France-based helicopter operator SAF Hélicoptères has added an AS332C2 Super Puma medium twin to its fleet and has started flying it for aerial work, a move it expects will generate a significant increase in revenue.

“We had been looking for a heavy-lift solution for nine years, after we ceased operating our Bell 214 because of parts issues,” SAF president Christophe Rosset told AIN. The opportunity arose when Eagle Helicopter, a Swiss operator, filed for bankruptcy. A Super Puma that SAF had been leasing regularly came up for sale.

It is now used in aerial work, especially for installing and maintaining ski lifts in the neighboring Alps. “One load can weigh up to about 9,000 pounds,” Rosset said. Other work has included carrying rooftop air-conditioning systems and construction and earthmoving machinery.

Between August 22, when it entered into service with SAF, and September 26, the Super Puma had logged 71 hours. The goal is 500 flight hours per year, increasing revenues proportional to the €8,000 to €10,000 ($10,000 to $13,000) SAF charges per hour.

A new subsidiary, SAF International, has been formed in Sion, Switzerland, to operate the helicopter. SAF employs one Super Puma pilot and plans to add at least one more. Ruag is responsible for maintenance.

Separately, the company is predicting a boom in its training center’s activity in Albertville. The facility has housed two simulators since July. One of them, an Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 AStar/Ecureuil Reality H simulator, is owned by manufacturer Thales and jointly operated by SAF and Thales. SAF owns and operates the EC135 simulator.

Both helicopters are ubiquitous among European operators, notably in the Alps. “We can see a synergy between the two simulators,” Rosset said. He expects a major contract to be signed soon and a large number of student pilots to arrive early next year.