Directional Aviation’s OneSky Flight has acquired UK-based Halo Aviation, adding another helicopter operation to its portfolio just months after buying New York City-based Sikorsky S-76 operator Associated Aircraft Group. Halo has a fleet of six Leonardo Helicopters AW109s and AW169s that it flies from bases near London, the Midlands, and Channel Islands.
Kenneth Ricci, Directional Aviation’s principal, said the addition of Halo advances three important strategic goals. “First, these acquisitions position us as a leader in the future of vertical-lift solutions," he said. "Second, it builds a core competency in urban mobility operations. Third, it makes possible synergies with our other affiliated companies, like Flexjet and Sentient, allowing us to provide a complete aircraft travel solution,” he said.
According to Ricci, Directional will share more about its vertical-lift plans in the coming months, including “bolstering the fleet with a manufacturer order that could lead to a possible combination of powerhouse travel solutions.” But Andrew Collins, OneSky’s on-demand private jet travel and vertical-lift lead, made it clear that Directional’s longer-term goal is to jump into advanced air mobility, with the Halo and AAG acquisitions providing “a platform for the entry into service of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology…[and a] link between airports and final destinations.”