For almost 45 years, HELI-UNION has been providing helicopter transport services to Energy companies operating in Gabon. In 1975, HELI-UNION entered the emerging energy market of Gabon with 4 helicopters.

Today, HELI-UNION Gabon is a fully organised company with resident personnel and permanent premises, which includes 2 hangars to perform maintenance on its fleet: AS365N3, AW139 and S76C++.

This year, HELI-UNION Gabon has managed to secure 4 new contracts from world-known Energy companies. The contract period terms range from a few months to years to provide helicopter supports on the clients’ offshore and onshore operations.

The services included in these contracts are crew transports and 24/7 medevac support with three different types of aircraft: AS365N3, AW139 and S76C++. One of the additional AW139 used in one contract is leased from a world-known lessor.

“We are delighted that these companies have decided to partner with HELI-UNION for their operations in Gabon,” said Jonathan Cosson, HELI-UNION Deputy Managing Director. “We are looking forward to building a strong long-term partnership with our clients and are eager to fly on their behalf this year. This new contract again allows us to showcase our safe, reliable, and efficient helicopter services. Their trusts on our services shows our commitment to never compromise on our safety level.”

La Journée de l’Hélicoptère, an Open Door event launched by the French Helicopter Union, encouraged all actors in the French aviation industry to welcome the public to visit their premises for one day. The event took place on the 30^th of June 2019. Heli-Union welcomed interested students, professionals and civilians in its maintenance center at Toussus le Noble and showcased its H225 aircraft.

 

HELISYNERGY BRINGS A NEW DYNAMIC IN THE HELICOPTER INDUSTRY, ALLOWING CIVIL & MILITARY HELICOPTER OPERATORS TO FOCUS ON THEIR PRIMARY MISSIONS

Click here for the pdf version: Heli-Union Group introduce HeliSynergy

Heli-Union group is gearing up to introduce its reconceptualised service at the HAI Heli-Expo trade show 2019.

This new service offers an extensive and tailor-made service to fully support the daily operations of civil and military helicopter operators. With this new solution package, customers can benefit an enhanced performance efficiency, increase fleet availability and most importantly, reduce administrative, operational and technical burden, based on Héli-Union worldwide recognized experience managing helicopters operations.

The name HeliSynergy is consistent with Heli-Union Group’s newly redefined service line, focused on the synergy between Heli-Union’s most comprehensive, easily customized and cost-efficient solutions, with the current booming demands from civil and military operators.

“HeliSynergy is fully aligned with our company strategy to assist our clients in improving their operational efficiency.” said Jonathan COSSON, Heli-Union Deputy Managing Director. “HeliSynergy is a new presentation concept of our service transformation, bringing together higher comprehensive services and more than 60 years of helicopter expertise specifically customized for each client. With HeliSynergy, we will constantly assist and support our customers at any aspects, allowing them to focus on their primary mission.”

“This new concept will allow us to promote worldwide the service that we are providing to our customers since decades. This global approach will bring together the knowhow of Heli-Union group based on extensive support experience.” said Jean-Baptiste OLRY, Heli-Union Head of Sales and Operations. “Since its creation, Héli-Union has managed more than 150 civil and military helicopters, from airworthiness management up to line maintenance and MRO. Our MRO Centers in Europe, Africa and Asia, allow us to perform more than 300 Overhaul and countless number of Major inspections. We have 150 000 spares parts references available in our different hubs ready to support our customers.”

More than 1000 pilots and engineers have been trained at the Heli-Union Training Center, equipped with Cabri G2, Flight simulators and dedicated SA365N for Multi engines and IR training. The comprehensive set of training tools allows us to train ab-initio pilots, from zero flight time to EASA ATPL-CPL/IR for civil or military operations.

“Panel of HeliSynergy customers is immense, from military to civilian operators. Héli-Union’s success in offshore operation is the evidence that helicopter support is in our DNA. After all, who knows operators’ needs better than another operator?”, said Jonathan COSSON.

“We benefit from our excellent relationship with OEM and suppliers, having operating a large range of helicopters since 1961”, adds Sabra Hammami, Head of Supply chain. “Today Héli-Union Group is an authorized dealer for a large range of approved suppliers and intend to reinforce the operators support solution. Heli-Union already has the worldwide exposure that gives proximity with the end users.”

As part of its commitment, HeliSynergy incorporates in its offers a 24/7 customer support desk to manage all enquiries, accessible anytime and anywhere. All enquiries are expected to be responded within 48h except for AOG that require immediate answers and solutions.

Complying with International certification, such as EASA / EMAR / AIR OPS / PART M / Part 145 / Part 21 G& J, HeliSynergy’s turnkey solutions covers:

With this new solution package, customers can benefit an enhanced performance efficiency, increase fleet availability and most importantly, reduce administrative, operational and technical burden.

Contact: helisynergy@heli-union.com.

What to know more about Héli-Union Group, please visit our website: www.heli-union.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As one of the leading helicopter pilot training providers in France, Heli-Union Training Center or HUTC introduces a new training programme: Commercial Pilot License or CPL (H) entirely in English.

HUTC opens its door to a broader, wider and larger international audience, by introducing a new training programme performed entirely in English. The training programme is a part of internationalisation business strategy implemented by the Director of HUTC himself, Hervé Maugis. He believes that in the age of globalisation, there is a necessity to propose CPL(H) training programme in English not only to attract pilots from outside France, but also to give the opportunity for young pilots to go abroad after taking the programme. The new training programme will commence in April 2019.

HUTC will be including this new training programme together with other English training programmes that have already been proposed for the last few years, such as Type Ratings and PBN (Performance Based Navigation). HUTC currently proposes trainings in English and French. Ensuring the duality of courses in English and French is not as simple as it seems. Therefore HUTC regularly consults the French Civil Aviation in order to best apprehend this challenge and to identify obstacles at the soonest.

Whether you are a professional pilot who are looking for recurrent training programmes to maintain your qualification or a regular person with zero piloting background but a motivation to become a professional pilot, you can benefit from our professional and diverse instructors. To top it off, HUTC also has the required tools to ensure maximum knowledge in-take: three one engine helicopter type Cabri Guimbal G2, FFS/FTD AS365N3, FTD H135 T2+. HUTC geographic location in Angouleme also brings in a big advantage thanks to its favourable meteorological conditions of the region. This is also an ideal place for training due to the limited density of aeronautical traffic and a fully IR-equipped airport with 2D and 3D approaches (NDB, ILS, GNSS).

Check out HUTC new website: www.hutc.fr

 

 

 

Heli-Union has three main types of business activities: helicopter transport services mainly for oil and gas companies, helicopter maintenance service and helicopter pilot training. Today, Pierre Le Gall, the Deputy Managing Director who is in charge of Heli-Union MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) center, will discuss his background and the growth of Heli-Union in this particular industry.

BACKGROUND

I started my career in 2009 as an intern at Heli-Union MRO center. After my internship, I was employed as an engineer in the HSE department. Afterwards I was proposed the position of Deputy to HSE director at Heli-Union in 2012. Two years later, I became the Deputy Managing Director of the Industrial base. With this new position, I was able to gain new skills such as management, organisation, and production in the MRO industry. In 2016 I officially became the Deputy Managing Director of Heli-Union, responsible for all MRO related activities.

HELI-UNION MRO

When I first took the position of Deputy Managing Director, we had around 70 technicians employed in our hangar. Today, this number has significantly increased to 130 employees and we are anticipating an additional of 30 new recruitments this year.

A new maintenance branch in Pau started operating last year and is dedicated to the maintenance of helicopter type H215M (also known as AS532 Cougar). This indicates a significant development of Heli-Union MRO service.

The future of this industry depends progressively upon specific services such as major inspection, heavy maintenance, and periodic inspection. Our observation shows that our clients demands more and more a full integrated service. Being able to provide an excellent heavy maintenance service is no longer sufficient. Heli-Union is required to refine its other features such as on-site assistance, continuing airworthiness management, logistics, aircraft modification and many others. Together with our experts, we are able to enforce our complementary services and at the end of the day, propose to our clients a full integrated service to their aircrafts. As per their requirement, we can also deploy our experience engineers and perform the maintenance service on the clients’ local sites.

Today, our main objective is to continue and assure our worldwide leadership in helicopter maintenance, especially for Airbus heavy type helicopter family. This is also one of the reasons that pushed our decision to set up the new maintenance branch in Pau. Heli-Union thrives to maintain its position in the market as the world known expert in maintenance service for particularly heavy fleet type, along with a comprehensive complementary services.

 

 

Heli-Union commenced an operation providing helicopter transport and 24/7 medevac services for a client in French Guiana

Heli-Union has yet again awarded another contract to operate in a new territory by one of its clients. This time, Heli-Union opens its new base in Felix-Eboué Airport, Cayenne.

The operation started in the beginning of December 2018 and is expected to complete in 2019. Heli-Union supports the exploratory work off French Guiana’s coast using two medium type helicopters as primary and back-up helicopters.

Jonathan Cosson, Deputy Managing Director of Heli-Union, commented “As a French helicopter service provider, we are proud to be able to operate within French overseas territories and to contribute to the development of the French energy industry. This includes conducting operations responsibly while constantly seeking to minimise environmental risk with full transparency. ”

The two helicopters were transported with an II-76 from Heli-Union’s base in Cameroun, to Heli-Union’s local base in Felix-Eboué Airport, Cayenne.

Fully compliant with the IOGP standards and requirements, Heli-Union is able to provide a turnkey helicopter service from aircraft preparation, mobilisation to utilisation.

 

My name is Cedric Bernard and I took my commercial pilot training courses in HUTC 4 years ago.

Ever since my childhood, I have always been fascinated by helicopters flying across my parents’ house and through the mountains. I dreamed of one day becoming a helicopter pilot. Being brought in a family with no background in the avionic field, it was not easy for me to plan and find the right way to make this dream comes true. For many years I tried to keep this dream deep inside my head while continuing my study in Civil Engineering. Until one day I met a retiring pilot who changed my mind through a short discovery flight…I have then at that moment decided to give up everything and to chase after my dream!

After long consideration, I have decided to become a pilot in the civil market. The civil market is richer in diversity and more open to young pilots. However, the training course does not come cheap. Which is why it is extremely crucial to choose the right school.

During my research in finding the right school to pursue my dream, I received a valuable advice from my experienced “mentor”, who directed me to a professional and personalised course in Héli-Union Training Center. He believes strongly in the teaching quality and the outlook of development proposed by HUTC. The training course was not the cheapest in the market, but the price matches the top-notch training quality and experience that come with it.  This profession could be ruthless for those who do not choose to integrate the concepts of precaution, safety and professionalism in their training.

Furthermore, HUTC has a good reputation and is very well-known in the industry. The training center is well equipped and allows great pilot networking opportunities.

With 2 other pupils, we started our private training course with 14 modules of ATPL(H) theory course which were taught with great passion, teaching, and accuracy. The course brought us towards big progression, with nothing was left to chance. This teaching method allowed me to learn effectively and led me to my academic success, whereas I had no knowledge on how to fly a helicopter just 8 months earlier.

After succeeding my theory course, I can finally learn practical lessons through the simulator and HUTC mono-turbine helicopter: Cabri G2. The instructors were very professional and most of them even used to be the pilot instructors in the French Army!

The first flights required a lot of energy that at one point we started to ask ourselves if we can ever get through this!  But all was made possible with the supports and advices from our instructors. Their patience, experience and rigor have brought out our best in a limited amount of time. This part is the most memorable time during our courses. Within a few month I metamorphosed from a mere passenger to a licensed commercial pilot with lots of success on my firsts:  first takeoff, first solo, first night flight, …  These are unforgettable moments that have been enhanced by HUTC coaching quality!

 

 

The new contract is for the provision of crew change and medevac flights to the client’s onshore and offshore facilities in Port Gentil, Gabon.

Operations commenced from Port Gentil airport in October 2018, with two medium type helicopters as primary and back-up helicopters.

The new contract is for the provision of crew change and medevac flights to the client’s facilities in onshore and offshore Port Gentil, Gabon. Operations commenced from Port Gentil airport in October 2018.

Jonathan Cosson, Deputy Managing Director of Heli-Union, said “Heli-Union has been operating in Gabon for more than 40 years, delivering excellent offshore helicopter transport services to Oil and Gas clients in Africa. This new win of a long term contract reflects Heli-Union’s strong grasp of the market and reflects the hard work of our team. We very much look forward to an even further growth in order to maintain our significant presence in the area.”

Heli Union has been operating in Gabon since 1975, providing offshore helicopter services to Oil and Gas customers. Its long-standing expertise in providing offshore helicopter services through its permanent base in Gabon makes Heli Union the leading helicopter services provider in the country.

 

First of all, Heli-Union and team would like to wish you all and your closed ones the best for this new year 2019.

The year 2018 in Heli-Union marked by the achievement of several new Oil and Gas projects, which were the results of determined efforts made by all contributors. We planted our footprint for the first time in Bulgaria, made a return to French Guiana, and secured new contracts in Myanmar, Gabon, and Angola.

The business environment in 2019 still presents some economic challenges in our Oil & Gas and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) activities. Nevertheless, 2019 remains promising, with several projects currently in preparation phase. These projects fit into Heli-Union’s development strategy. Hence we will be able to progress towards more modern and consistent aircraft, whilst working on the repurposing of the older generation aircraft.

To withstand this difficult moment which has now lasted for more than 4 years, Heli-Union continues to undertake optimisation actions. The dynamism and professionalism of our team are being recognised by our customers and the Authorities. This recognition gave us a good reputation amongst the other helicopter operators and maintenance centres.

With our two maintenance centres in Toussus and Pau, our MRO activity is in continuous growth for the years ahead. The MRO project for Cougar/Caracal fleet along with other major tenders are expected to punctuate the daily activity of our team in the MRO sector soon.