Rotorcraft Leasing Company

What Rotorcraft Leasing Company does

Rotorcraft Leasing Company (RLC) is a Broussard, Louisiana-based helicopter operator founded in 1990 that provides offshore personnel and equipment transportation services to oil and gas producers and energy services providers operating in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The company operates a standardized fleet of Sikorsky S76, Bell 407, and Bell 206 L4 helicopters from six bases across three states, supported by an extensive ground infrastructure including a network of nearly 50 refueling stations (42 of which are in the Gulf of Mexico), a 10,000+ square-foot parts department holding over $30 million in inventory, and an FAA Approved Repair Station. RLC holds factory-authorized service certifications from Bell (Bell Fleet Service Center), Rolls-Royce (Fleet Operator), and Garmin (Service Center), enabling in-house maintenance, engine, component, avionics, sheet metal, composite, paint, and NDT capabilities. The company's technology stack includes satellite-based flight following, RigNet/AutoComm satellite connectivity, BlueSky real-time aircraft tracking, a three-tiered integrated aviation weather system, CASS trend analysis, and engine vibration spectrum analysis, all operating under a Safety Management System modeled after FAA Advisory Circular 120-92B.

RLC is FAA-certified under FAR 135 to operate helicopter charters and leases and is described as the largest privately-held helicopter operator in the Gulf of Mexico. Revenue is generated through charter and lease contracts with enterprise energy customers under an enterprise field sales motion; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The company employs approximately 200 people, including 85+ FAA-licensed pilots averaging six years and ~5,000 flight hours each, and 100+ FAA-certified A&P technicians averaging 12 years of hands-on experience. Leadership includes CEO Dru Milke (appointed 2021, formerly of Offshore Logistics where he scaled revenue from under $100M to over $600M) and CFO Joan McCarthy, alongside multiple senior executives recruited from Bristow Group in 2023. RLC secured $45.5 million in financing from Salus Capital Partners in May 2013 and earned HAI's 2011 Operator Safety Award for 115,000+ accident-free flight hours.

Name

Rotorcraft Leasing Company

Legal name

Rotorcraft Leasing Company LLC

Website

https://www.rlcllc.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Rotorcraft Leasing Company (RLC) is the largest privately-held helicopter operator in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, providing FAR 135 offshore personnel and equipment transport to oil and gas producers and energy services providers via a standardized Bell/Sikorsky fleet, six operating bases, 42 fuel stations, and an FAA-approved integrated maintenance infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Offshore Helicopter Services

NAICS

Commercial Air, Rail, and Water Transportation Equipment Rental and Leasing (532411), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Services-Equipment Rental & Leasing, Nec (7359)

akta.pro primary industry

Helicopter Crew Change & Offshore Passenger Transfers (Oil & Gas / Wind) (TLAFACAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Offshore Passenger Transport (Oil & Gas Crew Transfer) (THABAGAF), On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services (THABAGAB), Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters) (EUALABAJ), Crew & Offshore / Oil & Gas Personnel Charter Operators (THABADAI)

Keywords

• Offshore helicopter charter
• Helicopter leasing services
• Offshore aviation services
• Helicopter maintenance repair
• Oil and gas logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Broussard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Helicopter Charter and Lease Services: RLC provides offshore helicopter transportation services (personnel and equipment transport to offshore production platforms and drilling rigs) under FAR 135 certification. Revenue is generated through charter and lease contracts with energy services providers and oil and gas producers, likely through a combination of fixed contractual rates and hourly/flight-time billing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Core offering

Rotorcraft Leasing Company provides offshore helicopter charter and lease services under FAA FAR 135 certification to energy services providers and oil and gas producers, transporting personnel and equipment to offshore production platforms and drilling rigs across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The company operates a standardized Bell and Sikorsky fleet out of six bases spanning three states and supports these operations with an FAA Approved Repair Station, Bell Fleet Service Center, Rolls-Royce Fleet Operator and Garmin Service Center authorizations, satellite-based flight tracking, and a network of approximately 50 refueling stations.

Product overview

RLC operates as a helicopter transportation and leasing company serving the offshore oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico. The company offers a unified portfolio of helicopter fleet services centered on three aircraft types (Sikorsky S76, Bell 407, Bell 206 L4) configured for offshore operations, supported by comprehensive infrastructure including in-house FAA-approved maintenance/repair station capabilities, satellite-based flight tracking, a network of 50 fuel stations, and extensive pilot and maintenance training programs. RLC holds operator certifications from Bell, Rolls-Royce, and Garmin, providing integrated factory-authorized service support alongside core transportation services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Offshore Helicopter Charter and Lease Services FAA FAR 135-certified offshore helicopter charter and lease transportation of personnel and equipment to oil and gas production platforms and drilling rigs across the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, delivered to enterprise energy services providers and oil and gas producers via six strategically positioned bases across three states.
• FAA Approved Repair Station Services FAA Approved full-service helicopter maintenance and overhaul capabilities including parts, engine, component, sheet metal and composite, paint prep and paint, hose and line, battery, hydraulics, calibration, avionics and wiring, hangar assembly, and NDT services, delivered under a 10,000+ sq ft parts department with over $30 million in inventory stock.
• Satellite-Based Flight Following and Tracking System Web-based flight tracking service delivering near real-time visual and data reporting on each helicopter via onboard satellite tracking, RigNet/AutoComm satellite connectivity, and BlueSky mapping displayed on LCD monitors at dispatch centers.
• Offshore Fuel Services Network Network of nearly 50 refueling stations (42 in the Gulf of Mexico) using epoxy-lined tanks, stainless piping, floating suction pickup, and multi-stage coalescer and separator filtration to support continuous offshore helicopter operations in compliance with ATA and NFPA safety requirements.
• Pilot Training Program FAA-approved in-house pilot training program including initial computer-based and ground school training, simulator training, and recurrent annual training, supporting RLC's standard Bell and Sikorsky fleet operations.
• Maintenance Training Program Maintenance training program for Bell 206, Bell 407, and Sikorsky S-76 aircraft, including initial 10-day training, recurring 12-month training, and specialized courses supporting RLC's FAA Approved Repair Station workforce.

Quantifiable outcome

• 115,000+ accident-free flight hours in 2011, earning HAI's 2011 Operator Safety Award
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature8 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Bristow Group: Bristow Group is the largest publicly-traded helicopter operator serving offshore oil & gas globally, including a major U.S. Gulf of Mexico operation. Multiple RLC executives and directors were recruited from Bristow, and both companies compete head-to-head for offshore crew transfer contracts with the same IOC and oilfield services customers.
• PHI Aviation: PHI Aviation is one of the largest helicopter operators in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, providing offshore crew transport and aerial services to oil & gas producers. Like RLC, PHI operates a Bell-heavy fleet in the Gulf with significant maintenance infrastructure, making it the most direct head-to-head competitor for RLC's primary market.
• CHC Helicopter: CHC Helicopter is a global helicopter operator with a large offshore energy services business, including operations in the Gulf of Mexico. The company competes with RLC for offshore crew transport contracts and shares similar customer profiles among IOC and NOC operators, though CHC is more geographically diversified.
• Milestone Aviation Group: Milestone Aviation Group is a leading helicopter leasing company that supplies aircraft to offshore energy operators worldwide. While Milestone is purely a lessor and RLC operates its own fleet, both companies compete for helicopter-related commercial relationships with offshore operators and represent the two business-model variants (operator vs. lessor) in the same market.
• Era Helicopters (legacy): Era Helicopters (now part of Bristow Group following the 2020 acquisition) was historically one of the largest helicopter operators in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, with a Bell and Sikorsky fleet serving offshore oil & gas. Era's Gulf operations remain a direct competitor to RLC under Bristow's ownership.

Broad incumbents

• Babcock International: Babcock International is a large diversified industrial services group with a significant offshore helicopter and aviation services division serving energy customers globally. While broader in scope than RLC, Babcock's offshore aviation business competes for similar large IOC framework agreements and provides a comparable vertically integrated offering of flight, maintenance, and training.
• Heli-One: Heli-One is a major helicopter maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) provider serving offshore energy operators with component and airframe services. RLC's in-house Bell Fleet Service Center competes indirectly with Heli-One's third-party MRO offering to the same customer base.

Emerging players

• Air Center Helicopters: Air Center Helicopters is a smaller Gulf of Mexico-based helicopter operator and Bell service center providing offshore crew transport. It competes with RLC at the smaller-contract and regional end of the Gulf helicopter market.

Others

• Bell Textron: Bell Textron is the manufacturer of the Bell 407 and Bell 206 helicopters that make up the bulk of RLC's fleet. As RLC's Bell Fleet Service Center certification partner, Bell is both a supplier and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor, but its product roadmap and pricing shape RLC's cost structure and renewal options.
• Helicopter Association International (HAI): HAI is the principal global trade association for the helicopter industry and the issuer of RLC's 2011 Operator Safety Award. As an industry consortium, HAI does not compete commercially but its standards, training frameworks, and policy advocacy shape the operating environment for offshore helicopter operators including RLC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rotorcraft-leasing-company
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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 Rotorcraft Leasing Company