Post Year: 2015

26th February, 2015: LCI, the aviation leasing arm of the Libra Group, has concluded an agreement to lease six new AgustaWestland aircraft to Australian Helicopters Pty Ltd, a member of the Babcock Mission Critical Services Group.

The AW139s will be progressively delivered to Australian Helicopters through 2015 and 2016 and, following arrival in Australia, will be modified for Emergency Medical Service operations. Once deployed, they will be operated on behalf of Air Ambulance Victoria and in due course replace their older aircraft. These new helicopters will enable Air Ambulance Victoria to deliver a faster and wider aero-medical care service in emergencies across the state as well as rapid transport service for patients between major and rural hospitals.

LCI Executive Chairman, Crispin Maunder, says: “We are delighted to announce this new partnership with Australian Helicopters to support the important work of Air Ambulance Victoria. This innovative lease agreement has enabled a major helicopter operator and emergency service provider to marry new technology airframes with the latest state-of-the-art medical equipment in a most cost-efficient way.”

John Boag, MD of Australian Helicopters, said: “We are pleased to be working with LCI Helicopters on the provision of new aircraft to support our customer Ambulance Victoria. Air Ambulances save lives, and these aircraft will help us deliver the highest standards of emergency care to the Victorian community.”

LCI’s helicopter division comprises a fleet of delivered and ordered helicopters approaching 90 new units, including the market-leading AgustaWestland AW139 and AW189 helicopters, and will shortly be the launch customer for the new AW169. The AW139, to be deployed through this contract in Australia, is a medium-sized (12-15 seat) twin-engine helicopter designed principally to serve roles such as emergency medical services, offshore and search and rescue.

LCI announced almost US$1 billion in new orders at the HAI Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California, last year and has also attracted investment of more than US$100 million from KKR Financial Holdings, LLC, to address growing oil and gas sector demand, as well as search and rescue and air ambulance services. Since its inception in 2004, the company has acquired fixed wing and rotary aircraft with a combined value of approaching US$6 billion.

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25th February, 2015: LCI, the aviation leasing arm of the Libra Group, has entered into a multi-year agreement to lease four new AW139 helicopters to Australia’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. The helicopters will be delivered in the second half of 2016 and, following fit-out for EMS operations, will be deployed in Northern New South Wales on contract to NSW Ambulance, on behalf of NSW Health within the Government of New South Wales.

The helicopters will be based in Newcastle, Tamworth and Lismore. The high-specification aircraft, including full medical and rescue equipment and winch, have been financed under a tripartite, 10-year arrangement with Westpac Banking Corporation, an existing financier of LCI and long-term naming rights sponsor of the helicopter operator.

Since 1975 the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service has grown from a part-time, voluntary summer beach patrol to a world class aeromedical search and rescue operation, providing full EMS retrieval and transfer services. The Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a not-for-profit, community-supported operation providing essential services throughout the northern NSW region.

The NSW Government has recently sought to improve its Helicopter Retrieval Network to deliver higher quality clinical care, faster and safer than before, and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service agreement with LCI to lease the versatile AW139 will further its abilities to achieve this.

LCI Executive Chairman Crispin Maunder says: “We are delighted in securing this new partnership that will help enhance NSW Health’s high standards, working closely with the NSW government. The new, high-performance AW139 aircraft will support them in those efforts and greatly benefit their work throughout the region.”

John Candy, Commercial Finance Manager at the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, adds: “We are excited to be working with LCI to upgrade our fleet. As we worked together on the NSW Health contract throughout 2014 that experience endorsed our choice of aircraft lessor in LCI, with their team going above and beyond to support our bid. As we celebrate 40 years of service this year, this new relationship with LCI and ongoing support from Westpac Banking Corporation is another reason to celebrate.”

LCI announced almost US$1 billion in new orders at the HAI Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California, last year and has also attracted investment of more than US$100 million from KKR Financial Holdings, LLC, to address growing oil and gas sector demand, as well as search and rescue and air ambulance services. Since its inception in 2004, LCI has acquired fixed wing and rotary aircraft with a combined value of approaching US$6 billion.

LCI will be attending this year’s HAI Heli-Expo 2015 in Orlando (3-5 March); visit them at Stand 4604.

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12th February 2015: LCI, the aviation leasing arm of The Libra Group, has today committed to expand its helicopter fleet with firm orders for a further 11 AgustaWestland aircraft valued at US $125 million (€110 million).

The new aircraft, which are converted from options held by the helicopter lessor, are made up of a mix of AW139, AW169 and AW189 aircraft. The aircraft will be delivered between 2015 and 2016, and take LCI’s total fleet to approaching 90 aircraft.

Crispin Maunder, Executive Chairman of LCI, says: “We are reaffirming our commitment to the helicopter market by enlarging our future helicopter fleet to meet the continuing growth in demand levels. With many operators in both offshore oil production and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), we continue to see good long-term prospects in these important sectors.”

LCI’s helicopters are already in service supporting deep sea oil and gas production, along with aero-medical transport and search & rescue roles. The helicopter division comprises a fleet of delivered and ordered helicopters approaching ninety new units, including the market-leading AgustaWestland AW139, AW169 and AW189 helicopters and next-generation Airbus Helicopters EC175 and the newly-unveiled Airbus EC225e, for which LCI is a launch customer.

LCI placed almost US $1 billion in new AgustaWestland and Airbus Helicopters orders at the 2014 HAI Heli-Expo in Anaheim, California. In January last year, the lessor announced investment of more than US $100 million in LCI Helicopters by KKR Financial Holdings, LLC, and in October successfully closed a five-year, US $325 million asset–backed credit facility.

Since its inception in 2004, LCI has acquired fixed wing and rotary aircraft with a combined value of approaching US $6 billion.

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