# Skytech

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**Skytech Helicopters** was a Belgian helicopter company operating heavy-lift helicopters in different countries. The company is known for pioneering commercial operation of the [Mil MI 26T](/source/Mil_Mi-26) in Western Europe from 1992. As of the 3rd of October 2022 the company had filed for bankruptcy.[1]

## History

**Skytech SA** was founded in Belgium in November 1989 by helicopter pilots Thierry Lakhanisky and Lucienne De Dryver.

First external load works were carried on with a single [MD 500](/source/MD_Helicopters_MD_500) helicopter; this light lifter was soon joined by a [Mil MI 10K](/source/Mil_Mi-10) Harke-B under long term lease from the [Aeroflot](/source/Aeroflot) regional branch of the [Republic of Komi](/source/Komi_Republic). This MI 10K was used as a flying crane on various projects all over Europe, including building ski lifts up to 3,500 m on the [Monte Rosa](/source/Monte_Rosa) in the Alps.[2]

The Belgian company introduced the first [Mil MI 26T](/source/Mil_Mi-26) in South America in 1994 and in the same year set up partnerships with [Nepal Airways](/source/Nepal_Airways) to operate five [Mil MI 17](/source/Mil_Mi-17) helicopters in Nepal, and in Papua Niugini with [Heli Niugini](/source/Heli_Niugini) to operate a couple of [Kamov 32](/source/Ka-32) helicopters to support oil explorations with [Barracuda Oil](/source/Barracuda_Oil) and [Chevron Oil](/source/Chevron_Oil).

Since 2006, the family-owned company was largely involved in humanitarian support in Asia and signed a cooperation agreement with the Emercom, the Russian Ministry of Civil Protection to establish an alert base in [Brussels South Charleroi Airport](/source/Brussels_South_Charleroi_Airport) but the project was moved to north of France.

In 2008 the company first declared bankruptcy but was able to recover and had the declaration undone.[3] Following the arrest of the CEO, Thierry Lakhanisky, for involvement in illegal arms trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the 18th of September 2022[4][5] the company yet again filed for bankruptcy on the 3rd of October 2022.[6]

## Heavy firefighting

[Rostvertol](/source/Rostvertol), the MI 26T's manufacturer, teamed with Skytech in 1994 to produce a powerful fire fighting system for the world largest helicopters; the system, called Twin Bambi Buckets, was able to deliver 20.000 liters per drop and was manufactured in Canada by SEI.

The TBB was first operated commercially by [Samsung Aerospace](/source/Samsung_Aerospace) of South Korea under contract with Skytech SA in 1998, and on several governmental contracts in Turkey and Italy; in 2000 Skytech supplied at least three MI 26T for the Italian [Civil Protection](/source/Protezione_Civile), operated as "state aircraft" for the firefighting season.

## Fleet

The fleet size is variable: the company has operated Ka 32T, KA 32S, MI 26T, MI 10K, MI 8MTV, MI 8AMT, MI 171, B 206, MD 500. At least three MI 26T were at one time based in Belgium but are no more active. Several MI 17 bearing Skytech titles were spotted in [Yemen](/source/Yemen) and [Bosnia](/source/Bosnia) from 2000. The company is known to operate on undisclosed governmental programs.

## Media

The company’s helicopters appeared in several films:

- "Operation Okavango" - Nicolas Hulot
- "Ushuaia" - Nicolas Hulot
- "Massive Machines" - Chris Barrie
- "Greatest Ever" Discovery Channel

## See also

[Russian Helicopters](/source/Russian_Helicopters) JSC

## External links

- [Skytech helicopters](http://www.skytech-helicopters.com/).
- ["Mi 26"](http://www.rostvertol.be/helicopters/mi-26.html), *Helicopters*, [BE](/source/Belgium): Rostvertol, [archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20110716064918/http://www.rostvertol.be/helicopters/mi-26.html) 16 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- [Company registration](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonondernemingps.html?ondernemingsnummer=438735552)
- [Company registration](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonondernemingps.html?ondernemingsnummer=441147783)
- [Company registration](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonondernemingps.html?ondernemingsnummer=800873570)
- [Company registration](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonvestigingps.html?vestigingsnummer=2320593851)

## References

1. ["Gegevens van de geregistreerde entiteit | KBO Public Search"](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonondernemingps.html?ondernemingsnummer=438735552). *kbopub.economie.fgov.be*. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

1. ["Aviation Photo #0557227: Mil Mi-8AMT - Skytech Helicopters"](https://www.airliners.net/photo/Skytech-Helicopters/Mil-Mi-8AMT/557227). *Airliners.net*. Retrieved 2024-03-31.

1. ["Weather & Aviation Page - Skytech Helicopter Service"](https://www.skystef.be/airlines/skytech.htm). *www.skystef.be*. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

1. ["Un intermédiaire belge arrêté pour son implication dans le commerce d'armes de guerre"](https://www.rtbf.be/article/un-intermediaire-belge-arrete-pour-son-implication-dans-le-commerce-darmes-de-guerre-11064625) (in French). *RTBF*. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

1. Times, The Brussels. ["Belgian international arms broker arrested"](https://www.brusselstimes.com/290973/belgian-international-arms-broker-arrested). *www.brusselstimes.com*. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

1. ["Gegevens van de geregistreerde entiteit | KBO Public Search"](https://kbopub.economie.fgov.be/kbopub/toonondernemingps.html?ondernemingsnummer=438735552). *kbopub.economie.fgov.be*. Retrieved 19 January 2024.

1. [http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/milman.html](http://www.airspacemag.com/flight-today/milman.html)
1. [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/06/20/207270/russian-ministry-and-skytech-to-offer-international.html](http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2006/06/20/207270/russian-ministry-and-skytech-to-offer-international.html)
1. [http://www.answers.com/topic/rostvertol-plc](http://www.answers.com/topic/rostvertol-plc)
1. [http://www.sonnet.com/usr/wildfire/mi26t.html](http://www.sonnet.com/usr/wildfire/mi26t.html)
1. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110715204141/http://www.rotorandwing-digital.com/rotorandwing/200605/?pg=54](https://web.archive.org/web/20110715204141/http://www.rotorandwing-digital.com/rotorandwing/200605/?pg=54)
1. [http://www.airliners.net/photo/Skytech-Helicopters/Mil-Mi-8MTV/0557227/&sid=1b0892100fec07b0c0c6e994402fb00f](http://www.airliners.net/photo/Skytech-Helicopters/Mil-Mi-8MTV/0557227/&sid=1b0892100fec07b0c0c6e994402fb00f)
1. [http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2005/09/20/201567/heavy-horses.html](http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2005/09/20/201567/heavy-horses.html)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Skytech](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skytech) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skytech?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.