Waypoint Leasing Services announced yesterday at Heli-Expo placing orders with Airbus Helicopters for 12 EC225 and 25 EC145T2 rotorcraft. Deliveries will commence this year and continue through 2017. Financial details of the order were not disclosed.

“Today’s agreement with Airbus Helicopters significantly expands our fleet and brings real advantages to some of the world’s leading operators that rely on our services,” said Waypoint CEO Ed Washecka. “Our relationship with Airbus Helicopters will allow us to provide our customers with a wider range of aircraft to better meet their needs and accomplish their missions prudently and efficiently.”

The two companies signed a framework agreement last year that enables Waypoint to coordinate its leasing proposals with Airbus Helicopters to include options such as the OEM’s Parts-by-the-Hour (PBH) support services. Waypoint purchased two EC225s last year that are currently leased for offshore oil and gas operations in Australia.

“We are taking our relationship to new heights today with major orders that are tailor-made for Waypoint Leasing’s requirements,” said Airbus Helicopters president Guillaume Faury. “This further underscores the value of leasing when helicopter manufacturers and leasing companies work together to ensure heli-lift capacity is aligned with market demand.”

The helicopter leasing space has drawn increasing interest recently, but Washecka’s leasing experience goes back to 2005, and his team has extensive experience in helicopter operations as well as finance, knowledge that can complement OEMs advice when it comes to putting helicopters into operation, he said. “We can tell operators, ‘I’ve been in your shoes, I know what you’re going to go through when you put the aircraft in Thailand or Argentina. These are the things you want to think about.’”

Waypoint has $375 million in financing from two family funds and an emerging markets private equity firm and an additional $325 million in credit from Credit Suisse, CIT Bank and SunTrust, Washecka said.