Following the recent arrival of an AW139, US east coast operator HeliFlite has added two more helicopters, both Sikorsky S76C++s, to its twin-engine, dual-piloted fleet.

HeliFlite operates within a 250 mile radius of its bases in south Florida and New York, providing direct access to Miami Beach, Downtown, Teterboro and a number of regional cities and areas like the Hamptons or Hudson Valley.

"We added these new helicopters to meet increasing demand, and to continue to deliver the same unparalleled service that our clients are accustomed to," says director, sales and marketing Carolyn Caretti Marino. "Since we don't charter our aircraft by the seat and only charter by the helicopter itself, we always need to be adding aircraft to our fleet. The two Sikorsky S76C++ will be based in Kearny, New Jersey and will support our Northeast operations. The new Leonardo AW139 will be splitting its time between our Northeast operation and Florida, based in Palm Beach."

These new additions provide the ability for HeliFlite to continue to fulfil its promise to Helicard customers of guaranteed availability at a locked-in rate, and reinforce its commitment to safety. "The S76 and AW139 are some of the industry's safest aircraft in operation today featuring a twin engine, dual pilot configuration. They are also some of the most comfortable and luxurious helicopters, accommodating large groups of up to eight passengers with executive cabins quiet enough to talk without the need for headphones," she continues. "Clients appreciate the seamless nose to nose service provided at private airports like Teterboro NJ, with a six minute hop over the congested bridges and tunnels into any of NYC's helipads. Overall, these new aircraft allow us to maintain this high level of service as our business continues to expand and grow.

Since rolling out, the new helicopters have quickly been integrated into the fleet and are actively utilised to support charter operations in the Northeast and Florida.

"The Sikorsky S76 has long been a favourite in the twin engine helicopter market since its inception in 1977," she says. "It is popular among corporate flight departments and charter customers worldwide due to its reliability, efficiency and safety. The S76's have been providing supplemental lift to corporate clients who have either had their own aircraft in for maintenance or have been reducing the size of their fleet, using HeliFlite as a more efficient and less capital-intensive solution to transport executives regionally.

"Our new 139 has been busy in south Florida taking clients directly to golf courses within a 250 mile radius of Palm Beach and Miami, and charters to places like Wellington Polo Matches, Ocean Reef Club and Bimini. And in the Northeast, all three aircraft will bolster availability to The Hamptons from New York City. In south Florida, we offer preferred access to Miami's Watson Island Seaplane base, just minutes from downtown Miami and Miami Beach. This central location allows our clients to easily fly to and from the heart of Miami to the most popular destinations and events in Florida and The Bahamas. These aircraft will also help us meet the demand for flights from Palm Beach, Opa Locka and Watson Seaplane into Hard Rock Stadium for Formula 1 in May."