Heli-One Norway has been contracted by Leonardo to support the Royal Norwegian Air Force’s fleet of AW101 SAR Queen helicopters. The MRO’s Stavanger facility will provide trained personnel to perform line maintenance on the aircraft alongside Leonardo staff.
The MRO agreement follows Norway’s contract with Leonardo to deliver 16 new AW101 Norwegian All-Weather Search and Rescue Helicopters (NAWSARH) optimised for long-range and maritime operations.
Additional features include airframe, component, cabin and avionics customisations to suit Norway’s dynamic airborne operating environment.
Carolyn Forsyth, General Manager of Sales, Commercial and Customer Support, Heli-One, said the MRO is excited to expand its relationship with Leonardo: “Our team has decades of experience in maintaining North Sea-based helicopters, and we are honoured to bring that expertise to supporting this fleet which provides such a critical service.”
The SAR Queen helicopters officially became operational from the Royal Norwegian Air Force base in Sola in 2020. The current fleet of 13 aircraft is located across the Sola, Ørland, Banak, and Bodø bases, with plans to expand to two other locations across Norway.
“It has been a great pleasure to work with the Leonardo leadership team in Norway and the UK,” said Jens Morten Mørland, Sales Director, Heli-One, “I am proud to support the long-term success of the NAWSARH fleet to save lives in Norway.”
