The Helicopter and Jet Company (THC), which is backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, is Saudi Arabia’s only commercial helicopter operator and has been expanding rapidly since it was founded in 2019. It has 47 rotorcraft in its fleet and on Tuesday at Heli-Expo signed a contract with Airbus for up to 130 helicopters and another agreement with Leonardo covering 20 AW139s and a framework agreement for another 130.
“The Kingdom [of Saudi Arabia] needs aircraft,” said THC CEO Arnaud Martinez.. The firm order will help THC meet upcoming growth and the long-term framework, if those orders are all fulfilled, will meet longer-term needs that are harder to forecast. None of these aircraft are being ordered for THC to sell to other operators, however. “They are for our market needs,” he emphasized.
THC’s most immediate challenge is hiring the pilots, mechanics, and other personnel needed to support the incoming helicopters. While employees hail from 45 nationalities, Martinez said, “Part of our duty is to develop Saudi talent.” THC isn’t a flight or maintenance training academy, he explained, but the company does seek to hire people who will be dedicated not only to THC’s growth but also to Saudi Arabia’s vision for the future and not just a good salary. Young Saudis are interested in aviation careers, he said, and there are no gender restrictions for those interested in working for THC. Female employees make the same salary as their male counterparts, according to Martinez.
THC, which purchased 100 percent of preowned helicopter specialist Rotortrade in 2023, is blending that company’s brand and style with THC’s support. A new offering that resulted from the Rotortrade purchase is micro-leases, filling a niche that isn’t typically available, such as a 36-month helicopter lease term.
In other news, Bristow Group and THC are planning to launch advanced air mobility (AAM) services in Saudi Arabia. Under a memorandum of understanding announced Tuesday at Heli-Expo, the companies are exploring opportunities for deploying eVTOL aircraft in the country, as well as focusing on “other collaborative vertical lift endeavors.”
“We are delighted to have signed this MOU with Bristow, which will enable THC to continue to advance innovation and sustainability initiatives within the vertical aviation sector, meeting the evolving needs of our growing customer base,” said Martinez. “This agreement will also allow us to help transform Saudi Arabia’s general aviation industry through our forward-thinking work, cementing our role as a regional leader and an increasingly global player.”
In recent years, Bristow has been implementing a plan to diversify its business model and fleet beyond helicopter operations. This has seen the U.S.-based group place provisional orders for multiple eVTOL models, including those being developed by Beta Technologies, Lilium, Volocopter, Overair, Eve, Vertical Aerospace, and Elroy Air. It is considering various options for passenger, logistics, and emergency medical applications, and has also agreed to include Electra’s hybrid-electric STOL aircraft in its future plans.
Bristow will pursue the partnership with THC through its Bristow Arabia Aircraft & Maintenance Services subsidiary.
“We are excited about this new agreement, and our partnership with THC underscores Bristow’s intent to grow our business in the Middle East,” said Bristow president and CEO Chris Bradshaw.
“This country is unique,” said Martinez. There are so many projects that will require helicopters, from tourism to EMS, filming, construction, and more. “All require air mobility support,” he said. “The sky is the limit.”