Aerospace

The Helicopter Company signs HCare In-Service contract for fleet of 20 H145 helicopters

The Helicopter Company (THC), which was founded by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) as the first helicopter services provider authorized to conduct commercial flights in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has signed an HCare In-Service contract to cover their fleet of 20 five-bladed H145 helicopters.

Airbus and HeliDax sign first HCare Classics support contract to cover fleet of 36 H120s(Opens in a new browser tab)

The fleet of H145 helicopters was ordered in December 2021 and will be used for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services throughout the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Five have already been delivered, and the remaining 15 are anticipated to be finished by the end of 2024.

The HCare In-Service package has been customised to meet the unique operational requirements of THC and offers them parts availability by-the-hour services to optimize the maintenance and performance of the fleet.

Saudi Arabia to order 40 A350s for new national airline RIA(Opens in a new browser tab)

THC was founded by PIF as part of its strategy to activate new industries in Saudi Arabia that support the realization of Vision 2030 and generate long-term commercial returns, while also meeting the growing demand for luxury travel and tourism services. THC will begin offering its services in 2019. To improve accessibility to domestic tourist destinations and offer services like filming and aerial surveying, THC previously signed contracts to purchase 10 Airbus H125s and six ACH160 helicopters.

The new HCare offer includes three flexible solutions in addition to HCare Initial and HCare Lifetime, including HCare In-Service. For specific fleets, HCare First is offered for Airbus Corporate Helicopters aircraft, while HCare Classics is offered for the legacy fleet’s out-of-production models (H120, Dauphin, Puma and Gazelle).

Aerospace

When Ratan Tata was denied entry to the airfield at the Aero India show, he waited

During our visit to Aero India 2019, we had the unexpected opportunity to see Ratan Tata at the event, which was a thrilling moment for us. However, there was a surprising hiccup when the security staff didn’t allow him to enter due to a lack of a security pass.

Despite this, he remained calm and patiently waited for about 20 minutes until a member of the Tata team brought him the required pass, after which he calmly proceeded inside. It was a humbling sight, showcasing his composed demeanor even in such situations.

Ratan Tata ji is not only a renowned industrialist but also a trained pilot, holding a pilot’s license. In 2007, he became the first Indian civilian to fly the F-16 Falcon during the Aero India show in Bangalore—a proud moment for the nation.

His passion for aviation extended beyond flying, as he played a key role in shaping India’s aerospace industry. Under his leadership, Tata ventured into manufacturing and maintaining aerospace components while upholding its legacy of quality. Notably, Tata’s collaboration with Airbus to develop and manufacture the C295 aircraft is a testament to its growing influence in the sector.