Lease Corporation International, the aviation division of the Libra Group, delivered the first Leonardo AW139 helicopter to Héli-Union SA.

The brand-new AW139 will be leased from LCI to support Héli-Union’s growing activities in Asia.

France-based Héli-Union is a helicopter operator, specializing in the support of oil and gas activities across five continents. The company has more than 50 years of experience in more than 60 countries and operates a fleet of medium and large twin-engined helicopters.

Crispin Maunder, executive chairman of LCI, said, “We are pleased to be partnering with Héli-Union, a very dynamic operator, as they increase their fleet. We see considerable demand for this versatile and innovative helicopter which offers a broad range of applications, and allows LCI to further expand its relationships with leading operators around the world”.

LCI has taken delivery of 23 AW139s, which are being deployed on a variety of missions including emergency medical services (EMS), search and rescue (SAR), support for offshore oil, gas and wind energy installations.

Patrick Molis, president and CEO of Héli-Union, said, “It is fitting that Héli-Union is working on fleet strategy, developing leasing solution for the first time, to take benefit of the growth potential of the South-East Asian region. We are delighted to be working with LCI Helicopters who have been highly responsive, and extremely supportive to our requirements. We look forward to further developing our relationship over the coming years.”

The Leonardo AW139 is a twin-turbine, medium category helicopter, which can accommodate up to fifteen passengers. Since its entry on the market 14 years ago, the AW139 has been delivered to an ever growing number of operators worldwide.

LCI’s helicopter division comprises a fleet of nearly 60 helicopters, including the Leonardo AW139, AW169 and AW189 helicopters and next-generation Airbus Helicopters’ H175 and H130.