Heavy-twins will be modified by Germany’s Global Helicopter Services.
Lessor Milestone Aviation has sold a trio of Airbus Helicopters H225 heavy-twins to Austrian operator Kitz-Air for conversion into firefighting aircraft.
Delivered to the heavy-lift and special-mission specialist in July, the three helicopters will now undergo modification before entering aerial firefighting operations across Europe and South America.
German firm Global Helicopter Service will perform the conversion work.
The exact airframes involved have not been disclosed, although FlightGlobal understands they are 12- and 14-year-old aircraft – two of which are thought to be MSNs 2838 and 2841 – previously on lease to a US operator.
Since the H225’s exit from most of the offshore oil and gas market in 2016 over safety concerns, the existing fleet has been repurposed to perform other missions including aerial firefighting and utility transport work.
“For us, this acquisition is much more than the addition of three aircraft; it is an important step in our long-term vision to expand Kitz-Air’s heavy helicopter fleet and build reliable aerial firefighting capacity for the years ahead,” says Christoph Klein, chief executive of Kitz-Air.
“As demand for aerial firefighting services continues to grow globally, the H225 remains a highly capable and versatile platform for challenging utility missions,” adds Sebastien Moulin, chief commercial officer, Milestone Aviation.
Separately, Canada’s VIH Helicopters has converted a third Sikorsky S-92 into a firefighting configuration.
Having previously modified MSNs 92-0006 and -0140 – built in 2004 and 2010, respectively – the latest asset is MSN 92-0164, a 2011-built helicopter formerly operated by PHI Group.
Certification for the firefighting conversion was obtained in 2024.
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