What Airtelis does

Airtelis is a French specialist helicopter services company headquartered in Avignon, France, and wholly-owned by RTE (Réseau de Transport d'Électricité), France's electricity transmission system operator. Formally incorporated in 2011, Airtelis commercialized 60+ years of in-house helicopter operations expertise developed within RTE's Helicopter Works Department (STH), making that capability available to external electricity transmission operators, government agencies, and industrial clients. The company operates a diversified Airbus fleet (AS350 B3, H135, H145, H215, H225) from a distributed base network spanning Avignon, Le Luc, Carcassonne, and Jonzac.

Airtelis delivers six integrated product lines: (1) aerial work and expertise on power grid infrastructure including heli-basket live-line operations, foundation construction, cable unwinding up to 6km in a single operation, heavy load lifting up to 4.5 tonnes, and multi-sensor inspection (infrared, UV, LIDAR, visual); (2) EASA PART M and PART 145 accredited industrial helicopter maintenance at its Avignon airport facility; (3) leasing of helicopters in operational condition; (4) emergency response covering wildfire firefighting, nuclear rapid-action force (FARN) support for EDF, and disaster relief; (5) Airtelis Connect, a joint venture with OYA Vendée Hélicoptères providing offshore wind farm crew transfer, hoisting, and parts lifting in French and European waters; and (6) island transportation. Its Super Puma EC225 holds Class C certification — the only such certification in Europe for heavy cable-pulling and load-lifting interventions.

Airtelis generates revenue through project-based, quote-driven professional services contracts and helicopter leasing. Its customer base spans four industries: state-owned electricity transmission (parent RTE and equivalents), government civil security (French Ministry of Interior/DGSCGC, EDF/FARN), defense (French Air Force H225 lease at 750+ flight hours per year), and offshore renewable energy developers. GTM is sales-led, enterprise-field-sales, executed through a small commercial team and direct client engagement; the company operates primarily in France with emerging international reach (first overseas deployment to La Réunion in March 2025). No external funding or venture capital is involved, and Airtelis operates as an SAS with €10M capital.

Name

Airtelis

Legal name

Airtelis

Website

https://airtelis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Airtelis is a French helicopter services specialist, wholly-owned by RTE, providing heavy-lift aerial work for power grids, firefighting, nuclear emergency response, helicopter leasing, maintenance, and offshore wind farm support across France and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Helicopter Aerial Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Air Transportation (4812), Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219), Other Support Activities for Air Transportation (488190)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Helicopter Crew Change & Offshore Passenger Transfers (Oil & Gas / Wind) (TLAFACAH), On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services (THABAGAB)

Keywords

• Helicopter aerial services
• Power line construction
• Heavy-lift operations
• Aerial firefighting
• Offshore wind support

Headquarters

HQ city

Montfavet

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Government Emergency Response Contracts: Airtelis generates revenue through multi-year contracts with the French Ministry of Interior (DGSCGC) for wildfire firefighting, mobilizing up to 10 aircraft for 4-month campaigns. Also holds the FARN (Nuclear Rapid Action Force) contract with EDF Group, providing heavy-lift helicopter support for nuclear site emergencies. These are government-procured service contracts.
2. Helicopter Lease in Operational Condition: Airtelis rents out helicopters (Super Puma H225, H215, AS350 B3) in operational condition to clients. Services can include full maintenance, fuel, and airworthiness management. Example: currently renting an H225 to the French Air Force for over 750 flight hours per year. Revenue is derived from leasing aircraft on long-term or campaign-based contracts.
3. Aerial Work Services on Power Grid Infrastructure: Core business revenue from helicopter-based services for electrical grid operators: foundation construction for aerial power lines, power line inspection, heli-basket operations, cable stringing/unwinding, and heavy load lifting. Services are project-based and tailored to each client. Originally developed within RTE and now offered to external clients across France, Europe, and internationally.
4. Industrial Helicopter Maintenance Services: Airtelis provides PART M and PART 145 certified helicopter maintenance services from its Avignon airport facility, serving its own fleet and potentially third-party operators. Maintenance services include checks, visits, and airworthiness management.
5. Airtelis Connect — Offshore Wind Farm Services: Through the Airtelis Connect joint venture with OYA Vendée Hélicoptères, Airtelis provides offshore wind farm helicopter services (crew transfer, hoisting, parts lifting) to renewable energy developers. Unique offering in France positioning Airtelis as a key player in offshore wind farm construction and maintenance.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Airtelis provides specialized helicopter-based aerial services for power grid infrastructure (inspection, heli-basket live-line work, cable stringing, heavy load lifting, foundation construction), industrial helicopter maintenance under EASA PART M/PART 145, helicopter leasing, emergency response (wildfire firefighting and nuclear rapid action), and offshore wind farm crew transfer and logistics through its Airtelis Connect joint venture. The company operates a diversified Airbus fleet from its Avignon base and serves electricity transmission operators, government agencies, defense, and renewable energy developers across France, Europe, and internationally.

Product overview

Airtelis is a specialist helicopter services company offering six integrated product lines: Aerial Work & Expertise on Power Grids (including power line inspection, heli-basket operations, cable unwinding, heavy load lifting, and foundation construction), Industrial Maintenance of Helicopters (PART M/PART 145 accredited), Lease of Helicopters in Operational Condition, Emergency Response (firefighting and FARN nuclear support), Airtelis Connect for Offshore Windfarms (crew transfer, hoisting, and parts lifting), and Island Transportation. The company operates a versatile fleet of Airbus helicopters (AS350 B3, H135, H215, H225, H145) from its Avignon headquarters, serving clients throughout France, Europe, and internationally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Airtelis Connect: Offshore windfarm support services including crew transfer, helicopter hoisting, and lifting parts for offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Products and services

• Aerial Work & Expertise on Power Grids (Travaux & Expertise sur les infrastructures électriques) Core helicopter services for power grid infrastructure including power line inspection (visual, infrared, UV, LIDAR), cable stringing, heavy load lifting, foundation construction, and heli-basket live-line work. Targeted at electricity transmission and distribution operators.
• Heli-Basket Operations (Travaux nacelle) Helicopter-suspended work platforms enabling technicians to work on live electrical cables with high safety and optimum ergonomics, including live-line work without electrical shutdown. Up to 4 line workers can be carried under Super Puma helicopters.
• Foundation Construction for Aerial Grid Lines (Construction de fondation de ligne électrique aérienne) Air transport for electrical works including pylon foundation construction using helicopter-delivered drilling equipment, concrete, and specialized H-Pylons designed for helicopter assembly/disassembly. Airtelis constructs approximately 200 pylons per year.
• Power Line Inspection (Surveillance de ligne) Year-round power line monitoring using visual inspection, infrared, UV, or LIDAR technologies, with anomaly data catalogued in proprietary databases for preventive maintenance. Can be conducted by helicopter or drone.
• Cable Unwinding (Déroulage de câble) Cable laying operations using steel wires (13-18mm diameter) unwound up to 6km in a single operation, including fiber optic cables, performed by Super Puma EC225 helicopters with 4.5-ton lifting capacity.
• Heavy Load Lifting Operations (Travaux de levage) Heavy load lifting using Super Puma EC225 helicopters certified Class C for extended operations, capable of lifting suspended loads up to 4.5 tons in difficult-access zones.
• Industrial Helicopter Maintenance (Maintenance Industrielle d'Hélicoptères) Aeronautical maintenance services accredited under PART M and PART 145 (validated by DGAC/EASA), providing tailored helicopter maintenance with facilities at Avignon airport for own fleet and third-party operators.
• Helicopter Leasing in Operational Condition (Location d'Hélicoptères en condition opérationnelle) Helicopter leasing services including Super Puma (H225 & H215) and other models with optional maintenance and fuel, serving training flights and land operations. Includes full maintenance contracts (e.g., H225 to French Air Force for 750+ flight hours/year).
• Emergency Response (Interventions d'Urgence) Emergency response services including wildfire firefighting with Super Puma helicopters (up to 10 aircraft deployed under DGSCGC contract mobilizing 4-month campaigns), disaster relief, and FARN (Nuclear Rapid Action Force) support with precision lifting capabilities for EDF nuclear sites.
• Airtelis Connect (Offshore Windfarm Services) Offshore wind farm helicopter services including crew transfer to platforms and turbines, helicopter hoisting for technician deployment, and lifting parts up to 4 tonnes, using H145 D3 and EC135 T2 helicopters. Operated as a joint venture with OYA Vendée Hélicoptères. Unique offering in France for offshore wind farm support.
• Island Transportation (Transport insulaire) Island transportation services for accessing remote locations, complementing the helicopter fleet's versatility across different operational needs including deployment to overseas territories such as La Réunion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces power circuit shutdown from 4 days to a few hours during cable stringing operations
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OYA Vendée HélicoptèrescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAirtelis and OYA Vendée Hélicoptères co-created the 'Airtelis Connect' group dedicated to offshore wind farm helicopter services. OYA Vendée Héliptères acts as the operational helicopter operator within the joint venture, while Airtelis provides its expertise and commercial reach in helicopter services. Airtelis Connect is positioned as a unique offering in France for offshore wind farm support.
• Airbus HelicopterscoreTechnology or IntegrationAirbus Helicopters is Airtelis's primary aircraft manufacturer. Airtelis operates a fleet of Airbus helicopters including AS350 B3, H135, H215, H225, and H145 models. Airbus Helicopters provides fleet support, parts, and technical integration for Airtelis's operations.
• SAS POLE AIRminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSAS POLE AIR is listed as a partner, likely providing aviation-related services or acting as a channel partner for certain helicopter operations.
• Brittany AviationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBrittany Aviation (also shown as 'BA' logo) is listed as a partner, likely providing aviation services or operational collaboration within the French market.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• HBG Group (Helicopteres de Bourgogne): French helicopter operator providing aerial work, firefighting, and power line services. Direct peer competing with Airtelis in French helicopter-based power grid construction and emergency response contracts.
• NHV (Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen): Belgian helicopter operator specializing in offshore crew transfer and wind farm logistics in the North Sea. Directly comparable to Airtelis Connect in offshore wind helicopter services and a potential cross-Channel competitor as European offshore wind scales.
• SAF Helicopteres: French helicopter operator specializing in aerial work, firefighting, and industrial helicopter services. Direct competitor across Airtelis's core power line, emergency response, and government contract segments; also a listed Airtelis partner.
• Heli-Union: French helicopter operator providing aerial work, maintenance, and crew transfer services including offshore and power line operations. Closest direct competitor to Airtelis in the French industrial helicopter services market, with overlapping capabilities in heavy-lift and energy-sector contracts.

Others

• Eurocopter (now Airbus Helicopters): OEM manufacturer of Airtelis's helicopter fleet (AS350, H135, H145, H215, H225). Not a competitor but a critical strategic partner and ecosystem participant — provides fleet support, parts, and technical integration that shapes Airtelis's operational capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Bristow Group: Global leader in offshore helicopter services including offshore wind crew transfer and search-and-rescue. Significantly larger and more diversified than Airtelis Connect, with international scale that could compete for larger European offshore wind contracts as they scale.
• Babcock International: Multinational aerospace and defense company providing helicopter services including offshore crew transfer, emergency response, and aerial work across Europe and globally. A broad incumbent competitor with overlapping capabilities to Airtelis's energy and emergency segments.
• CHC Helicopter: Global helicopter operator serving offshore energy, search-and-rescue, and government customers. Comparable to Airtelis in offshore wind crew transfer and government/defense contracting, with materially larger fleet and international footprint.

Emerging players

• Cyberhawk: Drone-based inspection services for power lines, oil & gas, and industrial infrastructure. Emerging competitor to Airtelis's power line inspection segment, with UAV-mounted IR, UV, and LIDAR capabilities threatening the helicopter inspection portion of Airtelis's business.

Regional players

• Helitrans (Swiss Helicopter): Swiss helicopter operator providing heavy-lift and aerial work services across Switzerland and adjacent European markets. Comparable capabilities to Airtelis in heavy-lift operations and power line work, but operating in a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCFsM6_7HgM26rMquXUcUdIw
• LinkedInfr.linkedin.com/company/airtelis

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Airtelis