SAF Groupe

What SAF Groupe does

SAF Groupe (rebranded SAF AérogroFup in 2022) is a France-headquartered, privately held helicopter services group founded in 1979 as "Secours Aérien Français" by Roland Fraissinet. It operates a 43-aircraft fleet — including Airbus EC135/H135, AW109 Trekker, EC145 C2, H145 D3, AS350/H125, and SA332/H215/H225 Super Puma airframes — across four service lines: emergency medical services (HeliSMUR/SAMU) from 18 French and 2 Belgian hospital bases; exclusive private-operator mountain rescue under the Savoie Prefecture plan; light and heavy aerial works (lifting, forestry, telecom, network surveillance, avalanche triggering); and wildfire suppression under a multi-year Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile contract committing up to 10 aircraft, deployable across the EU via the European Civil Protection Reserve. The company also operates urban aerial lifting projects and event medical support through dedicated direct-sales contacts.

The business model blends contracted, recurring government revenue (public EMS procurement, multi-year civil protection contract, Prefecture mountain rescue plan) with fee-for-service aerial works billed per mission. SAF is the only French EMS operator holding DGAC SPA/IFR, SPA/NVIS, and SPA/HHO certifications, is the sole private operator in the Savoie mountain rescue framework, was the Airbus H145 D3 launch customer (first aircraft operational July 2021), and operates 40% of France's 54 SAMU heliportée bases as of December 2022. The group runs roughly 30 operational bases, flies 17,000+ hours annually, and transports 20,000+ patients per year. Following the 2017 entry of Oaktree Capital Management as majority shareholder (with Bpifrance as minority co-investor), SAF has pursued a roll-up strategy: Helicap (2006) seeded the French EMS franchise; Helilagon (2016) added Indian Ocean exposure; SAF International (Switzerland, 2014) anchors heavy Super Puma operations; SAF Hélicoptères Belgium (2021) replicated French EMS; and the Starlite Aviation acquisition (December 2021) extended the group into Africa and the Middle East, contributing the H215 "Majuba" airframe that reinforced the 2023 firefighting fleet.

Name

SAF Groupe

Legal name

SAF Hélicoptères

Website

https://saf-helico.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SAF Groupe (SAF AérogroFup) is a France-based, Oaktree-backed helicopter services group operating a 43-aircraft fleet across French and Belgian EMS (HeliSMUR), exclusive Savoie mountain rescue, light and heavy aerial works, urban lifting, and multi-year wildfire suppression for the French government.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Services (EMS, Mountain Rescue, Aerial Works)

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Ambulance Services (621910)

SIC

Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Passenger Services (TLAFAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD), Helicopter Public-Sector Passenger Transport (Law Enforcement/Fire/Coast Guard – Non-Rescue Transit) (TLAFACAJ)

Keywords

• Helicopter EMS services
• Aerial lifting operations
• Mountain rescue aviation
• Wildfire aerial firefighting
• Helicopter fleet operations

Headquarters

HQ city

Albertville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Public EMS / HeliSMUR Contracts: Recurring government-funded contracts with French hospitals (SAMU) and Belgian medical associations via public procurement. SAF provides 18 heliportée EMS bases in France and 2 in Belgium, operating medicalized twin-engine helicopters 24/7. Revenue is contracted, recurring, and tied to multi-year service agreements. In December 2022, France had 54 SAMU bases, of which 40% were operated by SAF Hélicoptères.
2. Mountain Rescue Operations: Seasonal mountain rescue services provided to the Savoie Prefecture (73), serving 42 municipalities during the 5-month winter season from Courchevel base. Operates 2 EC145-C2 helicopters with winch and crew; unique private operator integrated into state mountain rescue plan.
3. Wildfire Fighting Contracts: Multi-year contract with the French government committing up to 10 light and heavy aircraft for forest fire fighting across France. Can also deploy to European member states via the European Civil Protection Reserve programme. Revenue is contract-based, recurring, and government-funded.
4. Aerial Works (Light and Heavy Lifting): Fee-for-service aerial work including light lifting (up to 1,200 kg with H125), heavy lifting (up to 4,500 kg with H215 Super Puma), urban lifting, fire fighting, avalanche triggering, network surveillance, and aerial photography. Billed per mission or project. Clients include construction firms, energy companies, telecom operators, and public utilities.
5. Urban Aerial Work Projects: Turnkey urban helicopter lifting projects including rooftop HVAC installation, stadium lighting mast erection, bridge/footbridge installation, pylon erection, and maritime beacon replacement. Quoted per project; SAF provides full administrative and operational preparation. Commercial contact: Xavier Decroux.
6. Medical Event Support: Customized medical helicopter support for sporting events (Ski World Cup, 24h du Mans, Tour de France, mountain trails, etc.). Billed per event or contracted in advance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SAF Groupe operates helicopter-based services across four primary lines: (1) EMS and mountain rescue (HeliSMUR) from 20 bases in France and Belgium under public procurement contracts with hospital SAMU systems and government civil protection authorities; (2) Aerial Works for light lifting (H125 up to 1,200 kg) and heavy lifting (Super Puma up to 4,500 kg) for construction, telecom, energy, and infrastructure clients; (3) Urban Aerial Works including rooftop HVAC, stadium lighting mast, and footbridge installations; and (4) heavy transport and firefighting reinforcement via Swiss subsidiary SAF International. The group operates 43 helicopters across approximately 30 bases, with exclusive DGAC certifications for all-weather, night-vision, and hoist-based EMS operations.

Product overview

SAF Héropolitères is a helicopter services company operating under SAF AEROGROUP that provides four core service lines: EMS – Mountain Rescue (SAMU) for emergency medical evacuations and mountain rescue from 20 bases, Aerial Works for light and heavy lifting operations, Aerial Work in Urban Environments for specialized urban lifting projects, and SAF International for heavy transport through its Swiss subsidiary. The company operates a fleet of 43 helicopters including AS350/H125 Ecureuil (light aerial work), EC135/H135 and AW109 Trekker (EMS), EC145 C2 and H145 D3 (EMS and mountain rescue), and SA332/H215/H225 Super Puma (heavy lifting). Services are delivered through approximately 30 operational bases across France, Switzerland, and Belgium, with 210 employees and 17,000 flight hours annually.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAF International: Subsidiary specialising in heavy transport helicopter operations, operating Super Puma AS332C1 'Helena' and H215 'Majuba'.
• X-Aero Training Academy
• Aérosupport Force

Products and services

• EMS \u2013 Mountain Rescue (HeliSMUR / SAMU) 24/7 medicalized helicopter transport and mountain rescue services including emergency evacuations, inter-hospital transfers, neonatal transport in incubators, night operations with NVIS/NVG, IFR operations, winching rescue, primary accident response, and medical support for sporting events (Ski World Cup, 24h du Mans, Tour de France, mountain trail races). Operates twin-engine medically-equipped helicopters from 20 bases (18 in France, 2 in Belgium) for public hospital SAMU systems under multi-year procurement contracts.
• Aerial Works (Light and Heavy Lifting)

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of France's 54 SAMU heliportée bases operated by SAF as of December 2022
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers23 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• X-Aero Training Academy (formerly SAF Training Academy)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Founded in 2007 as SAF Training Academy, restructured in 2022 as X-Aero Training Academy. Provides simulator and practical flight training for SAF Group crews and external clients. Uses flight simulators to reduce carbon footprint while maintaining training standards.
• Aérosupport Force (formerly SAF Industrie)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Founded in 1990 as SAF Industries (Albertville), restructured in 2022 as Aérosupport Force. Provides maintenance, logistics, and aeronautical support services to the group and external clients.
• Starlite AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2021South African company Starlite Aviation was acquired by SAF in December 2021, marking a major external growth operation. Starlite operates across Africa and the Middle East and contributed a South African H215 (Majuba) to reinforce SAF's firefighting fleet in 2023.
• Direction Générale de la Sécurité Civile (DGSC) - European Civil Protection ReservecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2021SAF operates under a multi-year contract with the French DGSC for wildfire fighting (up to 10 aircraft) and participates in the European Civil Protection Reserve programme, enabling deployment to all EU member states during cross-border emergencies.
• SAF Hélicoptères BelgiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Founded in 2021, SAF Hélicoptères Belgium operates 2 EMS bases serving Belgian hospital associations, expanding SAF's SAMU operations beyond France into Belgium.
• HelilagonminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Acquired in 2016, Helilagon operates in the Indian Ocean region, extending SAF's geographic footprint to Madagascar, Réunion, Mauritius, and surrounding territories.
• SAF International (Switzerland)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Founded in 2014 in Switzerland, SAF International specializes in heavy helicopter transport operations. Operates the Super Puma SA332C1 'Helena' with its distinctive orange nose and the South African H215 'Majuba' for firefighting reinforcement.
• HelicapcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2006Acquired in 2006, Helicap was a French EMS helicopter operator. This acquisition established SAF's dominant position in the French SAMU market and was a founding transaction of what became SAF Groupe.
• PGHM (Peloton de Gendarmerie de Haute Montagne)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with France's elite mountain police unit (PGHM) for coordinated mountain rescue operations from Courchevel. SAF crews work alongside PGHM rescuers during winter season operations for 42 Savoie municipalities.
• CRS Alpes (Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CRS Alpes, France's mountain police service, for joint mountain rescue operations from Courchevel base. SAF's EC145-C2 helicopters carry CRS Alpine rescuers alongside SAMU doctors for slope rescue missions.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Air Methods Corporation: Largest US air medical transport company operating a large helicopter EMS fleet; relevant comparable for SAF's SAMU operations, with similar hospital-based contract model but US-centric geographic focus.
• REGA (Swiss Air-Rescue Rega): Swiss non-profit air rescue organization providing helicopter EMS and mountain rescue; highly relevant comparable given geographic proximity, alpine terrain focus, and mountain rescue heritage overlapping with SAF's Savoie operations.
• DRF Luftrettung: German air rescue helicopter operator running 30+ EMS bases across Germany and Austria; direct functional peer for SAF's public EMS model but operating in a different national market.

Broad incumbents

• Bristow Group: Global helicopter services company providing offshore transport, SAR, and government services; large-scale incumbent with comparable service lines (EMS, SAR, utility/energy) operating from a much larger global fleet base.
• PHI Aviation: US-based helicopter services group with offshore, air medical, and aerial work segments; broad incumbent operating a similar multi-segment helicopter services model as SAF but at larger US-centric scale.
• CHC Helicopter: Global helicopter services operator serving offshore, SAR, and EMS markets across multiple regions; broad incumbent serving the same end markets as SAF but at significantly larger scale and geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Heli-Union: French private helicopter operator providing EMS, oil & gas, and aerial works, competing directly with SAF for French public service contracts and enterprise aerial lifting projects.
• Babcock International (Babcock MCS France): Global helicopter and aerospace services company with a French operation (Babcock MCS France) that provides EMS, SAR, and aerial works, directly competing with SAF for French public helicopter tenders.
• NHV Group (Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen): Belgium-headquartered helicopter operator providing EMS, SAR, and offshore transport; directly comparable given SAF's Belgium EMS bases and overlapping European EMS/government market.
• Sécurité Civile (French Ministry of Interior): French state-owned civil protection agency that operates 60% of France's 54 SAMU helicopter bases, directly competing with SAF's 40% share and running parallel wildfire and rescue operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saf-helicopteres

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about SAF Groupe