Milestone Announces Sale of Three Airbus H225 Helicopters to Kitz-Air
DUBLIN, — AUGUST 24, 2026 — The Milestone Aviation Group Limited (“Milestone”), the global leader in helicopter leasing, today announced the sale of three Airbus H225 helicopters to Kitz-Air GmbH (“Kitz-Air”), an Austria-based operator specialising in heavy-lift, transport and special missions.
The transaction marks Kitz-Air's first acquisition from Milestone and establishes a new customer relationship between the two companies.
The three helicopters, delivered to Kitz-Air in July 2026, will undergo modification and conversion work in Europe before entering service in aerial firefighting operations across Europe and South America, helping to address growing demand for capacity amid increasingly challenging wildfire seasons.
Global Helicopter Services (“GHS”), a long-standing Milestone customer and partner, will undertake the aircraft conversions.
Sébastien Moulin, Chief Commercial Officer, Milestone, said, “We are delighted to welcome Kitz-Air as a new Milestone customer with the sale of these three Airbus H225 helicopters. As demand for aerial firefighting services continues to grow globally, the H225 remains a highly capable and versatile platform for challenging utility missions. We thank GHS for their continued partnership and look forward to building a long-term relationship with the Kitz-Air team as they expand their firefighting operations across Europe and South America."
Christoph Klein, Chief Executive Officer of Kitz-Air, said, “We are very proud to welcome these three Airbus H225 helicopters to the Kitz-Air fleet. For us, this acquisition is much more than the addition of three aircraft; it is an important step in our long-term vision to expand Kitz-Air’s heavy-helicopter fleet and build reliable aerial firefighting capacity for the years ahead. The H225’s outstanding payload, range and proven versatility make it the right platform for the demanding missions ahead. I am particularly proud of the dedication shown by our team in bringing this project to life, and I would personally like to thank the teams at Milestone and GHS for their trust, professionalism and close cooperation throughout this transaction. Once converted, these aircraft will allow us to support customers and communities across Europe and worldwide when they need us most. This transaction also marks the beginning of what we believe will be a strong, long-term business relationship with Milestone, and we look forward to working together as we continue to expand our H225 fleet.”
About Milestone
Milestone Aviation Group, an AerCap company, is the world’s leading helicopter leasing and financing company. Milestone partners with helicopter operators worldwide, providing a wide array of financial and productivity solutions, including operating leases, purchase/leasebacks, secured debt financing, engine leasing and fleet advisory. The company supports approximately 50 customers in approximately 35 countries serving a variety of industries, including offshore oil and gas, search and rescue, emergency medical services, police surveillance, mining, firefighting, and other utility missions. www.milestoneaviation.com
About AerCap
AerCap is the global leader in aviation leasing with one of the most attractive order books in the industry. AerCap serves approximately 300 customers around the world with comprehensive fleet solutions. AerCap is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (AER) and is headquartered in Dublin with offices in Miami, Shannon, Memphis, Singapore, London, Dubai, Shanghai, Amsterdam and other locations around the world.
About Kitz-Air
Kitz-Air GmbH is an Austrian helicopter operator specialising in aerial firefighting, heavy-lift operations, passenger and cargo transport and other demanding special missions. The company provides flexible, mission-specific helicopter solutions across Europe and international markets. Supported by an experienced team and an expanding fleet of light, medium and heavy helicopters, Kitz-Air is committed to the highest standards of safety, reliability and operational effectiveness.
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