Saudi Arabia’s THC orders 26 Airbus helicopters

The Helicopter Company (THC), Saudi Arabia, has signed a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the supply of 26 new helicopters.

The contract, signed on 4 December, includes orders for 20 five-bladed H145 aircraft and six ACH160s.

The Airbus H145 is equipped with two Safran Arriel 2E powerplants and offers speeds of 140 knots (260km/h) with a range of 650km and an endurance of 3 hours 35 minutes. The aircraft also offers a capacity of up to 10 passengers with one or two pilots in normal configuration.

The ACH160 has a maximum cruise speed of 155 knots (287km/h) with a range of 852km and a maximum endurance of 4 hours 30 minutes. The aircraft can carry up to 10 passengers in regular configuration.

It follows the signing of a previous contract with Airbus in August 2020, for the supply of 10 Airbus H125 aircraft used by THC to provide tourism, air travel and aerial surveying services.

The order will support a contract with The Red Sea Development Company

According to Raid Ismail, Chairman of the Board of THC: “This deal comes as part of THC’s commitment to introduce new services with advanced technology that fulfill market demand and support the development of the Kingdom’s wider aviation sector.”

THC’s ongoing operational expansion includes a recent contract for the provision of emergency medical services and passenger transport for state-owned property developer The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC), to support the development of its west coast luxury resort.

TRSDC’s resort development includes the recently opened Construction Village, which serves as a base of operations for the approximately 10,000 construction workers supporting the wider development. The project will eventually expand to also include the ‘Coastal Village’ resort which will host visiting tourists, as well as a permanent staff of around 14,000 people. The development’s first phase is due for completion by late 2023.

THC, which was founded in 2019 by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, is currently the only licensed helicopter service provider in Saudi Arabia. The company was founded to support the development of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic reform plan.