Lease Corporation International (LCI), the aviation division of the Libra Group, has taken delivery of its first Airbus Helicopters H175 aircraft and has placed it on lease with CHC.
The aircraft will be based out of Aberdeen, Scotland, supporting oil-and-gas production activities in the North Sea.
“This is an important day for LCI as we take delivery of this excellent, new generation helicopter,” said Crispin Maunder, executive chairman of LCI. “The H175 is now becoming established as a proven and versatile aircraft which efficiently is serving the growing oil-and-gas sector around the world.
“We are delighted to be accepting our first H175 from Airbus Helicopters, building on LCI’s long-established working relationship with the Airbus Group covering almost $1.5 billion in new deliveries to date.”
“We believe that the new CHC is well positioned in the market, and we are very pleased to be part of their re-fleeting and growth strategy,” said Michael Platt, chief executive officer of LCI.
“With our extensive experience in placing helicopters for use in the oil-and-gas sector, we are confident we can add value to CHC’s operations in the long term.”
The Airbus Helicopters H175 is a new generation 7.8 ton, 16 passenger aircraft, in the super medium category. Its primary mission is to support offshore oil-and-gas activities, but it is also an excellent search-and-rescue (SAR) aircraft.
The H175 is configured with the reliable and proven Pratt & Whitney PT-6 engines, a Helionix avionics suite with 4-axis autopilot, and fully certified to the latest FAR/JAR 29 certification standards.
“The addition of another H175 to our fleet in EMEA is another key step towards our goal to offer our customers a productive, safe, and reliable fleet that can best meet the needs of our global customers,” said Karl Fessenden, president and chief executive officer of CHC. “LCI is an experienced lessor when it comes to placing aircraft in the oil-and-gas sector, and we are proud to partner with them on this new aircraft.”
There are currently 18 H175 aircraft supporting oil-and-gas activities with an accumulated flying time exceeding 16,000 hours.
“The handover of LCI’s first H175, and the imminent start of operations with CHC, confirms the aptitude of this aircraft for the oil-and-gas market,” said Ben Bridge, executive vice president of global sales at Airbus Helicopters. “From day one, passengers will benefit from the smooth and comfortable ride, whilst LCI and CHC will appreciate the efficiencies of the H175; not least its impressive cruise speed and its 140-nautical-mile range with 16 passengers.”
LCI’s helicopter fleet is currently made up of approximately 60 helicopters in service and on order. In addition to the H175, it also includes the manufacturer’s H130 helicopter, and Leonardo Helicopters’ AW139, AW169 and AW189 family.
