Safran Helicopter Engines has signed support-by-the-hour contracts with Chinese group GDAT to support the Makila engines powering its fleet of Airbus H225 helicopters and the Arrano engines powering GD Helicopter Finance (GDHF) H160 helicopters. The two contracts cover in-service support and MRO for 140 Arrano 1A and Makila 2A1 engines. Safran Helicopter Engines China will manage the contracts.
“We are particularly proud that a leading helicopter company like GDAT Group has placed its trust in us for the operational follow-up and MRO of its engines,” said Safran Helicopter Engines CEO Cédric Goubet. “GDAT Group has an ambitious fleet development strategy, and we're going to support them with the best possible services for their success.”
GDAT lays claim as China's leading “low-altitude economy” company, operating the largest H225 fleet in the country. It provides helicopter rescue, transport, offshore transport, and aerial work missions. Founded in 2012 and based in Shanghai, GDAT controls subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Suzhou, and Ningbo.
GDHF is a start-up helicopter leasing and finance company based in Dublin, Ireland. It plans to build a large portfolio of new-technology, efficient, cost-effective, multi-mission helicopters—including the Arrano-powered H160—and lease them to customers globally.