Story ID: 130Oct18
UTAir Losses from Helicopter Operations Continue 
By: Mark Huber
Caption: Company Expanding Fleet, Flight Hours 
Word Count: 207

UTAir’s losses from helicopter operations widened to $39 million in the first half of this year, the Russian air services company reported in late August. The losses were exacerbated as a result of the company's purchase earlier this year of controlling interest in the Surgut Airport in Western Siberia, where it has major base operations, and were incurred despite the fact that helicopter flight times increased by 10 percent, to 60,000 hours, compared to the year-earlier period.

During the first half, UTAir transported 35,000 cargo tons and 265,000 passengers. UTAir operates a mixed fleet of 330 helicopters, mostly of Russian origin, including more than 110 of the Mi-17 family (Mi-171, Mi-172, Mi-8AMT/MTV) and 25 Mi-26s.

Seventy percent of the company’s customers remain in the oil-and-gas sector, but it also services the construction, passenger, and air ambulance markets. Additionally, UTAir is the largest helicopter services vendor to the United Nations’ peacekeeping missions, providing more than 50 aircraft. The company said it is continuing with plans to expand air ambulance and passenger services into rural Russia, increase flying time inside Russia, and increase the size of its Mi-17 fleet, becoming the first operator of the Mi-171A2 inside Russia this year.

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