Lufttransport

Lufttransport is a Norwegian aviation company headquartered in Tromsø. Its operating profile combines helicopter and fixed-wing flying rather than resembling a conventional scheduled airline. The company is best known for medical and emergency aviation, including helicopter emergency medical services and fixed-wing air ambulance operations conducted for public authorities and the Norwegian and Swedish health systems. It also performs specialized transport and surveillance work, including missions connected with the Norwegian Coast Guard, ship-pilot transfer, offshore support, and air services in Svalbard. The company was established in 1971 at Bardufoss Airport. During its first years it was a small regional operator, but its business expanded when it won flying work in Svalbard in 1978. These services connected Svalbard Airport, Longyearbyen, with mining and research communities including Svea and Ny-Ålesund. The Svalbard operation became a durable part of the company's identity and later centered on Dornier 228 aircraft used for charter and specialist missions. Lufttransport underwent its most significant early expansion in the 1980s, when it entered offshore helicopter services. Contracts with Statoil and Norsk Hydro supported the acquisition of Aerospatiale AS 332L Super Puma helicopters and enabled flights to installations in the Norwegian Sea. The company also established an operating presence at Bergen Airport, Flesland, and undertook offshore work associated with other petroleum companies, including Saga Petroleum. Falling oil prices and changing procurement conditions weakened the economics of this expansion. When major offshore contracts were not renewed, Lufttransport entered financial difficulty and its offshore operations were transferred through a merger with Helikopter Service effective in 1987. After the merger, land-based aviation continued under the Lufttransport name. A further structural change followed the acquisition of Mørefly by Helikopter Service in 1992. Lufttransport and Mørefly were merged in 1995, with Tromsø selected as the head office. The combined business had an important role in Norwegian air ambulance services, operating Beechcraft King Air aircraft from several regional bases and helicopter services connected with hospitals. Although the corporate and operating history retained links to Mørefly, the Lufttransport brand continued to be used. Ownership changed several times. Helikopter Service transferred Lufttransport to Norwegian Air Shuttle in 2000. Norwegian subsequently sold Lufttransport and the Swedish operator Heliflyg to Norsk Helikopter in 2005. In 2008, as part of a restructuring that also involved the Bristow Group, Lufttransport was sold to Knut Axel Ugland Holding. The company later re-entered offshore flying in 2004 through a contract for Teekay and subsequently Teekay Petrojarl, while continuing to emphasize public-service and specialist aviation. Lufttransport has also operated scheduled or publicly tendered passenger services. In 2005 it began the Bodø–Værøy helicopter route under a Norwegian public-service obligation contract. The route was renewed for later contract periods and was operated with AgustaWestland AW139 aircraft, with improved navigation infrastructure supporting operations during the darker part of the year. The company also transported ship pilots from Bergen until another operator won the relevant contract in 2017. Its remaining activities have included Svalbard charter flying, maritime monitoring, crew transport and government aviation contracts. The brand therefore occupies a specialized position in Norway's aviation infrastructure: it is a regional and public-service operator whose principal value lies in aircraft, crews, bases and regulated mission capability rather than mass-market passenger travel.

Lufttransport was founded in 1971 and initially operated from Bardufoss Airport. It grew from a small regional aviation business into a diversified helicopter and fixed-wing operator. By 1973 it reported four employees and revenue of NOK 1.3 million. A major early development came in 1978, when it began flying in Svalbard for Store Norske and Kings Bay, connecting Longyearbyen with mining and research settlements. In 1980 the company began pursuing offshore helicopter work, challenging Helikopter Service's dominant position. Statoil and Norsk Hydro awarded it three-year contracts in 1982 for flights to offshore installations in the Norwegian Sea. Lufttransport acquired six Aerospatiale AS 332L Super Pumas between 1983 and 1985 and opened or used bases connected with Tromsø and Bergen. Offshore work also included a contract with Saga Petroleum for operations in Benin. By 1984, revenue had reached NOK 170 million and the company employed approximately 110 people. The fall in oil prices reduced petroleum companies' willingness to pay for competing helicopter capacity. When the Statoil and Norsk Hydro contracts were not renewed, Lufttransport experienced severe financial pressure. Its offshore operations were transferred to Helikopter Service in a merger effective 1 January 1987, while land-based aviation continued under the Lufttransport name. Helikopter Service acquired Mørefly in 1992. Because the two businesses had similar land-based and air-ambulance profiles, they were merged in 1995. Tromsø became the headquarters, and the Lufttransport name was retained. The merged company operated fixed-wing air ambulances from a network of Norwegian airports and helicopter services associated with hospitals. It also held a Norwegian Coast Guard maritime-surveillance contract. Ownership changed in 2000, when Helikopter Service sold Lufttransport to Norwegian Air Shuttle. In 2005, Norwegian sold Lufttransport and Heliflyg to Norsk Helikopter. Lufttransport later returned to offshore flying through a 2004 contract covering Teekay's Norwegian-sector services, subsequently associated with Teekay Petrojarl. In October 2008, Norsk Helikopter sold Lufttransport to Knut Axel Ugland Holding as part of a broader restructuring. The Svalbard operation remained strategically important. Since 1994, Dornier 228 aircraft had been used there for regular charter work to Ny-Ålesund and Svea. One aircraft also supported Coast Guard surveillance, including monitoring of fishing activity in the Barents Sea. In 2019, an aircraft received advanced sensors and communications equipment from NORCE for environmental monitoring. Lufttransport entered the Bodø–Værøy public-service route in 2005 after winning a government tender. It renewed the contract for subsequent three-year periods, operating multiple daily round trips in most of the year with an AW139 helicopter. The company also transported ship pilots from Bergen to vessels serving petroleum terminals until Airlift won that contract in 2017. Its overall history is therefore defined by movement between commercial aviation, public-service flying and highly specialized government and industrial missions.

• 2019

  Environmental-monitoring aircraft introduced

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  A Svalbard aircraft was equipped with specialist sensors and communications equipment for environmental monitoring.

• 2008

  Acquired by Knut Axel Ugland Holding

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Lufttransport was sold to Knut Axel Ugland Holding.

• 2005

  Bodø–Værøy service starts

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Lufttransport began the publicly subsidized Bodø–Værøy helicopter route.

• 2000

  Acquired by Norwegian Air Shuttle

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Helikopter Service sold Lufttransport to Norwegian Air Shuttle.

• 1995

  Merger with Mørefly

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Lufttransport and Mørefly were merged, with Tromsø becoming the headquarters.

• 1987

  Offshore operations transferred

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  A merger with Helikopter Service transferred Lufttransport's offshore operations while land-based services continued under its name.

• 1982

  Offshore contracts awarded

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Statoil and Norsk Hydro signed offshore flying contracts with Lufttransport.

• 1978

  Svalbard operations begin

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  The company began flying from Svalbard Airport, Longyear, for mining and research organizations.

• 1971

  Company established

  [1]Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org

  Lufttransport was established with a base at Bardufoss Airport.

Specialist Norwegian aviation provider serving public authorities, health services, remote communities, offshore operators and maritime agencies.

• Medical aviation

  Air ambulance aircraft

  Lufttransport operates fixed-wing air ambulance aircraft, including Beechcraft King Air aircraft, from regional Norwegian bases. These aircraft support rapid patient transfers and medical logistics across a geographically dispersed country where road and rail transport can be slow or impractical. The service is part of the wider Norwegian emergency medical aviation system and is oriented toward public-sector and health-service requirements rather than ordinary passenger travel.

• Medical aviation

  Emergency medical helicopters

  The company operates helicopter emergency medical services from hospital-linked bases, including Brønnøysund, Tromsø and Ålesund. AW139 helicopters provide access to patients and communities where fixed-wing aircraft or surface transport are unsuitable. The offering depends on specialized crews, medical equipment, dispatch coordination and all-weather operational capability.

• Regional and charter aviation · 1978

  Svalbard charter services

  Lufttransport uses Dornier 228 aircraft to provide regular charter flying from Longyearbyen to destinations such as Ny-Ålesund and Svea. These services support mining, research and settlement logistics in the Arctic archipelago. The operation has also incorporated maritime surveillance and environmental-monitoring equipment, making the aircraft useful for both transport and specialist observation.

• Public-service passenger transport · 2005

  Bodø–Værøy helicopter route

  Lufttransport operated the Norwegian public-service obligation route between Bodø Airport and Værøy Heliport. The service generally provided two daily round trips, with reduced weekend frequency during the cited contract periods. AW139 helicopters were used, and navigation improvements helped support operations during the dark season.

• Government aviation

  Maritime surveillance

  Lufttransport has operated surveillance missions for the Norwegian Coast Guard, including observation of fishing activity in the Barents Sea. A Svalbard-based Dornier 228 was reported to fly approximately 400 hours per year for the Coast Guard during the period described in the reference material. Specialist sensors and communications equipment later expanded the aircraft's environmental-monitoring potential.

• 2008

  Sale to Knut Axel Ugland HoldingM&A

  Background

  Norsk Helikopter was restructuring its operations while ownership arrangements involving the Bristow Group were being reorganized.

  Action taken

  Lufttransport was sold in its entirety to Knut Axel Ugland Holding.

  Aftermath

  Lufttransport continued as a separately owned specialist aviation operator.

  Source

• 2005

  Won Bodø–Værøy public-service contractOther

  Background

  The Norwegian government tendered the scheduled helicopter connection between Bodø and Værøy.

  Action taken

  Lufttransport won the tender and commenced service on 1 August 2005.

  Aftermath

  The contract was later renewed for additional three-year periods, including terms beginning in 2008 and 2011.

  Tender subsidy. NOK 56 million for the initial contract (Contract beginning 1 August 2005)

  Source

• 1995

  Merger with MøreflyM&A

  Background

  Helikopter Service had acquired Mørefly, another Norwegian helicopter and fixed-wing operator with a substantial air-ambulance profile.

  Action taken

  Mørefly and Lufttransport were combined, with Tromsø selected as the head-office location and the Lufttransport name retained.

  Aftermath

  The combined company strengthened its position in Norwegian air ambulance and specialist aviation.

  Source

• 1987

  Merger with Helikopter ServiceM&A

  Background

  The non-renewal of major offshore contracts after an oil-price decline placed Lufttransport under financial pressure.

  Action taken

  Lufttransport merged with Helikopter Service, which took over the offshore business while land-based operations remained under the Lufttransport name.

  Aftermath

  The company withdrew from its earlier offshore expansion but retained and developed land-based, medical and regional aviation services.

  Source

1. 1Lufttransporten.wikipedia.org