Esperia Aviation Services is working to develop the overall marketplace as well as increasing the appeal of its fleet by bringing into service two new AW119Ke to complement four Grands.

Marco Rosati, ceo, says: "This six-strong fleet will allow us to expand our operations and improve the variety of our offering already at the highest level of service in the helicopter market."

He says the AW119Ke was chosen because of its safety and comfort and "real excellence" in the sky. Rosati says: "If provides air conditioning, leather seats, Bose headset system, and an extraordinary performance and high standard of reliability."

Esperia is working with two major brokers, Air Dynamic and Helijet, to promote the AW119Ke with a strong focus on tourism. One helicopter will serve the centre and north of Italy and Tuscany in particular, and the other one the south and islands with a major focus on Sicily.

Rosati says the entrepreneurs behind Esperia wanted to market helicopters as vehicles designed to solve issues linked to punctuality and distance. "Our portfolio includes the most important Italian companies and, due to its strategic presence in Rome Urbe and Milan Linate airports, it is able to guarantee a fast connection with the two city centres as well as a unique coverage of the entire Italian territory."

As well as two main headquarters located in Rome and Milan, Esperia has further bases and heliports in Cortina D'Ampezzo, Vicenza, Porto Rotondo and Ponza.

"Our network offers a strategic cover of the country that allows us not only to reach the industrial poles located in the north, but also all winter and summer holiday resorts, including Cote D'Azur and the Swiss Alps."