Helicopter leasing company Milestone Aviation Group has signed leases with three operators covering 17 helicopters, most of which are in the super-medium category. Milestone’s fleet has reached more than 320 helicopters worth more than $3.5 billion, and the company is planning to redeploy some aircraft into new missions because the energy market’s needs remain steady with about 300 helicopters serving oil and gas producers (OGP).

As a buyer of helicopters, Milestone does not place any speculative orders. “We identify demand,” said chief commercial officer Sébastien Moulin. “We know who the users are, and we’re happy to finance that.”

The market for large helicopters is shifting to more super-medium types such as the Airbus H175 and Leonardo AW189. “The major opportunity is replacement demand as aircraft age out,” said Pat Sheedy, CEO.

Generally, helicopters such as the Sikorsky S-92 will serve about 20 years in their primary mission then another 10 to 14 years before retiring. Typically, this might mean a first life in OGP missions then switching to firefighting.

Because few new S-92s are being manufactured, those OGP roles are shifting to the super-medium H175 and AW189 and, when it gets certified, Bell 525. “We’re forecasting replacement demand,” Sheedy said, “and not any major expansion.”

There are pockets of growth, for example, Brazil but this is balanced by large-scale decommissioning of helicopters in the UK. “Any incremental demand is primary replacement rather than growth,” he added.

A major trend that will affect the helicopter leasing market is firefighting. “This will be a large area of growth,” Sheedy said. It used to be that firefighting aircraft would follow seasonal fires from region to region.

“But we’re seeing those seasons elongate,” he said, and it isn’t efficient to move helicopters when they are still needed where they are located. Milestone is seeing an increased demand for firefighting assets that will stay longer in one place. “We’ve seen some seasons lasting for eight months,” Moulin said, “and can’t justify moving aircraft.”

Last year, Milestone partnered with Helitak to develop the FT5000 fire tank for the S-92, and the tank is on display this week at the VIH Aviation Group's Verticon booth. This move is intended to make the S-92 more useful for its second act as a firefighting helicopter. 

Some recent transactions that Milestone has concluded include Omni Helicopters International for seven helicopters: two Airbus H145s, one H135, one H160, and one H175. The H160 and H175 are new helicopters, and the H160 is Milestone’s first placement in Brazil and will be operated by Petrobras. Omni Helicopters also extended leases for two Sikorsky S-92s. Delivery of the seven helicopters begins now and will be completed in the second quarter. 

Milestone also signed an agreement to deliver four additional helicopters to Offshore Helicopter Services UK, to include two new Leonardo AW139s, one new H175, and one S-92. Deliveries are scheduled this year and in 2026. Offshore Helicopter Services also extended leases with Milestone for an S-92 and three H175s. Plans call for the H175 and S-92s to be configured for oil and gas missions by Offshore Helicopter Services in the UK.

CHC Helicopter and Milestone signed long-term leases for two new Leonardo AW189s to be delivered in the second and fourth quarters. Aker BP will fly the two helicopters in support of offshore operations in Norway.