Helitours

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Helitours
හෙලිටුවර්ස්
ஹெலிதுவர்ச்
Helitours logo
IATA ICAO Callsign
— HLT HELITOURS
Founded1979
Hubs
Fleet size16
Destinations13
HeadquartersColombo, Sri Lanka
Key peopleRasanga de Zoysa
Websitewww.helitours.lk

Helitours is a domestic airline in Sri Lanka operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force with aircraft not required for military use. It is currently the second-largest airline in Sri Lanka with a fleet of 16 aircraft behind Sri Lankan Airlines' 23. The airline once ran a RML-TRR-JAF route on a thrice-weekly basis on their Chinese-built Xian MA60 aircraft. The company slogan is Discover Serendipity. In May 2018, Helitours flights were suspended due to regulatory concerns.[1] As of November 2023, Helitours is not operating any scheduled services.[2]

History

Helitours' air service was started in 1972 on the initiative of Air Chief Marshal Deshamanya Paddy Mendis to cater to the tourist industry. By the end of 1972 Helitours was flying to Malé as well. In 1973 a Convair 440 was purchased second hand from Eastern Airlines, to boost Helitours' operations between Ceylon and the Maldives.

In the early 1980s operations first slowed, then stopped due to operational requirements emerging from the onset of the Sri Lankan civil war. During the civil war, the air force provided civil air transport to Jaffna, but this was not considered to be a Helitours operation. However, in 2009 upon cessation of hostilities, the air force restarted Helitours' operations. In 2022, it was reported that Helitours had been skirting Sri Lankan civil aviation insurance requirements by operating scheduled passenger services under military callsigns. Ending this practice, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka gave certificates of airworthiness to some of the airline's aircraft. However, commercial operations would not restart until insurance was purchased.[3] As of November 2023, neither scheduled services nor civilian transport on military fights are available.

Destinations

Helitours MI-17 preparing to land.

All flights are suspended as of November 2023.

[H] Primary Hub
‡ Secondary hub
[F] Future destination
[T] Terminated destination
City Country IATA ICAO Airport Refs
Ampara  Sri Lanka GOY VCCG Ampara Airport
Anuradhapura  Sri Lanka ACJ VCCA Anuradhapura Airport
Batticaloa  Sri Lanka BTC VCCB Batticaloa Airport
Colombo  Sri Lanka RML VCCC Ratmalana Airport[H]
Hambantota  Sri Lanka HRI VCRI Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport‡
Jaffna  Sri Lanka JAF VCCJ Jaffna Airport
Killinochchi  Sri Lanka - - Iranamadu Airport
Malé  Maldives MLE VRMM Velana International Airport[T]
Trincomalee  Sri Lanka TRR VCCT China Bay Airport
Vavuniya  Sri Lanka - VCCV Vavuniya Airport
Hambantota  Sri Lanka WRZ VCCW Weerawila Airport
Koggala  Sri Lanka KCT VCCK Koggala Airport

Fleet

Helitours fleet
Aircraft Total Orders Passengers
(Economy) 		Notes
Bell 412 2 0 10
Bell 212 2 0 10
Bell 206 JetRanger 2 0 4
Harbin Y-12 4 0 17
Mil Mi-17 3 0 24
Xian MA60 2[4] 0 47
Antonov AN-32 1 0 45
Total 16 0

Fleet history

Helitours Retired Fleet
Aircraft Introduced Retired Notes
Bell 206 - -
Convair 440 1973 1980
De Havilland DH.104 Dove - -
Douglas DC-3 - -

Notes

References

  1. ^ "Helitours off the radar since May 2". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  2. ^ "::: Welcome to Helitours LK :::". www.helitours.lk. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  3. ^ "Helitours finally fulfills conditions to get air operator certificate". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
  4. ^ "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 32.


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