Leading helicopter engine manufacturer Turbomeca (Safran) and Milestone Aviation Group, the global leader in helicopter leasing, announced today at Heli-Expo a first-of-its-kind partnership, offering unique services to Milestone customers while expanding Turbomeca’s customer base.

A culmination of efforts announced last year to develop novel engine support solutions and services for Milestone’s lease customers around the world, the partnership includes the launch of a unique Support by the Hour (SBH®) program. This groundbreaking program provides Milestone customers with significant added value and unique benefits —including a novel approach that leverages the company’s fleet size to the benefit of all customers. This program will allow Milestone’s lessees to better control maintenance costs and maximize the availability of covered aircraft.

“We are excited to announce this strategically important collaboration with Milestone,” said Olivier Andries, Chairman and CEO of Turbomeca. “This is the kind of inventive, mutually beneficial program that Milestone presents for us with lessees and operators. This partnership represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our customer base through Milestone’s market-leading global lease portfolio of Turbomeca-powered helicopters.”

“With this announcement, Milestone breaks new ground by partnering with Turbomeca to offer these unique benefits to our customers,” said Richard Santulli, Chairman of Milestone Aviation Group. “By leveraging the operating experience of the Milestone team, we are able to offer our customers innovative support solutions that add value and benefit to their business.”

Turbomeca will manage this global support partnership using Turbomeca’s international network of its support sites and numerous Certified Maintenance Centers, thus offering a global solution with local interface for Milestone’s customers.

Milestone Aviation Group is the first global aircraft leasing company exclusively focused on helicopters. Milestone’s global aircraft leasing platform addresses the liquidity needs of a transforming marketplace through 100% operating lease financing. Since launching in August 2010, Milestone has leased more than 75 aircraft valued at more than $1 billion with 21 operators in 20 countries. The company has placed future firm orders and secured options valued at more than $2.2 billion. Further information is available at www.milestoneaviation.com.

Turbomeca (Safran) is the leading helicopter engine manufacturer, and has produced 70,000 turbines based on its own designs since the company was founded. Offering the widest range of engines in the world and dedicated to 2,500 customers in 155 countries, Turbomeca provides a proximity service thanks to its 17 sites, 28 Certified Maintenance Centers, 18 Repair & Overhaul Centers, and 90 Field representatives and Field technicians. Microturbo, the subsidiary of Turbomeca, is the European leader in turbojet engines for missiles, drones and auxiliary power units.