WESTSTAR GROWS HELO FLEET
It is procuring 2 new generation AW169 and 3 AW139 Leonardo copters
REGIONAL offshore helicopter transportation services provider Weststar Aviation Services has added to its fleet of Leonardo helicopters, signing a contract with the Italian entity for the purchase of five more helicopters worth €50 million (RM229.68 million).
The deal was for the procurement of two new generation AW169 and three AW139 helicopters.
Weststar group managing director Tan Sri Syed Azman Syed Ibrahim said the helicopters were meant for offshore operations in West Africa and the Middle East.
“This procurement further strengthens the partnership between Weststar Aviation Services and Leonardo and is a key factor in the company’s overseas business expansion. The AW169 and AW139 twin-engine helicopters are the most successful new generation models in their class worldwide and the most demanded helicopter types in the oil and gas industry.
“We are pleased to purchase yet more helicopters from Leonardo to support our offshore operations and we will use the newlypurchased helicopters for our operations in West Africa and the Middle East,” he said.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad at the Mahsuri International Exhibition Centre during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace exhibition (LIMA) 2019.
Leonardo Helicopters managing director Gian Piero Cutillo said there were now more than 60 of the company’s helicopters operating in Malaysia, where its regional customer support and training hub was located.
He added that Leonardo was planning to increase its presence in Malaysia even further by expanding the services offered here.
“Weststar is one of our most important helicopter customers worldwide and we are happy to confirm our leading position in the offshore market in the region,” he said.
Since commencing operations in 2003, Weststar Aviation Services has grown to become a key global player in the offshore helicopter industry.
Currently, it operates 33 AW139, AW169 and AW189 helicopters out of bases in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.