European heavyweight Avincis orders 30 helicopters
By Oliver Johnson | June 15, 2026 | Retrieved from Vertical magazine
European operator Avincis has announced orders for 30 helicopters that it said will secure its “long-term growth ambitions.”
The aircraft include 15 Airbus H145 D3s, five Leonardo AW139s and 10 AW169s, with deliveries expected between 2028 and 2031.
Avincis is the largest provider of emergency aerial services in Europe, with emergency medical services (EMS), search-and-rescue (SAR), and firefighting representing the majority of its workload.
Headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, the company operates from more than 190 bases across 10 countries with a fleet of about 210 aircraft, including 170 helicopters.
The company’s vast fleet includes a wide variety of types, reflecting the differing requirements of the various contracting agencies it works for across Europe, from the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark, to the Southern European countries of Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Greece. Its work also takes it across the Atlantic for the Southern Hemisphere fire season in Chile, and it performs offshore energy transport operations in Mozambique in southeast Africa.
Avincis said the new aircraft will support existing customer requirements as well as its continued expansion into new markets and product services.
“This significant order represents the confidence we have in the potential of the emergency aerial services market and will support our pipeline of growth going forward,” said John Boag, Avincis Group CEO. “We have listened to our customers, and we believe this combination of Airbus and Leonardo aircraft will meet their future requirements.”
Three of the AW169s in the new order are destined for Sweden, where Avincis has been awarded the joint Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) contract from Region Uppsala and Västra Götalandsregionen.
“As the HEMS market continues to grow and increasingly shifts towards larger, more capable aircraft, the AW169 and AW139 are proving to be the platforms of choice for operators seeking enhanced mission performance, greater cabin space and increased operational flexibility,” said Andrea Mirteto, SVP Sales EMEA at Leonardo.
“We are proud to support Avincis with helicopter solutions that are already aligned with the evolving requirements of emergency medical missions, helping crews deliver the highest levels of care and responsiveness wherever they are needed.”
Boag said owning aircraft is a “core strength” for Avincis.
“[It] us greater control over availability, configuration and long-term cost efficiency, while enabling us to respond more effectively to our customers’ evolving needs,” he said.
The Avincis fleet includes about 70 Leonardo and 60 Airbus aircraft.
Matthieu Louvot, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, said he was “honoured” that Avincis had chosen the H145 as part of its fleet expansion.
“This agreement underscores the versatility of the H145 as a multi-mission powerhouse, capable of transitioning seamlessly from life-saving EMS duties to the demanding requirements of offshore wind and energy transport. Our goal is to provide Avincis with the most reliable and efficient tools to ensure their mission success, no matter how complex the operational environment.”