Five-bladed Airbus H145 touches down in West Africa

Since early 2025, an H145 has been operating offshore missions in Ivory Coast with operator IAS. And this is just the start of the story: the five-bladed H145’s versatility and performance suggest a promising future across Africa.

Five-blades: Multi-mission

“The arrival of this aircraft in Ivory Coast is directly linked to the operations of the Italian operator ENI,” emphasises Hugues Moreau, the group’s CEO. “Following the discovery of a major oil field, we secured the contract to support offshore operations by proposing the H145.” The aircraft has joined a fleet of several Dauphin helicopters already based in Abidjan, performing a wide range of missions including offshore transport, VIP services and medical evacuations. The H145 arrived in early 2025 after a five-day ferry flight. Piloting the aircraft were two pilots trained at Kopter Safety in Finland. IAS now has five H145-qualified pilots.

Cost effective, efficient and ready to fly

Alexandra Rotaru, Commercial Director, highlights that “ENI’s choice of this helicopter was notably driven by its lower carbon footprint compared to competitor aircraft. The H145 is qualified to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and it’s also more cost-effective to operate, more efficient and requires less maintenance. In short, it offers superior competitiveness.” 

Its primary mission involves transport to offshore energy platforms, located only about 50 NM from the coast. This relative proximity allows the H145 to be utilised to its maximum capacity, carrying two pilots and eight passengers, plus their luggage. When required, the helicopter can be fitted with a winch or stretcher for the medical evacuation of pre-stabilised patients. It is, of course, instrument flight rules (IFR) certified and capable of operating in all weather conditions.

An undeniable success

“Our aircraft is operational six days a week, performing one to four rotations daily,” says Hugues Moreau. “Flights are made to production platforms, facilities for exploratory drilling and supply vessels. In total, hundreds of people rely on the helicopter’s mobility day and night.” And that’s how the H145, with its maintenance covered by a pay by the hour (PBH) contract with Airbus Helicopters, accumulates 50 to 80 flight hours each month. The success is undeniable. Having proven itself in Ivory Coast, the H145 would readily prove useful in any other geographical area. “Certainly, we acquired it to honour the contract with ENI, but we’d have no difficulty redeploying it elsewhere within our operations,” explains Alexandra Rotaru. This observation perfectly aligns with IAS’s ambitions, which extend far beyond Ivory Coast, aiming for gradual expansion across the entirety of West Africa. “One of our objectives for the coming months is to introduce a second H145 into the region,” acknowledges Hugues Moreau.

*A quick clarification: There’s IAS the group (International Aircraft Services), which comprises various companies operating helicopters and/or fixed-wing aircraft. Then there’s IAS the company, a part of the eponymous group, which has been operating in Ivory Coast since 2002.