KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - 9 March 2023 Weststar Aviation Services Sdn. Bhd. (“WASSB”),
the largest offshore helicopter service provider in Southeast Asia is pleased to announce its new
strategic partnership with Helicopter & Cooperation SAS (“H&C”) to expand the global reach of
its European affiliate, Weststar NDD Srl (“WNDD”). H&C is a joint venture between two prominent
aviation companies, Paris-based Avico Group, and African-headquartered Westair Aviation.
Under the terms of the agreement, H&C will hold a controlling equity interest, while Weststar
Aviation Services will continue as partner in Weststar NDD Srl’s development with no changes to
the management of WNDD and its EASA structure.
By leveraging on all parties’ collective knowledge and expertise, the partnership aims to broaden
the range of services and strengthen Weststar NDD Srl's market position in Europe and Africa. The
focus will be on providing mission-critical services to WNDD's current and prospective clients in
the oil & gas industry, search and rescue, and EMS sectors across these regions. With a strong
emphasis on complying with local content regulations and delivering best-in-class aviation
services, this partnership is well-positioned to capitalize on the significant growth opportunities
in the industry and create new synergies with fixed-wing aircraft operations to serve better
customer needs.
Avico Group is based in France, with 26 years of experience in air transport services, including wet
leases and charter flight brokerage, travel agency, ground handling, training, and asset
management services, through various companies and commercial brands. Operating in 11
countries across Europe, America, and Africa, the Group has also established strong partnerships
in the Middle East and Asia.
Westair Aviation has a long-standing history, having begun operations in 1967 as an aircraft
maintenance facility. With a large and diverse fleet of aircraft, Westair Aviation is a leading fixedwing and rotary-wing aviation service provider operating across the African continent. Westair
offers scheduled passenger services under the FlyNamibia brand, as well as aircraft charter, air
cargo, ACMI, and medical evacuation services, catering to the diverse needs of its customers.
"We are delighted to welcome H&C to WNDD. Their extensive experience in the aviation industry
will be invaluable to the continued growth and success of WNDD. The partnership will also enable
WNDD to strengthen its presence in the European and African offshore helicopter services
market, which is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. We are optimistic that with
Avico and Westair's established client base and access to exceptional growth prospects in these
regions, we can capture a significant share of this growing market." said Tan Sri Dr. Syed Azman
Syed Ibrahim, the founder, and chairman of WASSB.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with Weststar Aviation Services to expand WNDD's presence in
Europe and Africa. At H&C SAS, we pride ourselves on delivering unparalleled services and
exceeding our clients' expectations. We believe that our partnership will be a win-win for both
parties, as we work together to unlock new opportunities and drive growth in the aviation sector.
We are excited to embark on this journey, and we look forward to many years of successful
collaboration with Weststar Aviation Services." Said Gustav Holz, managing director of Westair
Aviation.
“This new partnership we are creating with Weststar and Westair will bring a real added value to
customers of our three groups: dedicated helicopter and airplane solutions can be deployed with
the best safety and quality standards, thanks to the expertise and commitment of our joined
teams” added Mourad Majoul, the founder and chairman of Avico Group.
Weststar NDD Srl was formed in 2019, to undertake WASSB’s business activities in Europe and
Africa. WNDD flies now a fleet of 9 Leonardo AW139, AW169, and AW189 helicopters as well as
a team of skilled pilots and engineers to facilitate its activities in both regions. The organization
boasts an overall staff count of 104 members dedicated to its operations, mainly based in
Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Gabon, Namibia, and Mauritania for the moment.
About Weststar Aviation Services
Weststar Aviation Services is a prominent global provider of offshore helicopter services. With
operations spanning across multiple countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, Timor Leste,
Equatorial Guinea, Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Mauritania, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
Weststar has established itself as a trusted partner to major players in the oil and gas sector.
For more information, visit www.weststar-aviation.aero.
Press inquiries can be directed to Fairul Ramzi at
fairul.ramzi@weststar-aviation.aero
About Helicopter & Cooperation SAS
Helicopter & Cooperation is a joint venture of Westair Aviation and Avico Group
About Avico Group
Avico Group is a French group, founded in 1996. It has developed a full set of integrated services
for the air transport and tourism industry: aircraft chartering and wet leasing, travel agency,
general sale agent for schedule, charter carriers and zero gravity flights, airlines in Malta and
Senegal (Privajet, Arc en Ciel Airlines), aircraft cleaning (Ladybird), ground handling IT (Airgos),
training (Safe Flight Academy, Butterfly Training), aircraft financial and technical management
(Avico Asset Management, Regio Lease), flight operations (AeroGate), UAV (Pen Aviation),
consultancy (Avico Aero Consulting).
For more information, visit www.avico-group.com.
Press inquiries can be directed to Gilles Gompertz at
gilles@avico.com
Westair Aviation
Westair Aviation is an Africa-based provider of tailored fixed-wing and helicopter services. With
operations spanning across multiple countries in Africa, including Namibia, Mozambique, Angola,
South Africa, Senegal, Mali, and Mauritius. Westair focuses on providing reliable services that
complies with the highest safety and quality standards in the industry. With a diverse fleet of
aircraft, Westair offers medical evacuation services(medicalrescueafrica.com), ACMI Leasing and
charter services, cargo flights, aviation training (signaaviation.com) VIP travel solutions, aircraft
maintenance, and helicopter services across the African continent.
For more information, visit www.westair.com.na.
Press inquiries can be directed to Susan du Toit at
secretary@westair.com.na