THC Strikes Deal with Airbus for 120 Helicopters

Anaheim (The Helicopter Company – THC), Saudi Arabia’s premier provider of commercial helicopter services and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), has signed an agreement with Airbus for supply of up to 120 Airbus helicopters of various types set to be delivered over the next five to seven years.

Part of the deal is a firm order for eight H125s along with 10 H145s that are converted options from an earlier contract, bringing THC’s total firm Airbus helicopter fleet to 60, of which 25 are already in service at present.

The new H125 helicopters will support the delivery of THC’s range of services in areas including aerial work and tourism. The H145s will be used in a variety of roles including Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and corporate transport.

Airbus Helicopters CEO Bruno Even said that their relationship with THC started in 2020 with the first contract for 10 H125s. Since then, it’s gone from strength to strength, moving beyond just helicopters to also look at how they can help pave the way for the use of Sustainable Aviation Fuel in the region.

“This latest agreement reinforces the scope of our offering and we thank THC for allowing us to help expand their helicopter activity,” he said.

THC CEO Capt. Arnaud Martinez, said that the agreement with Airbus, a transformative moment in THC’s growth journey solidified their position as a global player as well as regional leader.

“The agreement will enable us to both contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals through strengthening Saudi’s aviation sector whilst also meeting the changing needs of our growing customer base, both locally and globally. Our collaboration with Airbus will reshape the aviation landscape as together, we will push the boundaries of innovation and showcase that with the right partner, everything is possible in aviation,” he added.

Leading Player

THC is at the forefront of developing commercial helicopter services in the Kingdom, having introduced the H145 into service for EMS and deployed both the H145 and H125 in support of the Dakar Rally. Last year the company took delivery of its first ACH160 for Red Sea Global tourism operations.

The worldwide best-selling H125 has accumulated more than 40 million flight hours with more than 5,350 helicopters currently in operation. The model, known for its robustness, versatility, hot and high performance, and is widely used in highly demanding missions.

Airbus’ H145 is designed to deliver excellent performance throughout the flight envelope, and is the latest member of the company’s four-tonne-class twin-engine rotorcraft product range – with designed-in mission capability and flexibility, especially in high and hot operating conditions.

There are more than 1,675 helicopters of this family in service, logging a total of more than 7.6 million flight hours. Its particularly low acoustic footprint makes the H145 the quietest helicopter in its class.

THC was established as part of Saudi Arabia’s PIF strategy to activate new sectors in the Kingdom that support the realisation of Vision 2030 by creating an entire new ecosystem for general aviation services and introducing safe and efficient transport services across the kingdom.

THC is the Kingdom’s premier commercial helicopter operator and has been operating since mid-2019. THC currently has 47 aircraft that serve diverse segments, including Emergency Medical Services (EMS), aerial work, private charters and tourism in the Kingdom.