What Mountain Air Helicopters does

Mountain Air Helicopters, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned US utility helicopter services provider founded in November 2002 and operationally established January 2, 2003 by Dwight and Marina Jones. Headquartered at Mid Valley Airport in Los Lunas, New Mexico, the company operates a fleet of 8 helicopters — 6 Eurocopter AS350B3/B3e A-Stars, 1 Aerospatiale SA315B Lama, and 1 Hughes/MD-500D — plus a Cessna 414A fixed-wing support aircraft used for crew transport and 24/7 AOG parts delivery. It is FAA-certified as an Air Carrier under Part 135 (passenger), Part 137 (agricultural), and Part 133 (external load) and operates to HAI Platinum Program standards; the company is also VetBiz-verified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

The company delivers specialized high-altitude and external load missions under multiple FAA certifications, with documented capabilities including hover performance above 12,000 feet, external load capacity up to 3,035 lbs on the AS350B3, and a service ceiling of 29,000 ft on the Lama. Service offerings span aerial firefighting, aerial sling and construction, power line patrol and distribution pole setting, aerial seeding, concrete pouring, seismic exploration, heliportable drill setting, avalanche control, wildlife services, bale bombing, aerial survey, charter, and aerial film/photography. The operation is supported by 8 full-time FAA-certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanics — each also DOT-certified for hazmat refueling duties — making in-house field maintenance a core delivery capability rather than an outsourced function.

Mountain Air generates revenue through project-based contracts priced by flight hours, equipment, duration, and mission complexity across three customer segments: federal and state government organizations (fire, wildlife, avalanche, infrastructure), commercial companies (utility construction, seismic, exploration), and private individuals (charter, aerial photography/film). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; engagement cadence includes multi-year contracts with 24/7/365 on-call availability. Distribution is direct via field sales, website lead capture, and 24/7 phone booking. Geographic scope is centered on New Mexico with broader regional US reach.

Name

Mountain Air Helicopters

Legal name

Mountain Air Helicopters, Inc.

Website

https://mtnairheli.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mountain Air Helicopters is a privately held, SDVOSB-verified FAA Part 135/137/133 utility helicopter operator based in Los Lunas, New Mexico. It runs an 8-helicopter fleet specialized in high-altitude and external load missions for federal/state government, commercial, and private customers across the US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Lunas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Contract Helicopter Services: Contracting professional flight and ground support services to private individuals, commercial companies, and government organizations. Services include on-demand passenger operations under Part 135, agricultural operations under Part 137, and external load operations under Part 133. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts for specific helicopter operations.
2. Field Support Services: Provides field service truck with fuel trailer for on-site helicopter refueling, long line sling gear, licensed helicopter mechanics for equipment installation, and ground crew support as part of comprehensive service offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Mountain Air Helicopters provides FAA-certified utility helicopter services under Part 135 (on-demand passenger), Part 137 (agricultural), and Part 133 (external load) operating certificates. The company operates a fleet of 8 high-altitude capable helicopters — Eurocopter AS350B3/B3e A-Stars, Aerospatiale SA315B Lama, and Hughes/MD-500D — to deliver aerial firefighting, sling construction, power line patrol, aerial seeding, seismic exploration, concrete pouring, heliportable drill setting, wildlife services, avalanche control, government contracting, charter, and aerial photography services to commercial, government, and private customers.

Product overview

Mountain Air Helicopters is a utility helicopter services provider operating a fleet of 8 helicopters — 1 Aerospatiale SA315B Lama, 1 Hughes MD-500 D, and 6 Eurocopter AS350 A-Star helicopters (4 AS350B3 and 2 AS350B3e) — from its base at Mid Valley Airport in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Services are offered under three FAA certifications (Part 135 passenger, Part 137 agricultural, Part 133 external load) and include aerial firefighting, aerial sling/construction work, power line patrol and distribution pole setting, aerial seeding, concrete pouring, seismic exploration, heliportable drill setting, avalanche control, wildlife services, bale bombing, aerial survey, aerial photography/filming, government contracting, and charter. A Cessna 414A support aircraft provides crew transport and AOG parts delivery. The company specializes in high-altitude external load operations and is VetBiz-verified as a service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Eurocopter AS350B3/B3e A-Star Helicopter (fleet and charter) Five-passenger high-altitude utility helicopter powered by a FADEC-controlled Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine (847 shp), capable of cruise speeds up to 125 kts and external loads up to 3,035 lbs. Mountain Air operates 4 AS350B3 and 2 AS350B3e aircraft, used as the primary fleet for utility, firefighting, sling, and charter missions.
• Aerospatiale SA315B Lama Helicopter (fleet and charter) Four-passenger high-altitude helicopter with an 870 shp engine, designed for hot-and-high operations with an external load capacity of 2,700 lbs and service ceiling of 29,000 ft. Mountain Air operates 1 Lama as a backbone aircraft for the highest-altitude external load missions where other helicopters cannot perform.
• Hughes/MD-500D Helicopter (fleet and charter) Compact four-passenger light helicopter offering cruise speeds of 120 kts and external load capacity of 850 lbs. Used as a smaller complement to the A-Star for moving crews and supplies to remote locations. Mountain Air operates 1 Hughes 500D.
• Aerial Firefighting Services Aerial firefighting helicopter operations including bucket work and wildland fire support for federal, state, and commercial customers. Conducted under FAA Part 137 agricultural operations certification.
• External Load and Aerial Sling Services External load helicopter operations including aerial sling construction, concrete pouring, heliportable drill setting, and distribution pole setting for power line construction. Conducted under FAA Part 133 External Load certification.
• Seismic Exploration and Survey Helicopter Services Helicopter support for seismic exploration operations including core drill setting, aerial surveys, and supporting exploration crews in remote terrain.
• Power Line Patrol and Construction Helicopter Services Helicopter services for power line patrol, distribution pole setting, and aerial mulching and seeding for utility and infrastructure customers.
• Government Helicopter Contracting Services Helicopter services contracted to federal and state government agencies including firefighting, wildlife services, avalanche control, and aerial survey. Mountain Air is VetBiz-verified as a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).
• Helicopter Charter and Aerial Photography/Filming Services On-demand passenger charter and aerial movie, film, and photography helicopter services for private individuals and small production companies. Conducted under FAA Part 135 on-demand passenger certification.
• 24/7 AOG Field Support and Logistics Services Round-the-clock Aircraft on Ground (AOG) parts and logistics support from home base, including field service truck with fuel trailer for on-site helicopter refueling, long line sling gear, licensed helicopter mechanics for equipment installation, ground crew support, and a dedicated Cessna 414A airplane for parts delivery and crew transport.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hover performance above 12,000 feet
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bristow Group: Largest US-based helicopter operator providing utility, SAR, and government aviation services, including fire fighting and external load work—directly comparable to Mountain Air across mission categories despite much larger scale.
• PHI Helicopters: US-headquartered helicopter services company with FAA-certified passenger, utility, and external load operations serving energy and government customers—a comparable multi-FAA-certification operator with similar mission mix.
• Columbia Helicopters: Specialized heavy-lift and external load helicopter operator with significant firefighting and government contract work—directly comparable to Mountain Air's Part 133 external load and aerial firefighting services.
• PJ Helicopters: Western US utility helicopter operator providing fire, power line, and external load services under FAA Part 133—a scale and mission profile that closely mirrors Mountain Air's regional utility work.
• Carson Helicopters: Specialized external load and utility helicopter operator with experience in power line, construction, and aerial work—comparable to Mountain Air's Part 133 external load mission profile.
• Quatern Helicopters: Canadian utility helicopter operator focused on high-altitude and external load work for industrial, government, and resource customers—directly comparable to Mountain Air's specialized high-altitude capability.
• Mountain View Helicopters: Regional Western US helicopter charter and utility services operator with overlapping Part 135 charter and external load work—comparable in scale, fleet size, and customer mix to Mountain Air.
• Helicopter Express: US helicopter services operator providing utility, fire, and external load operations under FAA certifications—directly comparable mission profile to Mountain Air's utility and government contract work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Mtnairheli

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Mountain Air Helicopters