Perpignan, France-based Helittoral Helicopteres has tourism to thank for a recent boom in business. “The beginning of 2021 was difficult in France because of government restrictions on passenger transport and transfer flights, so we were only able to perform aerial work in the Pyrenees mountains,” says CEO Laurent Tissier. “But now thanks to tourism this summer, company activities are back to normal.”

The company deployed Alouette SA318Cs from 2010 until 2020 and is now operating the AS350 FX2, which is unique in France because it is powered by a Honeywell LTS101 turbine rather than the Turbomeca series engine.

Tissier continues: “In the south of France we often carry pools with a sling by helicopter for private customers in their garden; that's impressive and original. We also transport materials for castle renovation in the Pyrénées or other places. Financial aid from the French government was very important to keep us in business.”

Hélittoral is looking to open a second base at La Llagonne.