Air Corporate, the Italian business aviation operator, has placed a firm order for 43 helicopters from Airbus on the concluding day of EBACE 2023.
The helicopters include 40 single-engine helicopters (H125/H130) plus three ACH160s from Airbus Corporate Helicopters in Line configuration with the Lounge package to add to two ACH160s already on order.
The contract is the largest commercial helicopter order booked by Airbus in Italy and will see the helicopters delivered over the coming years for a range of private and business passenger services as well as utility operations.
The Air Corporate board said in a statement: “We are experiencing a growing demand for the innovative ACH160 in the Italian market. The ACH160 is a beautiful, safe and comfortable helicopter and the Line configuration with Lounge package configuration guarantees elegance and, at the same time, excellent performance”.
The latest announcement expands on 28 additional orders from Verona-based Air Corporate in recent years as part of an ongoing fleet expansion. In the past two years alone, Air Corporate has taken delivery of 17 Airbus helicopters, including the first of two twin-engine H135s.
Airbus helicopters have been flying in Italy for 50 years and the company is a key player in the Italian helicopter market with 90 customers and a fleet of more than 240 helicopters in service.