Aviamarket gets a new owner

Russia’s NDV Group, which owns the helicopter centre Heliport Moscow, announced in late April that it was purchasing Aviamarket, one of Russia’s largest dealers in Robinson helicopters based in Bunkovo, Moscow region. NDV Group’s managing director Alexander Khrustalev says the purchase cost his business upwards of 500 million roubles (about $14 million). Aviamarket will now be rebranded as Heliport Istra, and will become Heliport Moscow’s primary aircraft maintenance facility. A new hangar to be built in Bunkovo in the next two years will be used as a line maintenance station, including for Eurocopter and Bell helicopters.

Aviamarket to date has delivered around 50% of all Robinsons operated in Russia. Between 85 and 100 helicopters are currently based at the Bunkovo heliport, which shares the grounds with a servicing center for 200 rotorcraft, dealership offices and a training center. Aviamarket also offers charter helicopter services.

Khrustalev says Heliport is planning to develop helicopter tourism and build a flying school in Moscow Region. NDV Group has already purchased several Robinson R44s and R66s for the Heliport Istra aviation club and found a place to keep one of its two Eurocopter EC130T2s. Heliport Istra will also continue as a Robinson dealership. Khrustalev says the gas-turbine R66 is currently the most popular Robinson model in Russia. Heliport Moscow has sold 10 helicopters since the beginning of this year: several Robinson R66s and R44s, as well as two Bell-407s.