French helicopter services provider Heli-Union has signed a contract with Milestone Aviation Group for the purchase and leaseback of three Leonardo AW139s. The acquisition of these aircraft expands Milestone's fleet of owned and debt financed AW139 helicopters to more than 80. This transaction also includes the lease of an additional AW139 and two Airbus H225s, and the lease extension of a further AW139.

“Milestone Aviation is an accomplished lessor when it comes to placing aircraft in the oil and gas industry. We are proud to partner with it for our current and upcoming projects,” commented Patrick Molis, CEO and chairman of Heli-Union. “The additional helicopters and the extension of current contracts that we have with Milestone Aviation are another key step towards our commitment to offer our customers a safe and reliable solution that can best meet the needs of our global customers.”

The AW139s will be used for air transportation services in support of drilling programmes, exploration and production campaigns undertaken by oil and gas companies in countries such as Angola, Gabon and Myanmar. The two H225s will be deployed to drilling programmes in Namibia.

Pat Sheedy, Milestone Aviation CEO, adds: “We are delighted to expand our relationship with Heli-Union, with whom we have been working for more than two years. Milestone has an innate ability to deliver for its customers and create unique solutions that best suit their needs. We look forward to continuing to grow our business partnership with Heli-Union and to supporting its efforts in the oil and gas sector for the years to come.”