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Milestone Aviation and Leonardo To Provide Three AW169s To Falcon Aviation


Dubai, UAE – WEBWIRE

Milestone Aviation Group (“Milestone”), a GE Capital Aviation Services company and the global leader in helicopter leasing, and Leonardo announced today that Falcon Aviation of Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) will expand its AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter fleet with the addition of a further three aircraft.

The light-intermediate twin helicopters will have multi-mission capability with entry into service in first quarter of 2018. The aircraft will be acquired through operating lease, and represent the first helicopter lease transaction for Falcon.

“We are delighted to partner with Falcon Aviation and grow our presence in the Middle East,” said Milestone Vice President Commercial, Michael York. “When Milestone invested in a team in Dubai two years ago it was with the goal of building our support for local operators like Falcon.”

“Falcon Aviation was the global launch customer for the offshore-configured AW169, and subsequently took delivery of a VIP configured AW169” said Leonardo Helicopters’ Chief Business Officer Carlo Gualdaroni. “We are thrilled the unique capabilities of this new generation model have met Falcon’s diverse operating goals and they have chosen to increase their fleet to include 11 Leonardo Helicopters.”

With the addition of three AW169, Falcon Aviation’s fleet will include five AW169, two AW189 helicopters and four additional Grand and GrandNew light-twin helicopters. The AW169 and AW189 models, used by Falcon Aviation, are part of Leonardo’s family of new generation helicopters that also includes the AW139. These helicopters all possess the same high-performance flight characteristics and safety features whilst sharing the same common cockpit concept and design philosophy. This approach facilitates synergies for operators of fleets across the 4 to 9 tonne weight categories in areas such as training, flight operations, maintenance and support. The combination of AW169 and AW189 offshore gives Falcon Aviation and its customer’s unmatched benefits in terms of efficiency, capability and safety.

Falcon Aviation have also recently set a major operational milestone with their first AW169 which has become the global fleet leader in terms of flight hours, out of a total of 40 helicopters of this model in service with customers worldwide to date.

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About Milestone Aviation Group

Milestone Aviation Group, a GE Capital Aviation Services company, is the world’s leading helicopter leasing and financing company. Milestone has a fleet of helicopters worth over US $4.0 billion plus a loan portfolio and debt commitments of approximately $400 million. The company has a forward order book of firm and option aircraft with an estimated aggregate purchase price in excess of US $3 billion. Milestone partners with helicopter operators worldwide, providing a wide array of financial and productivity solutions, including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, engine leasing and fleet advisory. The company supports over 35 customers in more than 30 countries serving a variety of industries, including offshore oil and gas, search and rescue, emergency medical services, police surveillance, mining and other utility missions. www.milestoneaviation.com

GE Capital Aviation Services (GECAS)

GECAS is a world leader in aviation leasing and financing.  With 50 years of aviation finance experience, GECAS offers a wide range of aircraft types including narrow-bodies, wide-bodies, regional jets, turboprops, freighters and helicopters, plus multiple financing products and services including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, capital markets, engine leasing, airframe parts management and airport/airline consulting.  GECAS owns or services a fleet of nearly 2,000 aircraft (1,685 fixed wing/ 310 rotary wing) in operation or on order, plus provides loans collateralized on an additional ~400 aircraft. GECAS serves more than 250 customers across 79 countries from a network of 26 offices. gecas.com

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure, and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. ge.com

About Leonardo  

Leonardo is among the top ten global players in Aerospace, Defence and Security and Italy’s main industrial company. As a single entity from January 2016, organised into seven business divisions (Helicopters; Aircraft; Aero-structures; Airborne & Space Systems; Land & Naval Defence Electronics; Defence Systems; Security & Information Systems), Leonardo operates in the most competitive international markets by leveraging its areas of technology and product leadership. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange (LDO), in 2016 Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of 12 billion Euros and has a significant industrial presence in Italy, the UK, the U.S. and Poland.

About Falcon Aviation

Falcon Aviation is a private aviation company based in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. A leading corporate jet and helicopter service provider offering Global Services. Falcon Aviation’s main operating base located at Al Bateen Executive Airport dedicated to VIP private charters and oil and gas support. It is situated only 10km from the City Centre of Abu Dhabi. Their major scope of work is to support the Abu Dhabi Oil and Gas governmental sectors, VIP private jet and helicopter charters, aircraft management, Fixed Based Operations (FBO), aircraft maintenance (MRO) & Continuing Airworthiness Management Organization (CAMO).

 


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