Airbus Super Puma: Power and precision for Airtelis

Airtelis deploys its Super Puma fleet for diverse public service operations, ranging from emergency response during natural disasters and wildfires to critical infrastructure reconstruction.

Aerial work has become an essential component of these vital missions. Airtelis, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Réseau de Transport Electrique (RTE), France’s electricity transmission network operator, perfectly illustrates this reality, especially for its firefighting tasks. Airtelis’ Super Puma asset intervenes around the clock to put out wildfires alongside the Sécurité Civile, France’s civil security agency, and the Ministry of Interior. Stéphane Lucchini, a helicopter pilot at Airtelis on the H225, was deployed to help extinguish a massive blaze that hit Les Pennes-Mirabeau and Marseille in the southeast of France in July 2025. 

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Mon, 03/02/2026 - 13:15

The Airbus H225 in action battling the fires as they encroached upon Marseille

During the deployment, the rotorcraft flew with a 30-metre sling and a 4,500-litre water bucket. “When we arrived on the scene at around 12pm, the fire had already entered the city, which means operational conditions were very demanding to make sure everyone could be evacuated and avoid the smoke. The operation took 8 to 9 hours, in coordination with the aerial and ground teams, who did a fantastic job. Overall, we dropped around 500,000 litres of water.” The region’s rugged terrain and high winds made the job particularly challenging. Lucchini recalls: “We had to be extremely careful in identifying the power lines so we could drop the water between the wires without hitting them. That was really the major challenge of that fire.” The endurance of aerial platforms is vital during a fire, as the time spent refuelling allows the fire to reactivate and spread. 

The Super Puma’s range and performance make it the perfect partner. “The H225 is particularly well-suited for this type of scenario. It’s a fabulous machine, as it’s very powerful. We also benefit from high-precision automation features, which actively help reduce our workload,” Lucchini shares.

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Mon, 03/02/2026 - 13:12

The Airbus H225 battling the fires with a water bucket

Versatility in disaster relief

The platform’s ability to operate across various profiles for public services and security also makes it an asset of choice when it comes to disaster relief deployments. “These are tasks that obviously have enormous meaning and allow us to put our expertise, our resources and our aircraft at the service of the French State,” says Laurent Giolitti. The helicopter’s versatility was recently showcased during a critical emergency mission after a cyclone hit La Réunion in March 2025. Airtelis dispatched a Super Puma to restore the island’s power infrastructure. “The urgency was to restore the network to guarantee the island’s electricity supply,” recounts Giolitti. The H225 and teams were quickly transported from Marignane, demonstrating Airtelis’ ability to deploy whenever required and get to work quickly. “We operated at La Réunion for six weeks, and it was the first time we were bringing our Super Puma so far away on an actual assignment; it was a truly memorable moment,” says Giolitti. 

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Mon, 03/02/2026 - 13:34

Airtelis performing utility operation with their H225 Super Puma

Over the course of the work, Airtelis delivered the equivalent of six containers to the island to provide temporary access to a power source. These kinds of high-precision operations on transmission lines are exactly why Airtelis chose the Super Puma for its fleet. Giolitti explains: “Airtelis’ main operational requirements are related to electrical networks, and that’s where a ‘flying crane’ is the most useful, to save time and intervene in hard-to-reach areas.” The Super Puma offers a distinct advantage on complex worksites, with its lifting capacity as a key performance factor—up to four and a half tonnes. Giolitti concludes: “Successfully coordinating the ground and aerial teams’ efforts on the power grid is a highly specialised task, and the Super Puma keeps rising to the challenge.”

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Mon, 03/02/2026 - 13:21

Airtelis performs precise utility operation with Airbus H225