Helitours

Helitours
හෙලිටුවර්ස්
ஹெலிதுவர்ச்
Founded	1979
Hubs	Ratmalana Airport; Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport;
Fleet size	16
Destinations	13
Headquarters	Colombo, Sri Lanka
Key people	Rasanga de Zoysa
Website	www.helitours.lk

Helitours is a domestic airline in Sri Lanka operated by the Sri Lanka Air Force with aircraft not required for military use. It is currently the second-largest airline in Sri Lanka with a fleet of 16 aircraft behind Sri Lankan Airlines' 23. The airline once ran a RML-TRR-JAF route on a thrice-weekly basis on their Chinese-built Xian MA60 aircraft. The company slogan is Discover Serendipity. In May 2018, Helitours flights were suspended due to regulatory concerns.^[1] As of November 2023, Helitours is not operating any scheduled services.^[2]

History

Helitours' air service was started in 1972 on the initiative of Air Chief Marshal Deshamanya Paddy Mendis to cater to the tourist industry. By the end of 1972 Helitours was flying to Malé as well. In 1973 a Convair 440 was purchased second hand from Eastern Airlines, to boost Helitours' operations between Ceylon and the Maldives.

In the early 1980s operations first slowed, then stopped due to operational requirements emerging from the onset of the Sri Lankan civil war. During the civil war, the air force provided civil air transport to Jaffna, but this was not considered to be a Helitours operation. However, in 2009 upon cessation of hostilities, the air force restarted Helitours' operations. In 2022, it was reported that Helitours had been skirting Sri Lankan civil aviation insurance requirements by operating scheduled passenger services under military callsigns. Ending this practice, the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka gave certificates of airworthiness to some of the airline's aircraft. However, commercial operations would not restart until insurance was purchased.^[3] As of November 2023, neither scheduled services nor civilian transport on military fights are available.

Destinations

Helitours MI-17 preparing to land.

All flights are suspended as of November 2023.

^[H]	Primary Hub
^‡	Secondary hub
^[F]	Future destination
^[T]	Terminated destination

City	Country	IATA	ICAO	Airport
Ampara	Sri Lanka	GOY	VCCG	Ampara Airport
Anuradhapura	Sri Lanka	ACJ	VCCA	Anuradhapura Airport
Batticaloa	Sri Lanka	BTC	VCCB	Batticaloa Airport
Colombo	Sri Lanka	RML	VCCC	Ratmalana Airport^[H]
Hambantota	Sri Lanka	HRI	VCRI	Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport^‡
Jaffna	Sri Lanka	JAF	VCCJ	Jaffna Airport
Killinochchi	Sri Lanka	-	-	Iranamadu Airport
Malé	Maldives	MLE	VRMM	Velana International Airport^[T]
Trincomalee	Sri Lanka	TRR	VCCT	China Bay Airport
Vavuniya	Sri Lanka	-	VCCV	Vavuniya Airport
Hambantota	Sri Lanka	WRZ	VCCW	Weerawila Airport
Koggala	Sri Lanka	KCT	VCCK	Koggala Airport

Fleet

**Helitours fleet**
Aircraft	Total	Passengers (Economy)
Bell 412	2	10
Bell 212	2	10
Bell 206 JetRanger	2	4
Harbin Y-12	4	17
Mil Mi-17	3	24
Xian MA60	2^[4]	47
Antonov AN-32	1	45
Total	16

Fleet history

**Helitours Retired Fleet**
Aircraft	Introduced	Retired
Bell 206	-	-
Convair 440	1973	1980
De Havilland DH.104 Dove	-	-
Douglas DC-3	-	-

Notes

References

^ "Helitours off the radar since May 2". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
^ "::: Welcome to Helitours LK :::". www.helitours.lk. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
^ "Helitours finally fulfills conditions to get air operator certificate". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.
^ "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 32.

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[1] "Helitours off the radar since May 2". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.

[2] "::: Welcome to Helitours LK :::". www.helitours.lk. Retrieved 2023-10-31.

[3] "Helitours finally fulfills conditions to get air operator certificate". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 2023-10-31.

[4] "Global Airline Guide 2016 (Part Two)". Airliner World (November 2016): 32.

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