Heliavia di Mirco Zanotto, the Trentino-based helicopter charter company has announced the purchase of a brand new Eurocopter AS 350 Squirrel, to complement the Squirrel that it already owns. Managing director Mirco Zanotto said: “We purchased the Squirrel because it is the best multi-purpose helicopter on the market. It is therefore perfect for a small company like ours with only two helicopters, as we need an aircraft that can cover a number of activities including photography and air taxiing.” The company is also planning to buy another Squirrel by April 2002 to enable simultaneous operation of two aircraft, with another on standby if technical problems or excess demand arises.

Zanotto confirmed that the Italian market at present is relatively stable, and demand has remained constant over the last year. 90 per cent of Heliavia’s business comes from corporate clients, while the remainder is made up from private individuals chartering helicopters for domestic trips or sightseeing. The company offers a complete wet lease service, flying predominantly within northern Italy and also Austria and Germany (south Bavaria). Zanotto believes that by operating a small fleet, the company can maintain a more personalised service, ensuring that individual needs are satisfied.

The company sees its self as part of the 35 per cent share of the market, which is operated by smaller aircraft. The divide between the smaller and larger companies has been accentuated more recently. According to Zanotto: ”This year business has been a little better than last year. The Italian market is growing, in the sense that previously medium-sized companies [four or five helicopter fleet] have now become larger companies, operating fleets of 20 or more aircraft.”

Heliavia di Mirco Zanotto’s md calculated the company’s present turnover to be around 900,000,000,000 Lire, and holds no concerns over any knock-on effects from the poorly performing US economy. “Apart from charters, sales of new helicopters will be only slightly affected and the used market even less, as US business jet sales continue to fall,” Zanotto said.