The Helicopter Company branches out into business jets with Bombardier deal

The Helicopter Company branches out into business jets with a Bombardier deal, as the Saudi rotorcraft operator moves beyond helicopters toward fixed-wing aviation. On 21 July, it signed an agreement at Farnborough that could bring the company up to 60 new jets, including ultra-long-range Global 8000s, supported by a letter of intent. The LoI covers 12 firm orders—five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s and two Global 8000s—with options for another 48 aircraft across the three models. No timeline for finalizing the agreement was disclosed. The Helicopter Company (THC), owned by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund since 2018, said the step is a “natural extension” of its rotary-wing operations to meet demand for private and general aviation in the kingdom. Separately, THC and Leonardo signed for 11 additional AW139 helicopters, with deliveries scheduled for 2027–2028, and THC added eight Airbus H145s to its backlog.