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| Founded | 1963 |
|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 2020 |
| AOC # | 18146[1] |
| Operating bases | Happy Valley-Goose Bay,St. John's,Pasadena,Gander, Lakelse Air Bases inTerrace,Dease Lake,Prince Rupert,Hazelton |
| Fleet size | 21,[2] 35[3] |
| Headquarters | St. John's,Newfoundland |
| Key people | Shane Cyr,President andCOO |
| Website | http://www.uhgroup.ca/ |
Universal Helicopters was a commercial helicopter company located inNewfoundland and Labrador, Canada.[4] While operating primarily inNewfoundland andLabrador with operations sometimes extending into theUngava Peninsula and theArctic, Universal Helicopters held an InternationalOperating Certificate and completed several contracts inGreenland.[4]
The company started operations in 1963 and was a subsidiary ofOkanagan Helicopters.[5] It was last owned by a partnership of companies formed byNunatsiavut Group of Companies,Tasiujatsoak Trust andCAPE Fund.[6]
On September 10, 2018, the company announced it had finalized the purchase ofLakelse Air,[7] as part of plan to double their revenue. Based in Northwest British Columbia, Lakelse Air had been seen as a strategic purchase to build and strengthen Indigenous relations across Canada for future job prospects. Shortly after acquiring Lakelse Air, Universal Helicopters began shifting its focus to work internationally and overseas. Pushing for Global growth along with their September 6, 2018 investment inSouth Coast Helicopters[8] proved to be unsustainable, leading to their eventual financial difficulty.
The company announced its sudden closure due to financial insolvency on May 27, 2020.[9]
Universal Helicopters corporate head office, main stores and accounting services were situated inGoose Bay, Labrador with other bases situated atSt. John's,Pasadena andGander. Each location had permanent base personnel and hangar support facilities for year-round operations and maintenance.[4]
Universal Helicopters had the following aircraftregistered withTransport Canada:[2][3]
| Aircraft | No. of aircraft | Variants | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aerospatiale AS350 | 5 | AS350B,AS350 B2,AS350 B3,AS350 BA | Listed at Universal as Airbus |
| Bell 206 | 10 | LongRanger | NineBell 206L LongRanger and oneBell 206L-4 LongRanger IV |
| Bell 212 | 1 | Bell 212 | Not listed at the Universal site |
| Bell 407 | 5 | - |
The Transport Canada list also shows that they once had aBell 407.[10]
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador had had extensive contracts with the company, using them formedical evacuation, clinic support,forest fire surveillance and suppression,aerial searching, survey and mapping and personnel transport.[11]
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