leasing partner, as they continue to expand and modernise their fleet," said Michael York, Milestone's head of emerging markets, speaking at the HAI Heli-Expo, an industry event staged in Atlanta.
“This leasing model has been tremendously successful for Aramco as it has allowed us to focus on our operational excellence while de-risking asset ownership and depreciation costs. We know we can rely on Milestone, and we look forward to working together as we add these new helicopters to our fleet," said Khalid Al-Natour, head of Aramco Aviation.