Aviation

Airbus and HeliDax sign first HCare Classics support contract to cover fleet of 36 H120s

HeliDax, a French helicopter operator, and Airbus Helicopters have agreed to the first-ever HCare Classics support agreement to maximize the availability of HeliDax’s H120 fleet.

HeliDax, a French helicopter operator, and Airbus Helicopters have agreed to the first-ever HCare Classics support agreement to maximize the availability of HeliDax’s H120 fleet. The company’s out-of-production legacy helicopters are the only focus of HCare Classics, a new support program from Airbus.

HeliDax’s fleet is the largest in-service H120 fleet in the world today. With eight years remaining in the pilot training program contract, HeliDax selected HCare Classics to benefit from the OEM’s guaranteed support performance.

“To continue guaranteeing our fleet and service available until the end of our contract with the government in 2030, it is essential to have a strong commitment from our major partner, Airbus Helicopters, in terms of support and obsolescence monitoring,” says Christian Prigentt, director of Halifax.

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Airbus Helicopters secures the supply chain and ensures the sufficient provision of spare parts, as well as other support options specifically tailored to meet the needs of these unique operators,” says Christoph Zammert, Executive Vice President of Customer Support & Services at Airbus Helicopters.

Today there are more than 2,000 legacy Airbus helicopters in service with approximately 750 operators around the world. These out-of-production aircraft include the H120, Dauphin, Puma, and Gazelle and account for 15% of the flight hours generated by the entire Airbus Helicopters fleet.

HCare Classic is a multi-service offering created to meet the customer’s operational needs. Customers choose the services they need, ranging from obsolescence monitoring and management to spare parts support and maintenance planning.

Aviation

Aeroflot Buys Used Planes for Spare Parts Amid Sanctions

In the face of ongoing Western sanctions that have severely impacted Russia’s aviation industry, Aeroflot, the country’s largest airline, has devised a strategic plan to bolster its fleet’s spare parts inventory.

The airline is set to acquire five Boeing 737-800BCF freighters from Atran Airlines, a move that will allow it to dismantle the aircraft for critical components. The planes, which will be transferred to Aeroflot’s low-cost subsidiary Pobeda, will not be converted into passenger jets but instead will be stripped for valuable parts to support existing operations.

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Aeroflot’s plan to purchase these Boeing 737-800BCF freighters comes as part of a broader strategy to mitigate the effects of Western sanctions, which have crippled the Russian aviation sector. With the sanctions restricting access to essential aircraft parts and spare components, Aeroflot is exploring alternative ways to maintain and repair its fleet.

Instead of converting the freighters from cargo to passenger planes, a process deemed “unreasonably expensive” under current sanctions, the airline intends to focus on extracting high-value components such as engines, landing gear, avionics, and other essential systems.

The deal will be structured in a way that allows Aeroflot to indirectly purchase the freighters through an insurance settlement with the aircraft’s lessor, AerCap.

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The Russian government’s insurance company will reimburse the aircraft’s value, and the planes will then be leased back to local operators. This method circumvents some of the restrictions imposed by international sanctions while ensuring that the airline gains access to the necessary components to support its fleet.

By dismantling the aircraft for spare parts, Aeroflot aims to secure critical resources for the ongoing maintenance of its existing fleet. Components from the Boeing 737-800BCF freighters, such as engines and avionics, are expected to be reused in other aircraft within Aeroflot’s network, ensuring that the airline can keep its operations running smoothly