UK operator HeliGroup is expecting delivery of an AS355NP helicopter in May this year. Once it has undergone completion at Airbus Helicopters UK, the aircraft will be added to the operator's AOC and be fully available for charter.

“As the newest AS355NP in the UK and, for a time, in the world we are confident the helicopter will be an attractive proposition to our customers,” says business manager Ed Sale. “We have selected the AS355NP based on its diverse capabilities, from VIP transport to utility operations, as well as its excellent performance charac-teristics. Our particular airframe has a low basic weight, which means that we can carry more passengers and fuel from sites such as London Battersea Heliport. It will undoubtedly be an improvement on the previous AS355 variants, and allows us to compete with some of the alternative helicopter types in the market at a competitive rate.” The AS355NP will be maintained by Airbus Helicopters at London Oxford airport.