Tyrolean aviation company acquires three Airbus H225 heavy-lift helicopters
Erpfendorf, 25 August 2026 – Austrian company Kitz-Air GmbH is taking another step in its international expansion: The Tyrolean aviation company has acquired three Airbus H225 helicopters from Milestone Aviation Group, a leading global aviation company.
With the acquisition, Kitz-Air is entering the heavy helicopter class on an entirely new scale for the first time, significantly expanding its range of operations. The Airbus H225 is one of the most capable civil helicopters in its class. With its long range, high payload capacity and an external load capacity of up to approximately five tonnes, it is particularly well suited to demanding wildfire-fighting, heavy-lift, transport and specialist missions.
“The H225 are far more than an expansion of our fleet. They are an important step in our long-term strategy to build a high-performance heavy helicopter fleet and to establish and continuously expand permanent capacity for wildfire fighting worldwide,” explains Christoph Klein, Managing Director of Kitz-Air.
The growing number and increasing intensity of wildfires pose major challenges to fire brigades and authorities around the world. Particularly in difficult-to-access terrain, helicopters can transport large quantities of water directly to fire fronts within a short period of time.
The company is pursuing an international deployment concept: During the European summer, the aircraft are intended to be available for wildfire-fighting operations in Europe, while during the European winter months, missions are planned in regions including South America. This allows the helicopters to be deployed almost year-round wherever additional firefighting capacity is required.
The three newly acquired aircraft form the foundation for further expansion. Kitz-Air plans to further increase its capacity in the heavy helicopter segment over the coming years and establish a professional structure for internationally deployable heavy helicopter operations.
The company has already significantly expanded its fleet and international operating footprint in recent years. In addition to wildfire fighting, its range of services includes heavy-lift and external-load operations, infrastructure and installation projects, as well as passenger and cargo transport.
With a combination of light helicopters such as the Airbus H125, medium-weight aircraft such as the SOKOL PZL W-3A, and now three Airbus H225, Kitz-Air will be able to cover a significantly broader range of international missions in the future. The company’s helicopters are regularly stationed in Austria as well as elsewhere in Europe and beyond, allowing them to be deployed flexibly for international missions.