Team

Sennair helicopter milestones

2015: The year it all began

SENNAIR Helicopter: The idea for a company that came about at 2117 metres above sea level. 2015, the year the former cottage host of Ingolstädter Haus, a mountain lodge at 2117 metres above sea level, and current associate of SENNAIR GmbH, Rudolf Senninger, realised his dream of having his own helicopter. Rudolf Senninger purchased his first helicopter. At that time it was still known by the name Ecureuil AS350 B1. As chance would have it, Hermann Eder, also a current associate and Pilot at Sennair GmbH, learned from conversations in the village that the cottage host of Ingolstädter Haus has bought a helicopter. The fact that a lodge host had purchased a helicopter, was not everyday news in the village, and Hermann realised that he definitely had to get to know Rudolf Senninger. Two days after Hermann Eder completed his commercial pilot licence CPL(H), he made his way to the mountain lodge. Once there he chatted to Rudolf Senninger about his recently purchased helicopter. They were on the same wavelength and shared the same enthusiasm for flying and after a few hours together in the cockpit it wasn’t long before a great friendship and business partnership developed.

2016: From idea to individual enterprise

Driven by his enthusiasm for flying and desire for discovery, Hermann Eder wanted to fly every day. He took his family and friends with him on exploratory flights and among them were a few local hoteliers. So it was not long before the idea of offering helicopter flights to hotel guests came about. A short time later, SENNAIR was founded as an individual enterprise in June 2016 and Rudolf’s helicopter was commercially operated with AOC (‘Aircraft Operation Certificate’).

July 2016: Team expansion with Pilot Lukas Schild

Lukas Schild and Hermann Eder got to know one another during their helicopter training together. Lukas Schild, passionate paraglider, farmer and former ski racer, extended the team in its foundation year as a pilot and is still a key member of SENNAIR GmbH.

May 2017: Foundation of SENNAIR GmbH

In May 2017 SENNAIR GmbH was set up with associates Hermann Eder and Rudolf Senninger.

2018: Fleet expansion: AS350, team expansion: CAMO & sales

Purchase of a second AS350 B3 helicopter and extension of the deployment area from Austria, to flights across Europe. Reinforcement of the team by Markus Percht as helicopter pilot and head of technic operialist.

2019: Development of the distinctive SENNAIR design

Michael Zajc, talented designer, graphic designer and photographer is also known for his outstanding designs for the unique Flying Bulls fleet. Since 2019 the helicopters in the SENNAIR fleet have also been adorned with the cleverly thought-out and detailed designs created by Michael Zajc.

2019: Signing of a Heliski contract in Iceland with Viking Heli-skiing for 2 years

2020: The year of the great adventure

Just days after flights operating in Iceland the Corona pandemic hit the flight sector and the entire world with deadly force. Unaware and filled with euphoria for the upcoming Heli-ski season, the dream of flying in Iceland was being relished. A Europe-wide lockdown meant the premature withdrawal of the SENNAIR fleet from Iceland.

2021: Fleet expansion and team expansion with pilots & ground ops

In spite of the bumpy start in 2020, the Heli-ski season was able to be successfully implemented in Iceland in 2021. A short while later the contract for the brand new H125 B3E helicopter, featuring dual hydraulics, from Airbus Helicopter, was signed and the team of pilots and ground-ops expanded.

2022: Commissioning of the VIP helicopter ‘Triple-Victor’ and collection of the brand new H125 B3E helicopter at the Airbus factory in Marignane

2023: Europe-wide VIP flights with SENNAIR GmbH

With three helicopters by Airbus - AS350/ H125 B3E type – the team based around Hermann Eder is successfully handling flights within Europe. With the focus on customers and excellence, SENNAIR Helicopter provide unique and bespoke VIP helicopter flights – including the SENNAIR all-round service.