AviationNews – Milestone Aviation Group has finalized the sale of three heavy-lift Airbus H225 helicopters to Austrian operator Kitz-Air GmbH to support specialized aerial firefighting and utility missions across Europe and South America.
The transaction establishes an initial customer partnership between Dublin-based Milestone—an AerCap subsidiary—and Kitz-Air, which took delivery of the rotorcraft in July 2026. Under the agreement, European specialist Global Helicopter Services will perform the necessary structural modifications and cabin conversions to equip the aircraft for intensive wildland fire suppression. This fleet expansion enables Kitz-Air to bolster its dedicated special-mission capabilities during increasingly intense wildfire seasons worldwide.
As the flagship heavy-twin model of the Super Puma family, the Airbus H225 delivers exceptional payload capacity, long endurance, and high stability in extreme alpine and turbulent conditions. The twin-turbine aircraft carries extensive water and retardant loads via belly tanks or underslung bambi buckets while retaining sufficient power margins to operate at high altitudes and elevated ambient temperatures. These performance characteristics make the heavy platform ideal for rapid-response containment drops on remote, difficult-to-reach terrain.
“This acquisition represents an important step in our long-term vision to expand Kitz-Air’s heavy-helicopter fleet and build reliable aerial firefighting capacity,” stated Christoph Klein, Chief Executive Officer of Kitz-Air. “The H225’s outstanding payload, range, and proven versatility make it the right platform for demanding missions, enabling us to support communities when they need us most.”
With severe seasonal blazes putting sustained pressure on emergency response organizations, the deployment of these converted heavy helicopters will bridge critical capacity gaps in regional firefighting fleets. Public agencies and private forestry organizations seeking dependable aerial suppression assets can integrate these specialized heavy-lift capabilities as conversion work finishes ahead of upcoming fire cycles.
The delivery of three Airbus H225s positions Kitz-Air as a premier multi-regional provider of specialized heavy aerial support. By transitioning robust transport platforms into dedicated emergency-response assets, the Austrian operator and Milestone Aviation reinforce global readiness against escalating climate risks.
