The Helicopter and Jet Company (THC), Saudi Arabia’s recently established helicopter venture, expects to reach a fleet size of at least 46 helicopters this year and potentially establish a fleet of fixed-wing aircraft for service entry as early as the fourth quarter of 2023 to support future programs and its aspirations to become one of the top-ten helicopter players in the world.
“The anticipated delivery pipeline in 2023 will see fleet size rise to 46-plus helicopters, plus potential fixed-wing deliveries, still to be announced,” A.J. Baker, THC’s chief commercial officer, told AIN. “In 2024, fleet size should rise to 58-plus helicopters, as well as the future fixed-wing fleet.”
The fleet stood at 29 helicopters at the end of last year. “As we commence 2023, THC is scheduled to deliver and deploy a further 17 helicopters, and potentially our first fixed-wing assets that form a part of the move into general aviation in support of a number of emerging major projects,” he said. “The money being spent on development and roll-out is substantial, with over SAR2 billion ($533 million) in capital investment so far.”
Baker said the company had employed hundreds of Saudi nationals already and began importing new pilots and other specialist staff from abroad “in significant numbers” to cater to demand. “We are looking at adding 20 to 25 people a month for the next two years," he noted. "Some 40 percent of those would be pilots, 30 percent engineers, and 30 percent paramedics and support staff.”
Giga-projects, EMS and VIP Charter
Formed in 2018, THC operates under the ownership of the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) with a mandate to develop a commercial helicopter industry in the Kingdom. THC commenced initial operations in late 2019 with two VIP AW139 helicopters on charter service.
The Kingdom has several so-called ‘giga-projects’ underway and, as these evolve, so too does the need for transportation and other forms of support provided by helicopters. “We already have substantial EMS programs underway and will be launching search and rescue services through 2023,” explained Baker.
The total fleet at the end of 2022 consisted of 14 Leonardo AW139s, 10 Airbus H125s, and five H145s, all of which entered immediate service on their respective programs. At the end of 2021, THC negotiated major purchase contracts for 42 new helicopters—16 AW139s, 20 H145s, and six of the all-new H160—for delivery from 2022 to 2024.
THC also began a range of trials and commenced new projects in the field of Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) with a view to supporting a broader program for the Kingdom. Key highlights last year included the Dakar Rally in January, where THC took a leading operational role, and the significant expansion of aerial services with the H125 fleet such as survey, filming, and external loads. It deployed new twin-engine AW139s and H145s across EMS and corporate roles.
Last year, THC also invested in an aftermarket helicopter and support services company, Rotortrade, and established Rotortrade KSA to support the future expansion of the helicopter industry in the region.
Baker said the General Authority for Civil Aviation (GCAA) had reacted quickly to THC’s launch and a collaborative effort behind the scenes from THC aimed to support its role. “All of a sudden they’ve gone from an airline base and outlook to having a helicopter operator who, in the space of three or four years, has suddenly [moved into] the top ten in the world," he said. "That had to move very quickly and they have been very proactive.”
THC's CEO, Arnaud Martinez, told AIN the company would continue to expand the Kingdom’s aviation-based EMS capabilities for many years to come. He expects the entire helicopter ecosystem to evolve and grow across all the usual sectors, and likely some new ones.
“As the Kingdom’s exciting new giga-projects begin to come online, there will be a naturally evolving tourism and charter sector to roll out and this will also stretch to urban air mobility services, be it with helicopters in the near term or evolving technologies into the future,” he said. “A helicopter-based service to complement Hajj and Umrah is also top of our agenda.”
Human Resource Challenges
Baker conceded that the need to hire new staff could present hurdles to extending the company’s capabilities.
“There is no doubt that we will face challenges, mostly around human resources,” he said. “Our partner, Rotortrade, is helping to manage oversight of production and helicopter deliveries—this involves having people on site in three countries at present, but the process is working well.”
On headcount, THC has engaged with a number of specialist recruitment firms and has embedded local and international experts at its offices in Riyadh to help manage not just finding the large numbers of people needed, but also streamline the on-boarding process, which in itself can prove a challenge. 
“During 2022, we implemented what we call our ‘Qimam’ program, essentially a cadet program for Saudi nationals to train as pilots and engineers, and commence service with THC,” he said. “The first batch, including two first-ever Saudi women helicopter pilots, graduated from their initial training late last year and are currently at various OEMs undergoing type training. We also have had several graduates in our engineering program who have now commenced careers with THC.”
Baker said a significant number of high-quality Saudi pilots had joined THC from oil giant Aramco or Saudi Medevac. “One of the things that has been a challenge is that the commercial helicopter industry is brand new to the Kingdom, and there’s not a large experience base to draw from,” he said. “We have to bring in Saudis who have got 1,500 to 2,000 hours’ twin-engine experience. They’re going straight to work in either EMS or VIP roles. We don’t have a lot of juniors; we will be drawing on the Qimam-trained Saudi cadets. We’re putting them in co-pilot roles on various programs, and that’s how they’re building their time.”
Regarding the need to employ and develop nationals, he said the company sees three- to five-year horizons to significantly move back to a higher percentage of Saudi pilots and engineers.
Training Simulators
As for more formal training, which has a major role to play in THC’s safety management systems and broader overall strategy, the company plans to commission all-new AW139 and H145 full-flight simulators in the Kingdom later this year, as well as introduce flight training devices for all fleet types. “Technology helps complement the use of international training facilities and on-aircraft training programs,” he said.
Other helicopter OEMs could compete for future orders as THC also considers fixed-wing deliveries for emerging programs—as well as the potential for seaplanes to serve projects like Neom in the Kingdom’s northwest.
“THC is not tied to any particular OEM; rather, we approach OEMs, and even major leasing companies, to seek out the most appropriate platform for the scope of work under consideration and then look to find the ‘best value for money’ solution—this will continue to be THC’s approach,” Baker said.
THC generally seeks to avoid helicopter flights over 90 minutes, spurring a potential requirement for fixed-wing assets for use in various transport roles around the country. “Hypothetically, it would be clear that a Kingdom-wide EMS program with helicopters would also need fixed-wing capability. Typically, we might see several turboprops for interfacility transfers. It would be no surprise to see the turboprops and seaplanes entering service before the end of 2023.”
Baker said several hundred helipads already exist in the Kingdom and that most of them would undergo a review and classification program as the industry evolves. THC has established eight permanently staffed outstations and plans to double that number in 2023.
“We’re engaged with a number of specialist providers, predominantly out of the UAE or the UK, who are working with entities in the Kingdom on helipad assessment, design, and construction,” he explained. “There are several significant firms who are consulting in that space. THC will also be developing this capability, and the head of that department joined [in January].”
Baker does not see urban air mobility posing a risk to the helicopter industry for the foreseeable future. “We don’t see any threat in the next several years, given the capacity coming and the functions they will be able to perform,” he said. “Some of it will be a little complimentary, certainly in the cargo space and in other specialized people-movement areas, but it’s going to be some time before we’ll see air-conditioned, multi-passenger UAVs on routine service.”
Elsewhere, as the infrastructure improves across the Kingdom and new projects begin to come online, the influx of visitors will see new markets emerge in passenger transport and tourism roles. “The Kingdom has an amazing range of landscapes and attractions, of which many people are largely unaware,” he said.
Martinez said THC would stand at the forefront of any emerging initiatives in Saudi Arabia. “We will also be active at the Dubai Air Show in November, and next year we’ll be back at HAI, of course. In March 2024, THC will be at the World Defence Show held in Riyadh and whilst this does not imply that THC has any military involvement, it will be a venue at which THC showcases some of the key sectors it serves.”