Milestone Aviation Group and SonAir sign agreement for three EC225s
Milestone Aviation Group and SonAir celebrate deal at Heli-Expo 2014 (Credit: J Miller)
Milestone Aviation Group and SonAir of Angola have initiated long-term partnership for the operation of three EC225 helicopters.
Milestone Aviation Group and SonAir celebrate deal at Heli-Expo 2014 (Credit: J Miller)
Milestone and SonAir, the largest African helicopter operator, announced at Heli-Expo 2014 that three of Milestone’s record order for EC225 helicopters will be operated by the Angolan company on oil & gas related flights.
The arrangement was announced on Airbus Helicopters’ stand at the 2014 edition of the show, and are part of a newly launched, long-term partnership between Milestone and SonAir, to continue serving the oil and gas industry in the region.
Deliveries of the new EC225s are planned during the first and second quarters of 2014, with the aircraft joining the SonAir fleet of Airbus Helicopters that includes examples of the EC225, AS332 L2 and AS365 N3.
“As the largest African oil and gas helicopter operator, we rely on the EC225, with its range, capacity and overall performance, to perform challenging missions in tropical environments. This transaction for near-term EC225 deliveries allows us to maintain our leadership position in the offshore oil and gas market.” said João Andrade, CEO of SonAir, “Milestone has provided us with customized, flexible terms on operating leases for EC225s that meet our needs, allowing us to fulfill the requirements of our customers, delivering value and operational leverage for our company.”
“SonAir is one of the world’s great helicopter operators, and Angola is an important and growing region for offshore oil and gas production,” said Richard Santulli, chairman and CEO of Milestone. “We are proud to announce what we intend to be a long and mutually beneficial partnership with SonAir. It is testament to the global demand and desirability of the EC225 and our strong relationship with Airbus Helicopters that we are able to meet SonAir’s requirements and initiate our partnership at this time.”
