THC Orders 12 Bombardier Jets With Options For 48 More

Saudi Arabia’s The Helicopter Company (THC) has placed a firm order for 12 Bombardier business jets, with options to acquire up to 48 additional aircraft, according to multiple industry outlets. The agreement, announced on November 13, 2026, covers a mix of three Bombardier models: five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s, and two Global 8000s, with Bombardier valuing the deal at approximately $568 million based on 2026 list prices, as reported by AeroTime and corroborated by Aviation Week’s coverage of the event.

Aviation Week notes that the deal does not specify the exact delivery timeline, model configurations beyond the three-designation mix, or terms of the contract beyond the stated value. While the press material from THC and Bombardier describes the order as turning a previously announced letter of intent into a binding purchase, the public material does not detail when negotiations began or when the aircraft are slated for delivery. Reuters likewise refrains from detailing any delivery schedule or financial arrangements, emphasizing instead the strategic shift for THC toward fixed-wing operations.

AeroTime provides the most granular breakdown of the model mix within the initial order, stating that the package comprises five Challenger 3500s, five Global 5500s, and two Global 8000s. The same outlet notes that the deal includes options for an additional 48 aircraft across the same three model families, potentially expanding THC’s fixed-wing fleet to as many as 60 aircraft, with Bombardier indicating THC has sole discretion over exercising those options. This expansion would position THC as a major fixed-wing operator alongside its existing rotorcraft fleet.

The corporate context is consistent across outlets: THC is Saudi Arabia’s rotorcraft specialist, owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), and has operated since 2019 with a large fleet of helicopters used for emergency medical services, aerial work, private charter, and tourism. The move into business aviation marks the company’s first foray into fixed-wing aircraft, with plans to use the jets for charter services and aircraft management as part of its broader diversification beyond rotary-wing operations. Captain Arnaud Martinez, THC’s CEO, frames the development as a response to growing demand in Saudi Arabia and the wider region.

Bombardier characterizes the transaction as the largest business aviation fleet order to date within Saudi Arabia, according to AeroTime and reinforced by the broader reporting. Bombardier’s CEO Éric Martel is quoted in the coverage from THC’s announcement as welcoming the deal and noting the significance of the partnership for THC’s strategic goals, though the supplied material does not include direct quotes. In addition to the jets, THC has continued to expand its helicopter fleet, with Farnborough reporting an eight-unit increase in Airbus H145 helicopters scheduled for delivery in 2027 and 2028, signaling concurrent growth in both rotorcraft and fixed-wing capacity.

The order’s scope spans three segments of the business-jet market: the Challenger 3500 aimed at regional travel within the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Global 5500 for longer-range missions, and the Global 8000 designed for ultra-long-range nonstop operations. The Challenger 3500 typically seats up to nine passengers with a maximum of ten and offers a range of roughly 6,297 kilometers (approximately 3,400 nautical miles). The Global 5500 seats up to 16 and provides about 10,927 kilometers (approximately 5,900 nautical miles) of range, while the Global 8000 offers a range of about 14,816 kilometers (8,000 nautical miles), enabling nonstop intercontinental flights. These performance attributes are described by AeroTime, which expands the context of how THC intends to deploy the aircraft.

Aviation International News highlights that, beyond the initial 12-jet purchase, the arrangement signals a broader strategic commitment by THC to scale up business-jet operations, with the option structure implying a long-range procurement outlook. The report notes that model designations, delivery timelines, and financial terms are not detailed in the supplied material, and it does not provide additional information about certification, operators, or specific use cases beyond THC’s stated charter and aircraft-management ambitions. The emphasis remains on the scale and potential future growth rather than granular implementation specifics.

Taken together, the reporting confirms a coordinated announcement across multiple outlets that THC is diversifying from rotorcraft into fixed-wing business aviation, leveraging a trio of Bombardier jets and substantial optional capacity to grow toward a sizable regional-to-global charter and management fleet. THC’s leadership frames the move as a vote of confidence in the company’s teams and in growing demand for executive travel within Saudi Arabia and the broader region, while Bombardier positions the deal as a landmark achievement within the Saudi market. The agreement’s lack of detailed timelines or terms in the supplied material suggests that additional disclosures may follow as the arrangements move from LOI to binding contracts and as options are considered.