Turkey-based aviation start-up Mavi Air has signed a contract with Airbus Corporate Helicopters to acquire four ACH130s.

Mavi Air has selected the ACH130 to provide short flights between airports and selected hotels and for sightseeing flights. The ACH130s will join a single H130 already in Mavi Air's fleet, and will help boost the company's operations in the Istanbul region. The shuttle services begin this month using the H130.

“Due to a sharp increase in inbound tourism, a helicopter shuttle service will bring real added value to Turkey's ambitious growth plans,” says Mavi Air founder Alex Sahni. “Our shuttle services will begin with Istanbul, and with the delivery of our new helicopters we will grow our operations to numerous destinations in Turkey. The ACH130 offers safe, quiet and comfortable flight that will ensure our clients' demanding requirements are met.”

Airbus Helicopters' head of zone for Turkey and Caucasus Alexandre Sanchez adds says: “We are delighted that Mavi Air has chosen the ACH130 to grow its on demand shuttle service. The infrastructure and the business model it has created could pave the way for future urban air mobility operations in Turkey.”

The ACH130 is the private and business version of the Airbus H130 intermediate single engine helicopter, elegantly tailored for passenger transport, sightseeing and VIP duties. It has a spacious cabin for one pilot and up to six passengers. It is the quietest helicopter on the market in its category, helped by Airbus' Fenestron shrouded tail rotor and automatic variable rotor speed control ensuring a noise signature 6 dB below international ICAO limits.

The ACH130 is a member of the Airbus Ecureuil helicopter family, which has accumulated more than 35 million flight hours worldwide.