What HELIFIRST does

HELIFIRST is a privately-held French helicopter airline founded in 2000 and headquartered at Pontoise aerodrome (LFPT) in Cormeilles-en-Vexin, France. The company operates a fleet of three twin-turbine helicopter types — the Airbus AS355N (5-seat, 220 km/h, 500 km range), the Leonardo Agusta A109 (5-6 VIP leather seats, 230 km/h, 650 km range, night/IFR capable), and the Leonardo Agusta AW139 (9-seat, 270 km/h, 700 km range, full VFR/IFR) — and provides both VIP passenger charter and professional aerial work services. The company holds French Civil Aviation Authority certifications (Public Transport Certificate FR.AOC.0104, Airworthiness Management Approval FR.MG.0179, and aerial work agreements FR.SPO.0194/FR.DEC.0194 under EASA/AIROPS) authorizing commercial operations across France, Europe, and worldwide. Its principal operating base is Pontoise aerodrome, complemented by a dedicated VIP terminal at the Paris heliport for passenger handling.

HELIFIRST generates revenue through two principal streams: on-demand VIP helicopter charter (transaction-fee pricing by flight time, aircraft, and customization) and project-based aerial work (aerial photography, videography, infrastructure inspection, and live broadcasting using specialized gyro-stabilized camera systems including CINEFLEX, WESCAM, SHOTOVER, and NOSE MOUNT equipment, plus an 80-megapixel oblique photography system integrated with SnapMap GIS software). The customer base spans four segments: corporate/business travelers (primary), high-net-worth individuals seeking leisure and luxury experiences, media and film production companies, and infrastructure/utility operators. The company bundles its charter service with luxury hospitality partnerships — notably Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa, Bourgogne Gold Tour, and a referral network of partner hotels near Pontoise — to sell curated destination experiences (Champagne, Burgundy, Loire Valley, Mont-Saint-Michel, Normandy landings, London, Geneva, Brussels, Luxembourg). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

The business model is sales-led enterprise field sales, with direct booking via the company website (helifirst.fr), phone, and email, supplemented by relationship-based account management for corporate clients and recurring aerial work contracts. Digital marketing presence including Facebook, Instagram, X, LinkedIn, and a video content library serves top-of-funnel brand awareness. As a private, family-style operator with no disclosed headcount, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no parent company, the company fits the profile of a small, mature, long-tenured European VIP aviation specialist focused on operational excellence and regulatory compliance rather than rapid scaling.

Name

HELIFIRST

Legal name

HELIFIRST

Website

https://helifirst.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HELIFIRST is a French helicopter airline founded in 2000, operating twin-turbine VIP charter and aerial work services (filming, photography, infrastructure inspection) from Pontoise aerodrome, serving corporate executives, high-net-worth individuals, media producers, and infrastructure operators across France and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

VIP Helicopter Charter Services

NAICS

Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

On-Demand/Charter Helicopter Passenger Services (THABAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

VIP/Executive Helicopter Transport (THABAGAH), Helicopter Event & VIP Transport Services (TLAFACAG)

Keywords

• VIP helicopter charter
• Corporate helicopter transport
• Aerial work services
• Helicopter sightseeing tours
• Helicopter airport transfers

Headquarters

HQ city

Cormeilles-en-Vexin (Pontoise Aerodrome)

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. VIP Charter Helicopter Services: HELIFIRST generates revenue through on-demand helicopter charter services for corporate VIP travel, sightseeing tours, and special events. Services include flights from Paris heliport to destinations across France and Europe, with pricing based on flight time, aircraft type, and service customization level.
2. Aerial Work Services: Professional aerial photography, videography, and survey services for infrastructure monitoring, environmental assessments, and media production. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts with specialized equipment configurations for high-resolution imaging.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HELIFIRST is a French helicopter airline operating a fleet of twin-turbine Airbus and Leonardo Agusta helicopters from Pontoise aerodrome, providing on-demand VIP charter flights for corporate business travel, custom sightseeing tours across France and Europe, airport transfers to Roissy CDG and Le Bourget, and specialized aerial work services including gyro-stabilized aerial filming, 80 MP oblique photography and GIS-based infrastructure surveillance. The company serves corporate clients, high-net-worth individuals, media/film producers and infrastructure operators, with bookings handled directly via phone, email, website and its dedicated VIP terminal at Paris heliport.

Product overview

HELIFIRST is a helicopter airline company based at Pontoise aerodrome, specializing in corporate VIP air travel and aerial work services for over twenty years. The company operates a fleet of three helicopter types: the Airbus ECUREUIL AS 355N (5-seat, twin turbine), the Leonardo AGUSTA A109 (5-6 VIP seats, twin turbine), and the Leonardo AGUSTA AW139 (9-seat, twin turbine). Core services include corporate business travel, custom sightseeing flights to European destinations (French chateaux, Paris landmarks, European cities), aerial work operations (filming, photography, inspections, live broadcasting), and airport transfers. The company holds French and European aviation certifications including Public Transport Certificate (FR.AOC.0104), airworthiness management approval (FR.MG.0179), and aerial work agreements (FR.SPO.0194/FR.DEC.0194).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 700km range on AW139 aircraft enabling inter-city European flights
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bourgogne Gold TourcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Bourgogne Gold Tour for customized helicopter wine tours of the Burgundy region. The collaboration combines helicopter transport with local expertise from guide Youri Lebault for wine tasting experiences, gastronomy, and vineyard visits in one of the world's finest wine regions.
• Royal Champagne Hôtel & SpacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa for helicopter arrivals to the Champagne region. Passengers land at the foot of the luxury spa hotel overlooking the vineyards, with access to Michelin-starred dining, wine tasting, and spa facilities.
• TROLL ScrlminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Belgian company TROLL Scrl for aerial infrastructure monitoring services. TROLL provides contact management for gas pipeline and network surveillance projects using HELIFIRST's aerial photography capabilities.
• Partner Hotels NetworkminorOthersNetwork of recommended hotels within 15 minutes of Pontoise aerodrome including Le Sainte-Jeanne, Manoir de Brégançon, Château de l'Hermitage, Mercure Cergy, Ibis Cergy-Pontoise, and B&B Hotel Cergy Port for customer accommodation needs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Bristow Group: Global helicopter services major with European VIP and offshore operations; competes at the high end of European corporate and offshore transport with a much larger, diversified fleet.
• Héli-Union: Established French helicopter group spanning offshore, EMS, and corporate services; overlaps with HELIFIRST on VIP and aerial work but operates at significantly broader scale.

Direct peers

• Groupe SAF (Héliberté): Long-standing French helicopter group providing passenger charter, work and training services; competes with HELIFIRST for French VIP and corporate accounts and shares a similar regulatory footprint.
• Heli Riviera: French Riviera-based VIP helicopter charter; comparable premium positioning and twin-engine fleet targeting HNW and corporate clients across France.
• Mont-Blanc Hélicoptères: French Alpine helicopter operator running VIP, tourism and aerial work flights; comparable twin-engine fleet and high-end customer experience similar to HELIFIRST's offering.
• Halo Aviation: UK-based executive helicopter charter serving London and corporate accounts; competes for the same Greater London business travel demand referenced in HELIFIRST's geographies.
• Air Glaciers: Swiss helicopter operator with VIP charter, tourism and aerial work; directly comparable in service mix and Swiss/French cross-border charter demand that HELIFIRST also targets from Geneva.
• Hélitrans: French helicopter company providing on-demand charter, corporate and tourism flights; competes head-to-head for European VIP and inter-city traffic.
• Heliconia: French helicopter operator offering charter, VIP transport and aerial work from bases near Paris; directly comparable in geography, customer base (corporate/HNW), and service mix to HELIFIRST.

Regional players

• Swiss Helicopter: Swiss helicopter charter and tourism operator; comparable services and fleet but primarily serves Switzerland, intersecting HELIFIRST only on cross-border Geneva routes.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HelifirstParis
• Facebookfacebook.com/helifirst23
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helifirstparis
• Instagraminstagram.com/helifirst

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 HELIFIRST