Private Equity Group Buys Majority Stake in Coptersafety

International private equity group MML Keystone has bought a majority stake in rotorcraft simulator training center Coptersafety. The companies announced the deal on Monday but did not disclose the size of the investment.

MML Keystone has committed to providing financial backing for the Finland-based group to expand its pilot training capacity. Coptersafety—which holds training approvals from the FAA, EASA, and Transport Canada, among others—plans to add further level-D full-flight simulators in 2027 and 2028 to its facility near Helsinki International Airport (EFHK).

The existing management team at Coptersafety is also directly investing in the company and will continue to lead the business with what it described as “a meaningful shareholding.” Finnish private equity investor Sentica Partners is selling its stake in the training group, which it has backed since 2015.

“Coptersafety runs a scarce piece of safety infrastructure in European aviation: full-flight simulator training capacity on the helicopter types operators depend on for the most demanding missions,” said Sharand Maharaj, co-managing partner of MML Keystone. “In a market where approvals are hard-won and capacity cannot be conjured overnight, Coptersafety has business with disciplined capacity economics and highly recurring demand.”

The company provides training for helicopters such as the Leonardo AW139 and AW169, as well as the Airbus H145 and H125.