Helitours

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Helitours
හෙලිටුවර්ස්
ஹெலிதுவர்ச்

IATA ICAO Callsign HLT HELITOURS
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 dominates the RML-TRR-JAF route on a thrice-weekly basis on their Chinese-built Xian MA60 aircraft. The company slogan is Discover Serendipity.

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.

However, in 2009 upon cessation of hostilities, the air force restarted Helitours' operations. During the civil war, the air force provided civil air transport to Jaffna, but this was not considered to be a Helitours operation.

Destinations[]

Helitours MI-17 preparing to land.

Helitours is set to resume its flights to Ibrahim Nasir International Airport in Malé in the near future using Xian MA-60 aircraft

City	Country	IATA	ICAO	Airport	Refs
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	Ibrahim Nasir 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[]

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Fleet history[]

Notes[]

References[]

External links[]

• Helitours

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