Helinet Aviation Services

Helinet Aviation Services is a helicopter operator based in Van Nuys, California. The company offers helicopter charter, air medical transport, aerial video production, electronic news gathering, utility flying, external load training and aircraft management. Its Helinet Technologies division provides aerial data and broadcast solutions.

The company traces its roots to 1987, when West Coast Helicopters was co-founded. That business later became Helinet Aviation Services. Helinet began emergency organ transport in 1990 and launched a program with Children's Hospital Los Angeles in 1999. The company says it has transported more than 11,000 critically ill children for the hospital.

Helinet operates two dedicated Sikorsky S-76 helicopters for the Children's Hospital Los Angeles program. The company covers the costs of those aircraft, including maintenance, pilot salaries and insurance, and says there is no cost to the hospital or its patients.

In aerial news gathering, the company pioneered HD aerial camera systems and HD microwave downlink systems in 1990. In 2017 it became the first to put a Shotover camera system on a high speed jet for air to air filmmaking, which was used on movies including Top Gun: Maverick.

The fleet has three models. The Sikorsky S-76 seats up to eight passengers and flies at up to 180 mph. The Leonardo AW109 seats up to six, with an endurance of three hours. The Airbus AS350 seats up to five passengers, with a speed of 140 mph.

Helinet says safety is the cornerstone of its operations. It runs a Safety Management System program and a Safety Award Program. In-house flight followers are on duty 24/7/365. The company also says its pilots train regularly, both in house and with outside specialists.

The company offers aircraft management for helicopter owners. It handles flight operations, monthly accounting and financial reporting, vendor discounts for maintenance, and in house dispatch. Maintenance is done under its FAA Part 145 repair station. The company says it has a team of 70 professionals.

Services

• Helicopter charter
• Air medical transport
• Aerial video production
• Electronic news gathering
• Utility
• Helinet Technologies
• External load training
• Aircraft management
• Helicopter maintenance
• Flight following