Airbus Helicopters has appointed SB Havacılık A.Ş. (SBAIR) to be its new distributor and Service Center in Turkey. The Istanbul based company will represent the European manufacturer in Turkey and promote its civil product line. 

SBAIR was established in 2017 by Mr. Ercüment Bayegan (Bayegan Group) and Mr. Mehmet Yüksel Hocaoğlu (Swan Aviation). Bayegan Group was established in the 1940s, operating in the petroleum and petrochemical industry with 27 offices worldwide. Mr. Hocaoğlu has over 25 years of aviation experience and over 15 years of sales and management experience in business aviation market through Swan Aviation. 

SBAIR will act as a distributor and provide after-sales services in the areas of maintenance, logistics support and training support in Turkey for the Airbus civil helicopter fleet. 

Mr. Mickaël Peru, Airbus Helicopters’ head of Sales for Eastern EU & CIS, said: “We are pleased that we have found an experienced partner in Turkey, who will use local expertise to serve our current and future customers in the best way possible, thus bringing a new dynamic in our approach to the market, particularly the proximity of support and services to our customers.” 

Mr. Mehmet Yüksel Hocaoğlu, Vice Chairman of SB Havacılık A.Ş., said: “The technologically advanced helicopters made by Airbus have a great potential in Turkey for commercial air transport as well as private and business aviation.” 

With a share of 50 percent of the global market in 2017 for civil and parapublic helicopters (turbine helicopters >5 seats), Airbus is the market leader in this segment. “We see a huge opportunity for growth in Turkey and our new distributor SB Havacılık A.Ş will help to further develop the use of helicopters in the country by being closer to the customers”, said Mr. Mickaël Peru.