Helitours

{{Infobox airline

| airline = Helitours
{{lang|si|හෙලිටුවර්ස්}}
{{lang|ta|ஹெலிதுவர்ச்}}

| image = Helitours logo.png

| image_size = 150

| alt = Helitours logo

|IATA =

|ICAO = HLT

|callsign = HELITOURS

| founded = 1979

| hubs =

|focus_cities =

| fleet_size = 16

|destinations = 13

| frequent_flyer =

| headquarters = Colombo, Sri Lanka

| key_people = Rasanga de Zoysa

| website = {{URL|www.helitours.lk}}

}}

Helitours is a domestic airline in Sri Lanka operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force with aircraft not required for military use. It is currently the second-largest airline in Sri Lanka with a fleet of 16 aircraft behind Sri Lankan Airlines' 23. The airline once ran a RML-TRR-JAF route on a thrice-weekly basis on their Chinese-built Xian MA60 aircraft. The company slogan is Discover Serendipity. In May 2018, Helitours flights were suspended due to regulatory concerns.{{Cite web |title=Helitours off the radar since May 2 |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/180708/business-times/helitours-off-the-radar-since-may-2-301567.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=The Sunday Times Sri Lanka}} As of November 2023, Helitours is not operating any scheduled services.{{Cite web |title=::: Welcome to Helitours LK ::: |url=https://www.helitours.lk/Com_Flight.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=www.helitours.lk}}

History

Helitours' air service was started in 1972 on the initiative of Air Chief Marshal Deshamanya Paddy Mendis to cater to the tourist industry. By the end of 1972 Helitours was flying to Malé as well. In 1973 a Convair 440 was purchased second hand from Eastern Airlines, to boost Helitours' operations between Ceylon and the Maldives.

In the early 1980s operations first slowed, then stopped due to operational requirements emerging from the onset of the Sri Lankan civil war. During the civil war, the air force provided civil air transport to Jaffna, but this was not considered to be a Helitours operation. However, in 2009 upon cessation of hostilities, the air force restarted Helitours' operations. In 2022, it was reported that Helitours had been skirting Sri Lankan civil aviation insurance requirements by operating scheduled passenger services under military callsigns. Ending this practice, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka gave certificates of airworthiness to some of the airline's aircraft. However, commercial operations would not restart until insurance was purchased.{{Cite web |title=Helitours finally fulfills conditions to get air operator certificate |url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/220313/news/helitours-finally-fulfills-conditions-to-get-air-operator-certificate-476618.html |access-date=2023-10-31 |website=Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka}} As of November 2023, neither scheduled services nor civilian transport on military fights are available.

Destinations

File:Helitours Mi-17.jpg

All flights are suspended as of November 2023.

class="wikitable"
style="background:#FADA5E" align=center\|^[H]	Primary Hub
bgcolor=#DDFFDD width=20pt align=center\|^‡	Secondary hub
style="background:#FFFF80" align=center\|^[F]	Future destination
style="background:#DDDDDD" align=center\|^[T]	Terminated destination

style="background-color:#000080;color: white"\|City !style="background-color:#000080;color: white"\|Country !style="background-color:#000080;color:white; width:50px;"\|IATA !style="background-color:#000080; color:white; width:50px;"\|ICAO !style="background-color:#000080;color: white"\|Airport !style="background-color:#000080;color: white" class="unsortable"\|Refs
class="sortable wikitable toccolours"
Ampara	{{LKA}}	align=center\|GOY	align=center\|VCCG	Ampara Airport	align=center\|
Anuradhapura	{{LKA}}	align=center\|ACJ	align=center\|VCCA	Anuradhapura Airport	align=center\|
Batticaloa	{{LKA}}	align=center\|BTC	align=center\|VCCB	Batticaloa Airport	align=center\|
Colombo	{{LKA}}	align=center\|RML	align=center\|VCCC	style="background-color: #FADA5E"\|Ratmalana Airport^[H]	align=center\|
Hambantota	{{LKA}}	align=center\|HRI	align=center\|VCRI	bgcolor=#DDFFDD\|Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport^‡	align=center\|
Jaffna	{{LKA}}	align=center\|JAF	align=center\|VCCJ	Jaffna Airport	align=center\|
Killinochchi	{{LKA}}	align=center
\|align=center
\|Iranamadu Airport	align=center\|
Malé	{{MDV}}	align=center\|MLE	align=center\|VRMM	style="background-color: #DDDDDD"\|Velana International Airport^[T]	align=center\|
Trincomalee	{{LKA}}	align=center\|TRR	align=center\|VCCT	China Bay Airport	align=center\|
Vavuniya	{{LKA}}	align=center
\|align=center\|VCCV	Vavuniya Airport	align=center\|
Hambantota	{{LKA}}	align=center\|WRZ	align=center\|VCCW	Weerawila Airport	align=center\|
Koggala	{{LKA}}	align=center\|KCT	align=center\|VCCK	Koggala Airport	align=center\|

Fleet

class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="margin:1em auto; border-collapse:collapse"

|+Helitours fleet

bgcolor=red

!style="color:white;"| Aircraft

!style="color:white;"| Total

!style="color:white;"| Orders

!style="color:white;"| Passengers
(Economy)

!style="color:white;"| Notes

Bell 412

|align="center"|2

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|10

|align="center"|

Bell 212

|align="center"|2

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|10

|align="center"|

Bell 206 JetRanger

|align="center"|2

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|4

|align="center"|

Harbin Y-12

|align="center"|4

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|17

|align="center"|

Mil Mi-17

|align="center"|3

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|24

|align="center"|

Xian MA60

|align="center"|2{{cite journal|title=Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)|journal=Airliner World|issue=November 2016|page=32}}

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|47

|align="center"|

Antonov AN-32

|align="center"|1

|align="center"|0

|align="center"|45

|align="center"|

Total

!16

Fleet history

Aircraft !Introduced !Retired !Notes
class="wikitable" style="margin:auto" \|+ Helitours Retired Fleet
Bell 206 \| style="text-align:center"
style="text-align:center"

Convair 440 \| style="text-align:center" \|1973 \| style="text-align:center" \|1980 \|
De Havilland DH.104 Dove \| style="text-align:center"
style="text-align:center"

Douglas DC-3 \| style="text-align:center"
style="text-align:center"

Notes

References

Category:Airlines of Sri Lanka

Category:Airlines established in 1972

Category:Military airlines

Category:Sri Lanka Air Force

Category:Sri Lankan companies established in 1972