HI Uplift: Avincis blows into wind market, acquiring KN Helicopters
Emergency services operator Avincis has diversified into the offshore wind generation market with the acquisition of Danish firm KN Helicopters for an undisclosed sum.
“Adding Denmark to its global footprint is an obvious move for Avincis, which has more than a decade of experience in the Nordics and has already added Greece to its network this summer,” a spokesperson told Helicopter Investor.
“It is also a new type of operation for Avincis, and one that fits into its operational profile, providing an avenue for growth not just in Europe but globally as the offshore wind sector continues to gain traction.”
Based in the central coastal city of Esbjerg, KN Helicopters has focused on the offshore wind sector since 2016. It holds contracts with wind farm owners and operators such as Vattenfall and Siemens.
60 Airbus helicopters
The Danish operator’s fleet includes three Airbus H135s and one Airbus H145. They will join the Avincis fleet of more than 60 Airbus helicopters. The Danish firm’s CEO Niels Peter Kjeldahl will continue to lead KN Helicopters after the transaction closes.
Helicopters are increasingly seen as the preferred option for the offshore wind sector’s need for fast and agile support, says the company.
They are not only quicker than traditional offshore service vessels but can operate safely in more challenging weather conditions, it claims.
John Boag, group CEO, Avincis, said the acquisition showed the company’s appetite for further growth and expansion into new sectors and regions. “We believe that KN Helicopters has enormous potential and a great culture. Adding it to our portfolio will give us another lever for securing the long-term, sustainable growth of our business,” he added.
“Offshore wind energy has an exciting future, and we are looking forward to supporting wind farm owners in Denmark with the same dedicated helicopter services we have been providing in other global markets for 60 years,” he added.
Demand for offshore wind energy continues to grow, according to the 2025 Global Offshore Wind Report. There is now 83GW of capacity installed worldwide, supplying alternative electricity to 73m households. Offshore wind energy is forecast to grow by a compound average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28% until 2029 and 15% up to 2034, predicts the report. Global offshore wind annual capacity additions are expected to exceed 30GW in 2030 and 50GW by 2033.
Largest operator
Operating in Norway, Sweden and Finland for the past 10 years, Avincis is the largest operator of emergency aerial services in Europe. It also has operations in Africa and South America. The business specialises in helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS), air ambulance services, search and rescue, aerial firefighting, as well as dedicated emergency aerial transport for offshore energy platforms.
Headquartered in Lisbon, Portugal, Avincis has a fleet of about 205 aircraft – including about 165 helicopters and 40 fixed-wing assets – flown and supported by a workforce around 2,400 staff.
Meanwhile, Avincis re-pledged its commitment to entering new markets and sectors, after forging a partnership with local operator AK Aviation to launch helicopter emergency services (HEMS) in Greece this summer. “Avincis has a long-term growth strategy, which depends on expanding into new regions and operation types – KN Helicopters ticks both those boxes,” the spokesperson tells us.
HI Uplift Dashboard: Helicopters for sale
Multi engine
- Total for sale/lease: 274 – six more than two weeks ago
- Percentage for sale/lease: 3.61%
- Absorption rate: 3.98 months
- Total fleet: 7,580 – seven more than two weeks ago.
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Single engine
- Total for sale/lease: 433 – 11 more than two weeks ago
- Percentage for sale/lease: 3.72%
- Absorption rate: 3.8 months
- Total fleet: 11,639 – one fewer than two weeks ago
Source: AMSTAT, October 2nd, 2025.
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