Avincis

What Avincis does

Avincis is Europe's largest aerial emergency services provider, operating a diversified fleet of 180 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing aircraft — including 22 Canadair waterbombers — across Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland. The company delivers three integrated service lines: aerial wildfire suppression (waterbombing and Super Scooper operations primarily in Iberia), helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operating from 10 bases in Sweden with missions including patient transfers to Visby Hospital and Karolinska University Hospital, and offshore wind helicopter services serving wind farm operators such as Vattenfall and Siemens Gamesa. Avincis employs between 5,001 and 10,000 people and is headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, with the firmographic record indicating Madrid as a corporate location.

The business operates on a managed-services and government-contract revenue model. Revenue is generated through long-term service agreements with European government agencies for firefighting and emergency medical work, plus enterprise contracts in the offshore wind vertical. Customer concentration is tilted toward public-sector buyers (Spanish and Portuguese firefighting authorities, Swedish healthcare system). Capacity is flexed through aircraft leasing arrangements — notably a July 2026 lease with Bridger Aerospace for two CL-215T Super Scoopers deployed in Portugal through mid-October 2026 — allowing peak-season augmentation without permanent fleet expansion.

Strategically, Avincis is in an offensive expansion phase. The September 2025 acquisition of Denmark-based KN Helicopters marked entry into the offshore wind sector and added four Airbus helicopters to the fleet. Operational intensity has grown sharply: flight hours in Spain and Portugal in 2026 more than doubled the same-period 2025 figure, coinciding with record European wildfire destruction (1.03 million hectares burned in the EU in 2025). CEO John Boag has publicly positioned Avincis to address the continent's structural shortage of firefighting aircraft and pilots, framing the EU's €600M DHC-515 procurement program (deliveries 2027-2030) as validation of a growing addressable market.

Name

Avincis

Legal name

Avincis

Website

https://avincisgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Avincis is Europe's largest aerial emergency services provider, operating 180 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing aircraft to deliver wildfire suppression, helicopter emergency medical services, and offshore wind support across Portugal, Spain, and the Nordics under government and enterprise contracts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aerial Emergency Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (48121), Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Passenger Services (TLAFAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD)

Keywords

• Aerial emergency services
• Helicopter emergency medical
• Aerial firefighting services
• Offshore wind transport
• Search rescue aviation

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Aerial Firefighting Services: Provides aerial firefighting capabilities including waterbombers and helicopters for wildfire suppression. Operates 180 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing aircraft globally, including 22 Canadair waterbombers. Revenue generated through government contracts and service agreements with firefighting agencies.
2. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS): Provides helicopter emergency medical services including critical patient transfers and emergency response. Avincis Sweden operates 13 aircraft across 10 bases serving hospitals including Visby Hospital and Karolinska University Hospital.
3. Offshore Wind Helicopter Services: Provides helicopter transportation and support services for offshore wind farms. Expanded into this sector through acquisition of KN Helicopters, maintaining existing contracts with wind farm operators.
4. Aircraft Leasing and Deployment: Leases specialized aircraft (Super Scoopers) to augment firefighting capacity during peak wildfire seasons. Aircraft under contract through specific periods (e.g., mid-October 2026 for Portugal operations).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Avincis provides aerial emergency and mission aviation services across Europe using a fleet of approximately 180 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing aircraft. Its services include aerial firefighting, Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS), search and rescue, and helicopter transport for offshore wind crews, delivered to government agencies (firefighting/health ministries in Spain, Portugal, Sweden) and to energy-sector corporates such as Vattenfall and Siemens Gamesa.

Product overview

Avincis is Europe's largest aerial emergency services provider operating a diversified fleet of 180 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing aircraft. The company offers three main service lines: Aerial Wildfire Suppression using Canadair waterbombers and Super Scooper aircraft for firefighting operations across Spain and Portugal; Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) in Sweden with H145 aircraft; and Offshore Wind Helicopter Services acquired through KN Helicopters for wind farm support operations in Denmark. The product portfolio connects through shared aviation infrastructure and operational expertise across emergency services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aerial Firefighting Services Helicopter-based aerial firefighting operations (water/retardant drops) delivered to national and regional governments — explicitly referenced for Spain and Portugal — for wildfire suppression and civil protection campaigns.
• Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Helicopter-based emergency medical transport services delivering rapid patient transport and pre-hospital care, provided to public-sector healthcare authorities — explicitly referenced for Sweden.
• Offshore Wind Helicopter Services Helicopter crew transfer and personnel transport services for offshore wind installations, delivered to energy-sector corporate customers such as Vattenfall and Siemens Gamesa.
• Search and Rescue (SAR) Services Helicopter-based search and rescue operations delivered across European countries, leveraging hoists, winches and mission-trained crews for emergency response.
• KN Helicopters Operations (acquired) KN Helicopters, a subsidiary of Avincis acquired in September 2025, extends the group's European helicopter services footprint.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,000+ flight hours in Spain and Portugal in 2026 (more than double same period in 2025)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bridger AerospacecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2026Avincis and Bridger Aerospace announced a lease agreement placing Bridger's two Super Scooper aircraft (CL-215T) into active wildfire suppression operations in Portugal. The aircraft are under contract through mid-October 2026 and will operate under Avincis's management during one of Europe's most demanding wildfire seasons. This partnership marks Bridger Aerospace's first revenue-generating operations in Europe.
• VattenfallminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2026Vattenfall is a wind farm operator that was a customer of KN Helicopters prior to Avincis' acquisition. KN Helicopters provided offshore helicopter services to Vattenfall's wind projects since 2016 under contract.
• Siemens GamesaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2026Siemens Gamesa is a wind turbine manufacturer and operator that was a customer of KN Helicopters prior to Avincis' acquisition. KN Helicopters provided offshore helicopter services under contract to Siemens Gamesa wind projects.
• KN HelicopterscoreOthers · 25 September 2025Avincis acquired Denmark-based KN Helicopters to enter the offshore wind sector. KN Helicopters has provided helicopter services to wind industry since 2016, holding contracts with Vattenfall and Siemens Gamesa. The acquisition adds three Airbus H135 and one Airbus H145 to Avincis' fleet and expands its Nordic footprint. KN's co-founder and CEO Niels Peter Kjeldahl continues to lead the business following the transaction.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Bristow Group: Bristow Group is a leading global helicopter services provider operating across offshore energy, government services, and search-and-rescue — directly comparable to Avincis's diversified helicopter service portfolio (firefighting/HEMS/offshore wind).
• Heli-Union: Heli-Union is a France-based helicopter operator providing aerial work, firefighting, and external load services across Europe, directly competing with Avincis in European aerial firefighting and utility helicopter missions.
• PHI Aviation: PHI Aviation operates a global helicopter fleet serving offshore energy, air medical, and government services, directly comparable to Avincis's HEMS and offshore wind helicopter service lines.
• Falcon Aviation Services: Falcon Aviation provides helicopter services including offshore and emergency response across the Middle East and parts of Europe, comparable to Avincis in offering diversified mission-critical aerial services to governments and enterprises.
• HeliService International: HeliService International is a German helicopter operator focused on offshore wind crew transport in the North Sea, directly comparable to Avincis's KN Helicopters-acquired offshore wind service line.

Broad incumbents

• Babcock International: Babcock operates an Aviation sector with mission-critical aerial services including aerial emergency response and training, overlapping with Avincis's firefighting and HEMS lines, but as part of a much broader defense, marine, and nuclear portfolio.

Regional players

• Helitrans (Avincis historic relationship): Helitrans is an Iberian-based helicopter operator historically linked to the Avincis/Inaer group, providing aerial work and emergency services primarily in Spain and Portugal — a regional comparable to Avincis's core Southern European firefighting business.
• Norwegian Air Ambulance: Norwegian Air Ambulance operates helicopter emergency medical services across Norway on long-term government contracts, comparable to Avincis Sweden's HEMS operations and a logical Nordic market adjacency.
• Air Methods: Air Methods is the largest U.S. air medical transport operator, comparable in business model to Avincis's HEMS operations but operating exclusively in the U.S. market.

Others

• De Havilland Canada (DHC manufacturer): De Havilland Canada manufactures the DHC-515 firefighting aircraft being procured under the EU's €600M program. As the OEM of the primary waterbomber used in Avincis's fleet, it is an enabling/adjacent participant rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avincis-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avincis