South African aviation services company National Airways Corporation (NAC) has acquired a strategic stake in SkyConnect Leasing, marking a significant expansion of its international helicopter leasing interests. The investment was confirmed by NAC CEO JP Fourie during an interview at the company’s headquarters at Lanseria International Airport.

SkyConnect Leasing is an Irish-registered helicopter leasing firm operating from Prague, Czechia and was formally established earlier this year as the operational leasing arm of Skyrise Aviation Group. The company focuses on providing mission-ready helicopters through flexible leasing arrangements, initially targeting the rapidly growing aerial firefighting market in Europe.

For the 2026 wildfire season, SkyConnect is deploying a fleet of eight Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk variants across Southern and Central Europe. The Black Hawk fleet has already been allocated to operators supporting wildfire response programmes, with multi-year deployment agreements reportedly in place. These specialized heavy-lift helicopters are intended to address the increasing demand for capable firefighting aircraft as European wildfire seasons become longer and more severe.

For NAC, this investment represents a calculated move beyond its traditional fixed-wing leasing, charter, maintenance and aviation services businesses. The acquisition provides direct exposure to the specialist helicopter leasing sector, particularly in the mission-critical aerial firefighting market that has experienced significant growth in recent years.

SkyConnect describes itself as a new-generation helicopter lessor, combining aviation financing, aircraft acquisition and operational support solutions. While aerial firefighting is currently its primary focus, the company has indicated plans to expand into other mission-critical helicopter operations in the future. The transaction further strengthens NAC’s international footprint and highlights the growing role of specialist leasing companies in supporting government agencies and commercial operators requiring rapid access to capable helicopter fleets.