HELI-INTER CALEDONIE, S. A.: Aeroport de Noumea-Magenta, Noumea, New Caledonia, French Polynesia; Phone (687) 275925; Fax (687) 275925; Http://www. heli-inter. fr/implantations/
Caledonie. htm; Code EC; Year Founded 1996. The newest subsidiary of Heli-Air Riviera, S. A., Heli-Inter Caledonie is established at Noumea, New Caledonia, in 1996 to provide a variety of missions between Grande Terre and the islands of Pins, Ouvea, Lifou, Mare, and to the Province Nord. Employing a pair of Eurocopter AS-350BA Ecureuils, the company offers charter and urgent-need express flights, transport for technicians and other professionals, electrical line installation and surveys, support for mineral exploration, and flight training.
HELI-INTER CARAIBES, S. A.: “Le Privilege” Anse Marcel, Saint Martin, 97150, French West Indies; Phone (0590) 873588; Fax (0590) 873447; Http://www. heli-inter. fr/implantations/caraibes. htm;
Code EC; Year Founded 1987. A subsidiary of Heli-Inter Riviera, S. A., Heli-Inter Caraibes is established at Saint Martin in 1987 to provide executive and small group passenger flights between the islands of the French West Indies. Over the next 13 years, the concern’s 2 Eurocopter AS-350 Ecureuils regularly link St. Martin with Saint Barthelemy and Guadeloupe. They also provide shuttle services between Juliana Airport and major hotels, day tours, and sight-seeing excursions, and EMS services for Saint Martin’s major hospital.
HELI-INTER GUYANE, S. A.: Aeroport de Rochambeau, Matoury, 97351, French Guyana; Phone (0594) 356231; Fax (0594) 358256; Http://www. heli-inter. fr/implantations/guyane. htm; Code EC; Year Founded 1984. A subsidiary of Heli-Inter Riviera, S. A., Heli-Inter Guyane is established in 1984 to provide air transport services linking Kourou with Iles du Salut, Saint-Elie, and Ouanary. In addition to passenger and urgent-express flights, contracts are undertaken with Eurocopter AS-350B Ecureuils for a variety of clients, including the Conseil General, Conseil Regional, Centre Spatial Guyanais de Kourou, France Telecom, EDF, DDE/DDA, Samu de Cayenne, and the police.
HELI-INTER RIVIERA, S. A. (LIGNES REGULIERES TRANSPORT PUBLIC ET TRAVAIL AERIEN PAR HELICOPTERE): Heliport de Cergy, Cergy Pontoise, BP 55-95312, France; Phone 01 (30) 373000; Fax 01 (34) 645527; Http://www. heli-inter. fr; Code EC; Year Founded 1976. Heli-Inter is established in 1976 by its president,
C. A. d’Albronn to provide executive and small group passenger flights around the French Riviera and in French Polynesia. At home over the next quarter century, regularly scheduled flights are offered to Nice from both Cannes and Monaco.
In Polynesia, bases are established at Bora-Bora, Marquises, Moorea, and Tahiti. Regular flights are operated from Aeroport de Bora to the local hotel, from Aeroport de Terre Deserte to the Village de Taiohae on Marquises, and from Faaa Airport on Tahiti to Moorea Beachcomber Parkroyal and Beachcomber Tahiti. Over the decades, a variety of excursion packages are also developed, including “Sunset Champagne” flights.
Subsidiary organizations are also established in Guyane (1984), the French West Indies (1987), and in New Caledonia (1996). To gain wider international recognition and to facilitate interline agreements with major fixed-wing airlines, the company joins the International Air Transport Association. By 2000, Heli-Inter operates a fleet of over 50 Eurocopter helicopters, including Pumas, Ecureuils, and Dauphins.
HELI-MAX, LTD.: 3650 Blvd. de l’Aeroport, Trois-Rivieres Airport, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec G9A 5E1, Canada; Phone (819) 3773344; Fax (810) 377-3858; Http://www. cgocable. ca/commerce/ heli-max/princa. htm; Year Founded 1976. Heli-Max is established at Trois-Rivieres Airport in 1976 to provide any number of rotary-wing services in Quebec, Ontario, Labrador, and the Northwest Territories. Over the next 22 years, the company engages in mineral exploration and mining, including airport geophysical surveys, drill moves, and camp construction. It also is active in aerial construction, power line construction, forest fire prevention and fighting, aeromedical evacuations, flight-seeing, and aerial photography.
By 2000, President Wilfrid Hamel oversees a fleet that comprises 6 Eurocopter AS350Bs and 6 McDonnell Douglas HC 520 Notars. Heli-Max is the only Notar operator in Canada.
HELI-TRANSPORT, S. A.: France (1990-1994). A scheduled rotarywing operation, Heli-Transport is based at Cannes. President Jean Claude Van Latem’s fleet comprises 4 Aerospatiale AS-350B Ecureuils and 2 AS-313B Alouettes. Flights are undertaken, beginning in the spring of 1990, linking the company’s base with Nice, Monaco, St. Tropez, Sophia Antipolis, and Toulon.
The company gains a place in the Guiness Book of World Records when Brother Michael Bartlett makes 42 scheduled passenger flights between Nice, Sophia Antipolis, Monaco, and Cannes in 13 hrs. 33 min. on June 13. The flights represent a record for the most flights in a 24-hour period.
Airline employment in 1991-1993 stands at 34 as flights continue. By the latter year, the fleet has been increased by one Ecureuil and a Bell 205A. Operations cease in 1994.
HELI-UNION, S. A.: 4 Ave. de la Porte de Sevres, Paris, F-75015, France; Phone 33 (1) 4554 9290; Fax 33 (1) 4557-0955; Year Founded 1961. To work off the extra flying hours on his Hiller H-12E, Jean-Claude Roussel, heir to the Roussel-Uclaf pharmaceutical empire, forms this rotary-wing carrier at Paris in 1961 undertake charter flights. The company gains its first oil support in Tunisia in 1964, which mission is executed with Aerospatiale SA-318 Alouette IIs. Heli-Union France is established as a subsidiary at Grenoble, in the southeastern part of the nation, to handle logging, power line construction, and short-range charters. These North African and domestic flights continue apace until founder Roussel is killed in 1972 when his helicopter hits a power line.
When the 1973 oil crisis brings an increase in energy exploration activities, company operations increase. Revenues increase from $2.6 million to $13.3 million in just five years at an annual growth rate of 46%.
The affiliate Heli-Gabon, S. A. is set up at Port-Gentil in 1975 while another subsidiary, Nile Delta Air Service, Ltd., is established at Cairo in 1976.
Meanwhile, in 1977, a total of 26,800 flight hours are flown. The company enters into a joint venture in 1978 with Petrol Vietnam and begins to provide rotary-wing support for Western oil concerns that become involved in offshore exploration.
Another energy crisis in 1979 brings more work and revenues through 1981 double again to $30.8 million. In need of additional capitalization, founder Roussel’s heirs sell the company to the Worms Financial Group. Heli-Union, S. A. is now a major helicopter operator, providing contract and charter services, primarily in support of the energy industry, in France and through subsidiaries in Africa, Brazil, Italy, and Vietnam. Vietnam’s conflict with Cambodia and continuing political difficulties with the U. S. lead to an American trade embargo that requires Heli-Union, S. A.’s withdrawal.
Operations continue apace in 1982 and for just on onshore and offshore oil activities, a total of 40,123 flight hours are flown. In 1983, Europe’s largest privately owned flight school is established at Tarbes, in southwestern France, to train corporate personnel and to provide helicopter training for clients from around the world. A total of 45,500 flight hours are operated on the year, with oil support flight hours (70% of company business) down to 31,968.
In 1984, Heli-Union France provides 15% of corporate income and the flight school offers up another 15%; the remaining 70% comes from foreign subsidiaries. At this point, these diversely located concerns include Nile Delta Air Service, Ltd. in Egypt, Camhel in Cameroon, He-livifra in Vietnam, Elitos S. p.A. in Italy, and Helicopteros Marinos, S. A. in Argentina. A subsidiary is established at Nuremberg, Germany, and it undertakes as its first contract aerial forest spraying for the government of Bad Wurtemberg. Under these arrangements, the French company wet-leases helicopters, pilots, spare parts, and maintenance personnel to its clients. Another subsidiary, Cameroon Helicopters, S. A., is established in Cameroon, with Heli-Union leasing to it a single SA-318C Alouette II.
The fleet in 1985 includes 121 rotary-wing aircraft: 2 Sikorsky S-76s, 2 S-61Ns, 26 Aerospatiale AS-365 Dauphins, 19 SA-316B/319B Alouette IIIs, 24 SA-313B/318C Alouette IIs, 14 SA-330J Pumas, 12 SA-315B Lamas, 7 SA-341G Gazelles, 4 AS-355F Ecureuil 2s, 4 AS-350 Ecureuils, 1 Augusta 109A, 2 Bell 206B JetRangers, 1 412, one 222, and 2 Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm BO-105s.
During the year, Vietnam’s Service Flight Corporation (SFC), the national helicopter corporation, acquires a Puma and signs a contract with Heli-Union to maintain it. The arrangement returns the French line to Southeast Asia four years after its exit.
During the first quarter of 1986, an S-76 is leased to Turbomeca, which equips it with one of its Arriel 1S engines. Later in the year, the Nile Delta Air Service, Ltd. is shut down.
Following a test program, the S-76 tested by Turbomeca the previous year is sent out to Tunisia in 1987 for use on an offshore support contract. During the year, a new Heli-Union Industries maintenance subsidiary is established at Toussus-le-Noble, a Paris suburb.
The 25th anniversary of the company’s mountain subsidiary, which flies 15 helicopters, is celebrated on June 3, 1988. Heli-Union fleet totals 129 aircraft and revenues through the first 3 quarters are $53 million. In October, the launch customer for the Tubomeca Arriel-equipped S-76A+ increases its fleet to five, sending two to perform offshore support in Africa’s Republic of Gabon. Late in the year, the company enters the helicopter brokerage business and a second Puma and support contract are taken by Vietnam’s SFC.
Now France’s largest commercial helicopter operator, Heli-Union begins Sikorsky S-76A+ VIP charters in the Paris area during the first quarter of 1989. The new Heli-Union Ecuador, S. A. subsidiary is established at Quito with 49% shareholding. Another new associate is Cruziero Taxi Aereo, S. A. of Brazil. In Europe, a Heli-Union Deutschland, GmbH. is established.
In April, a partnership is established with Vendee Helicopters, S. A., based on the island of Yeu in the Bay of Biscay. The company is renamed Oya Helicopters, S. A. and, by August, with the Paris-based line’s help, is transporting 1,700 passengers per month. Revenues for the year total $73.8 million.
Excluding its subsidiaries, company employment stands at 200 in 1990 and the fleet now includes 91, mostly Aerospatiale, helicopters: 15 Alouette IIIs, 20 Lamas, 1 Gazelle, 5 Ecureuils, 10 Ecureuil 2s, 10 Alou-ette IIs, 6 Pumas, 17 Dauphins, and 7 Sikorsky S-76s.
The company continues its offshore oil support mission and, by late spring, operates or contracts helicopters for companies exploring or developing resources near Gabon, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Guinea-Buissau, Tunisia, and Madagascar in Africa; Brazil, Argentina, and Ecuador in South America; and Vietnam, Yemen, and Burma in Asia.
The contract with the former colony of Vietnam is part of a joint venture operation, Helivifra, established with Petrol Vietnam and Service Flight Corps (SFC) to service the exploration efforts of Shell Oil and Total Oil.
Despite the political turmoil, four helicopters find exploratory work in Burma profitable. Operations continue apace during the remainder of the year; however, the company suffers a fiscal downturn.
In July 1991 , the Worms financial service sells its 80% shareholding to another Heli-Union investor, Compagnie Francaise de Navigation, S. A., which now owns a 90% stake. Christophe Marcilhacy becomes general manager and operations continue apace during the remainder of the year and throughout 1992.
In January 1993, the Vietnamese joint venture company Helivifra subcontracts with Norway’s Helikopter Service, A. S. for the wet-lease of a Eurocopter (formerly Aerospatiale) AS-332L Super Puma. It will support a BP/Statoil drilling ship and rig working 200 nm. offshore in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, from a base at Vung Tau, 62 mi. S of Ho Chi Minh City, Heli-Union operates a supporting Puma. Another Puma and an AS-365 Dauphin fly from Da Nang while a third Puma supports the Japanese company Idemitsu’s exploratory work to the north. During the spring, Helivifra begins to support a second HS Super Puma, which flies on contract with the Arabian Energy Development Corporation (AEDC).
Beginning in August, a $5-million contract is signed between Heliv-ifra and Australia’s BHPP. With maintenance support from Heli-Union, S. A. and ground support from SFC, an HS AS-332L Super Puma is dispatched to support the Australian drilling efforts in the Dai Hung field. In September, a similar arrangement is entered into between the Vietnamese, Norwegian, and French partners with the Korea Petroleum Development Corporation. Another HS Super Puma begins flying this support at year’s end.
Managing Director Maricilhacy’s fleet in 1994 includes 5 Eurocopter AS-313Bs, 14 each SA-318s and SA-315Bs, 8 SA-316Bs, 7 SA-330Js, 6 AS-350Bs, 6 AS-355Fs, 19 AS-365Cs, 4 SA-365Ns, and 4 Sikorsky S-76s. In Germany, the Heli-Union Deutschland, GmbH. subsidiary, under the leadership of General Manager Wolfgang Zagel, has grown large enough to operate a fleet of 3 Bell 206B JetRangers, and 1 each Eurocopter AS-350B, AS-350B2, SA-315B, Bell 206L LongRanger, Hiller UH-12T, Robinson R-22, and Hughes 269.
Ordered earlier in the year, the first two AS-355L Super Puma Mk. IIs are delivered to Helivifra on December 12.
Flights continue in 1995-2000. During the latter year, General Manager Marcilhacy’s fleet includes 1 each Eurocopter AS-350B, and SA-355F, 3 each SA-316Bs and AS-365N2s, 2 each SA-318Bs and Bell 76s, and 13 SA-315Bs.
World History
