Vostok Aviation Company, part of UTair Group, has put its first AS350 B3 helicopter (manufactured by Airbus Helicopters, ex-Eurocopter) into operation, UTair’s press-service reports.

"The rotorcraft has performed its first revenue flight from Khabarovsk to Komsomolsk-on-Amur on behalf of Russia’s largest oil and gas company. AS350 is also performing demonstration flights in order to attract customers from the energy sector. In particular, the helicopter performed a demonstration flight from Khabarovsk to Vladivostok demonstrating its advantages to Vostok’s partners. The potential customers have highly appreciated high level of comfort, wide field of view and low noise level", - the company said.

The carrier plans to use AS350 for VIP passenger transportation, surveillance, oil and gas pipelines inspection. Vostok also plans to establish cooperation with tour operators offering helicopter tours around the Khabarovsk Territory. Six pilots and 8 technicians and engineers from Vostok Aviation Company have passed re-training at UTair Training Center (Tyumen, Russia). Four engineers were being trained at Airbus Helicopters and Turbomeca training centers (France), the press-service added.

“Vostok Aviation Company was established in 1993 in Khabarovsk. Its major areas of activity are: passenger transportation in the Far Eastern Federal District, shift-based transportation to hard-to-reach areas of the Khabarovsk Territory, missions performed on behalf of oil and gas companies, search-and-rescue operations. Vostok Aviation operates Аn-28 and Аn-38-100 aircraft as well as Mi-8 Family helicopters, and has vast experience in carrying out work in Far East and other regions of the world.  Vostok Aviation’s core activities in foreign countries are connected with supporting UN peacekeeping operations in Iraq, Mali, Congo and Haiti. Vostok Aviation Company joined UTair Group in 2011”, - UTair reminded.