Helitours

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Helitours
හෙලිටුවර්ස්
ஹெலிதுவர்ச்
Helitours logo.png
IATA ICAO Callsign
HLTHELITOURS
Founded1979
Hubs
Fleet size16
Destinations13
Headquarters Colombo, Sri Lanka
Key peopleRasanga de Zoysa
Website www.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]

Contents

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. Helitours Mi-17.jpg
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
CityCountryIATAICAOAirportRefs
Ampara Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka GOYVCCG Ampara Airport
Anuradhapura Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka ACJVCCA Anuradhapura Airport
Batticaloa Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka BTCVCCB Batticaloa Airport
Colombo Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka RMLVCCC Ratmalana Airport [H]
Hambantota Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka HRIVCRI Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport
Jaffna Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka JAFVCCJ Jaffna Airport
Killinochchi Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka -- Iranamadu Airport
Malé Flag of Maldives.svg  Maldives MLEVRMM Velana International Airport [T]
Trincomalee Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka TRRVCCT China Bay Airport
Vavuniya Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka -VCCV Vavuniya Airport
Hambantota Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka WRZVCCW Weerawila Airport
Koggala Flag of Sri Lanka.svg  Sri Lanka KCTVCCK Koggala Airport

Fleet

Helitours fleet
AircraftTotalOrdersPassengers
(Economy)
Notes
Bell 412 2010
Bell 212 2010
Bell 206 JetRanger 204
Harbin Y-12 4017
Mil Mi-17 3024
Xian MA60 2 [4] 047
Antonov AN-32 1045
Total160

Fleet history

Helitours Retired Fleet
AircraftIntroducedRetiredNotes
Bell 206 --
Convair 440 19731980
De Havilland DH.104 Dove --
Douglas DC-3 --

Notes

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    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.