Helicol
Encyclopedia
Helicol is a helicopter operator based at El Dorado International Airport
in Bogotá
, Colombia
. It is a subsidiary airline
of Avianca
.
's Avianca
.
HELICÓPTEROS NACIONALES DE COLOMBIA S.A., HELICOL.
Helicol was founded on 3 July 1955, as a response to the needs of the oil exploration activities in Colombia. Initially it was a joint venture between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based Keystone Helicopters Corp., and the Colombian flag carrier Avianca; as Keystone had signed a contract with Shell Oil Company to run oil exploration activities in the north side of the Country. In order to fulfill the air laws in force back then, Keystone searched for a Colombian partner who could take control of 51% of the stakes of the company, a roll taken by Avianca. It was the creation of the first non-regular air services supplier in Colombia.
Three Bell 47G helicopters leased from Keystone became the initial fleet of Helicol, and Mr. Alberto Farías Mendoza, and important Avianca´s executive was appointed as the first general manager. Similar contracts were signed shortly afterwards and by 1957 the fleet grow up to 6 helicopters. Between 1961 and 1963, crop-dusting activities in helicopters were also performed, and in 1964 Helicol was hired by the Texas Petroleum and Gulf Oil Company to build the trans-Andean pipeline between the town of Orito in the province of Putumayo and Tumaco, on the Pacific Ocean in Colombia, a job in which Bell 204 helicopters were used. The tasks required to lift heavy metallic tubes and locate them in the trace of the pipeline, through irregular terrains. Similar works were performed in Ecuador in 1969, in the construction of the Trans-Ecuadorean pipeline and similar activities were performed in Peru, a year later. It is important to mention that even former Vietnam pilots did not succeed in flying the Bell 204 machines, the way Colombians did. Additional services were also conducted in El Salvador, Guatemala y Nicaragua, in Central America. By this time, the company was fully owned by Avianca.
Helicol served well other activities in Colombia such as mining, power lines and hydroelectric dams construction; and by 1980, it was the largest helicopter operator in Latin America. In 1978, Helicol. By 1978, business jet service was introduced with the use of IAI-built Westwind 1124 aircraft, becoming the first type of such to operate in Colombia. At that time, the company had established a maintenance center in Barranquilla where piston engines repair/overhaul was carried out, as well as maintenance support to Bell helicopters, dully authorized by the manufacturer for the air Forces of Argentina and Panama.
In 1979, four DHC-6-300 (twin Otter) aircraft were put in service, mainly for the coal mining activities conducted at La Guajira, as well as to the oil industry. Helicol also supplied the ground and flight crews for the operation of two De Havilland DHC-7 aircraft, owned by Drummond Company, winner of the rights to exploit the biggest open sky coal mines in the world. Other operations conducted by Helicol on behalf of third parties included the Health Services of the Antioquia province Bell 206, as well as the Caracol news helicopter. On 1981, Helicol leased two Grumman G1 aircraft from North American Air Service, which were later purchased to cover contracts signed with the Colombian Central Bank for transport needs. Two additional G-1s were also leased to complement the first two of the type.
Besides, the 47G model, other Bell aircraft such as the H13 J, 205, 206B, 212 and 412 were also flown by Hellicol until around 1984. Between August 1982 and May 1985, an Arava 201 aircraft was leased from IAI to provide support to the different oil and mining activities performed by U.S., Canadian and British companies companies in the Country. A Bell 214ST helicopter was also introduced in the mid-80s.
The advent of at least 12 Russian-built Mil MI-8(MI-17), and French Aerospatiale (current Eurocopter) AS350B and AS 355F1, allowed Helicol to expand its activities and by 1994, it offered a helicopter link service between the Medellin downtown and the International airport, located in the top of an 8.000-ft. mountain, until one of the Bell 212s used was hijacked.
By 1996, the main shareholder Avianca, decided that it was required to reorganize the company, and the MIL MI-8 and Eurocopter AS350B/355F1were all sold. THE Twin Otters were transferred to the sister company SAM, and since the Westwind fleet was already sold a few years earlier, a Cessna Citation 650 activities of Helicol.
After the purchase of Avianca on 2004 by the Brazilian Sinergy Group, Helicol acquisition followed on 2007, and by 2008, B1900D aircraft were also added to the down-sized fleet, these last to be operated by the recently-founded sister company Petroleum Aviation Services (PAS).
The above information is accurate to the best of the author´s knowledge.
CARLOS ADOLFO ROMERO PANCHANO.
Colombian Aviation Historian.
HELICOL operates Bell 212 and at least 3 Bell 412
.
El Dorado International Airport
El Dorado International Airport is an international airport located in Bogotá, Colombia. It is the largest Latin America airport in terms of cargo movements with 593,946 tons and the third in terms of passenger traffic, only behind São Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport and Mexico City's...
in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. It is a subsidiary airline
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
of Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
.
History
The company was established and started operations in 1955. It originally started as a joint venture of U.S. and Colombian capitals. It was later acquired by Avianca, which was owned by the Grupo Bavaria. In 2003 the company was separated from Avianca. Today is a wholly owned subsidiary of Valores Bavaria. In 2006, the company was acquired by EfromovichGerman Efromovich
German Efromovich is a Bolivian-born Colombian-Brazilian entrepreneur born to a family of Polish Jews in Bolivia, raised in Arica, Chile and in São Paulo, Brazil...
's Avianca
Avianca
Avianca S.A. is the flag carrier airline of Colombia since December 5, 1919 when it was initially registered under the name SCADTA. It is headquartered in Bogotá, D.C. with its hub at the El Dorado International Airport...
.
Operations
95% HeliCol operations are onshore.- Support facilities and supervision of electrical networks
- Air Ambulance and Search and Rescue.
- Off-Shore Operations
- Fire Fighting
- (Bambi bucketBambi bucketA helicopter bucket is a specialised bucket suspended on a cable carried by a helicopter to deliver water for aerial firefighting. Each bucket has a release valve on the bottom which is controlled by the helicopter crew. When the helicopter is in position, the crew releases the water to extinguish...
) Support for rescue operations - Seismographic study with long and short line.
- Executive Transportation
- Cargo Transport
- Pipeline Construction and Maintenance
- Oil Exploration and Drilling
HELICÓPTEROS NACIONALES DE COLOMBIA S.A., HELICOL.
Helicol was founded on 3 July 1955, as a response to the needs of the oil exploration activities in Colombia. Initially it was a joint venture between Philadelphia, Pennsylvania based Keystone Helicopters Corp., and the Colombian flag carrier Avianca; as Keystone had signed a contract with Shell Oil Company to run oil exploration activities in the north side of the Country. In order to fulfill the air laws in force back then, Keystone searched for a Colombian partner who could take control of 51% of the stakes of the company, a roll taken by Avianca. It was the creation of the first non-regular air services supplier in Colombia.
Three Bell 47G helicopters leased from Keystone became the initial fleet of Helicol, and Mr. Alberto Farías Mendoza, and important Avianca´s executive was appointed as the first general manager. Similar contracts were signed shortly afterwards and by 1957 the fleet grow up to 6 helicopters. Between 1961 and 1963, crop-dusting activities in helicopters were also performed, and in 1964 Helicol was hired by the Texas Petroleum and Gulf Oil Company to build the trans-Andean pipeline between the town of Orito in the province of Putumayo and Tumaco, on the Pacific Ocean in Colombia, a job in which Bell 204 helicopters were used. The tasks required to lift heavy metallic tubes and locate them in the trace of the pipeline, through irregular terrains. Similar works were performed in Ecuador in 1969, in the construction of the Trans-Ecuadorean pipeline and similar activities were performed in Peru, a year later. It is important to mention that even former Vietnam pilots did not succeed in flying the Bell 204 machines, the way Colombians did. Additional services were also conducted in El Salvador, Guatemala y Nicaragua, in Central America. By this time, the company was fully owned by Avianca.
Helicol served well other activities in Colombia such as mining, power lines and hydroelectric dams construction; and by 1980, it was the largest helicopter operator in Latin America. In 1978, Helicol. By 1978, business jet service was introduced with the use of IAI-built Westwind 1124 aircraft, becoming the first type of such to operate in Colombia. At that time, the company had established a maintenance center in Barranquilla where piston engines repair/overhaul was carried out, as well as maintenance support to Bell helicopters, dully authorized by the manufacturer for the air Forces of Argentina and Panama.
In 1979, four DHC-6-300 (twin Otter) aircraft were put in service, mainly for the coal mining activities conducted at La Guajira, as well as to the oil industry. Helicol also supplied the ground and flight crews for the operation of two De Havilland DHC-7 aircraft, owned by Drummond Company, winner of the rights to exploit the biggest open sky coal mines in the world. Other operations conducted by Helicol on behalf of third parties included the Health Services of the Antioquia province Bell 206, as well as the Caracol news helicopter. On 1981, Helicol leased two Grumman G1 aircraft from North American Air Service, which were later purchased to cover contracts signed with the Colombian Central Bank for transport needs. Two additional G-1s were also leased to complement the first two of the type.
Besides, the 47G model, other Bell aircraft such as the H13 J, 205, 206B, 212 and 412 were also flown by Hellicol until around 1984. Between August 1982 and May 1985, an Arava 201 aircraft was leased from IAI to provide support to the different oil and mining activities performed by U.S., Canadian and British companies companies in the Country. A Bell 214ST helicopter was also introduced in the mid-80s.
The advent of at least 12 Russian-built Mil MI-8(MI-17), and French Aerospatiale (current Eurocopter) AS350B and AS 355F1, allowed Helicol to expand its activities and by 1994, it offered a helicopter link service between the Medellin downtown and the International airport, located in the top of an 8.000-ft. mountain, until one of the Bell 212s used was hijacked.
By 1996, the main shareholder Avianca, decided that it was required to reorganize the company, and the MIL MI-8 and Eurocopter AS350B/355F1were all sold. THE Twin Otters were transferred to the sister company SAM, and since the Westwind fleet was already sold a few years earlier, a Cessna Citation 650 activities of Helicol.
After the purchase of Avianca on 2004 by the Brazilian Sinergy Group, Helicol acquisition followed on 2007, and by 2008, B1900D aircraft were also added to the down-sized fleet, these last to be operated by the recently-founded sister company Petroleum Aviation Services (PAS).
The above information is accurate to the best of the author´s knowledge.
CARLOS ADOLFO ROMERO PANCHANO.
Colombian Aviation Historian.
Fleet
- Main article: Avianca - Fleet - Current
HELICOL operates Bell 212 and at least 3 Bell 412
Bell 412
The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...
.