Rapid economic growth in the United Arab Emirates is fueling the expansion of Dubai-based helicopter operator Helidubai. Less than two years after its inception, the company, owned by the government of Dubai, has embarked on a fleet expansion with both passenger and aerial-work aircraft. In addition, it is also striving to help create dedicated heliports and helipads in the burgeoning city.
In April Helidubai will add a Eurocopter AS 350B3 Squirrel to its fleet, which currently consists of two AgustaWestland A109E Powers and one AB412 HP. The newest helicopter will be used only for filming and photography work because company policy is to “operate only multi-engine aircraft on public transport operations, for safety reasons due to the high density of the buildings in Dubai,” marketing and security manager Andrew Masterson told AIN. The company has two more AB412s available and plans to announce a new role for them this year. Helidubai logs some 130 hours in about 150 flights every month. “These figures are consistently growing,” Masterson said. The firm was established in November 2005 and received its air operator’s certificate the following April.
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