Helijet International, a privately held Canadian-owned company based at the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), is donating a fully operational, medically equipped helicopter from its fleet for missions of mercy in Ukraine. Helijet has signed an agreement with a consortium of Canadian and Ukrainian non-governmental organizations, Maple Hope Foundation, the Ukrainian World Congress, and Initiative E+ to accept the delivery and title of a Sikorsky S-76A air ambulance helicopter. Together, the three organizations have been working with Helijet for more than eight months to arrange the shipment of the aircraft to Ukraine.
The Sikorsky S-76A is a fully equipped air medical helicopter, Helijet previously provided under contract to the Ministry of Health for patient transport in B.C. The aircraft has years of flight capability remaining. The gift is made on condition that the helicopter is used solely for non-commercial, humanitarian, and medical evacuation missions to airlift individuals needing urgent medical care to hospitals in Ukraine.
MEDEVAC helicopter with Ukrainian roots
The Sikorsky S-76A donated is a product of U.S.-based Sikorsky Aircraft, founded a century ago by Kyiv-born helicopter inventor Igor Sikorsky shortly after he emigrated to the United States. His son, Sergei, also worked for the company during his long aviation career and today carries on the family’s aviation legacy.
“When my father and his company developed this aircraft, I’m sure he never would have predicted that the people of Ukraine, who now find life very difficult, would benefit decades later from his genius and expertise,” said Sergei Sikorsky. “The Sikorsky name has been synonymous with helicopter innovation for 100 years and now will be part of this generous effort that comes full circle to help today’s generation in his very own homeland.”
In November 2024, Helijet and the Vancouver-based Maple Hope Foundation hosted two pilots and two engineers from Ukraine who came to Vancouver to receive flight, maintenance and deployment training for the helicopter at Helijet’s Richmond, B.C. base of operations. To assist in the helicopter shipment, the Maple Hope Foundation also launched a national online crowdfunding campaign that allowed Ukrainians from across Canada to join the mission of delivering this life-saving helicopter. The campaign raised $101,530 in three weeks from more than 730 donors.
