Top Interior nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation contractors
In the 12 months ending Oct 5, 2026, the Department of the Interior obligated $40.4M in net prime contract dollars under NAICS 481212, up 142.9% from $16.6M in the preceding 12 months. 25 prime contractors received positive obligations, and 10 of them accounted for 80% of that spend.
Prime contracts funded by the Department of the Interior. Latest 12 months: Oct 6, 2025 to Oct 5, 2026. Source: USAspending.gov.
Obligations by fiscal year
Net prime contract obligations by federal fiscal year (October to September).
Top Interior contractors for NAICS 481212
Ranked by positive obligations in the latest 12 months. Share is of all positive obligations in this market.
| # | Contractor | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Share | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coulson Aviation (USA), Inc. | $8.4M | $0 | 20.9% | New |
| 2 | Heliqwest International Inc. | $4.1M | $52K | 10.2% | ▲ 10 |
| 3 | Bluesky Helicopters Inc | $3.7M | $0 | 9.1% | New |
| 4 | Aero-Flite, Inc. | $3.6M | $0 | 9.0% | New |
| 5 | Air Resources Helicopters, Inc. | $3.4M | $0 | 8.3% | New |
| 6 | Helicopter Express LLC | $2.8M | $4.5M | 7.0% | ▼ 5 |
| 7 | Timberline Helicopters Inc | $2.3M | $1.3M | 5.8% | ▼ 2 |
| 8 | Helimax Aviation LLC | $2.1M | $0 | 5.3% | New |
| 9 | 5-State Helicopters, Inc. | $1.8M | $0 | 4.5% | New |
| 10 | Skydance Helicopters of Northern Nevada | $1.5M | $3.9M | 3.8% | ▼ 8 |
| 11 | Orbic Air, LLC | $1.1M | $0 | 2.8% | New |
| 12 | Brainerd Helicopters, Inc | $991K | $218K | 2.5% | ▼ 5 |
| 13 | Guidance Air Service LLC | $944K | $0 | 2.3% | New |
| 14 | Salmon River Helicopters, Inc. | $817K | $3.5M | 2.0% | ▼ 11 |
| 15 | Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. | $533K | $128K | 1.3% | ▼ 6 |
What changed in the last 12 months
Contractors with the largest change in reported obligations versus the preceding 12 months.
Largest gains
- Coulson Aviation (USA), Inc.$0 → $8.4M (+$8.4M) · now #1
- Heliqwest International Inc.$52K → $4.1M (+$4.0M) · now #2
- Bluesky Helicopters Inc$0 → $3.7M (+$3.7M) · now #3
Largest declines
- Salmon River Helicopters, Inc.$3.5M → $817K (−$2.6M) · now #14
- Skydance Helicopters of Northern Nevada$3.9M → $1.5M (−$2.4M) · now #10
- Trans Aero LLC$2.3M → $0 (−$2.3M) · no latest-period obligations
New to this market
9 contractors received their first obligations in this market (since FY2022) during the latest 12 months. The largest:
| Contractor | First obligation | Latest 12 mo |
|---|---|---|
| Coulson Aviation (USA), Inc. | Jul 2, 2026 | $8.4M |
| Bluesky Helicopters Inc | Jul 30, 2026 | $3.7M |
| Aero-Flite, Inc. | Aug 17, 2026 | $3.6M |
| 5-State Helicopters, Inc. | Apr 30, 2026 | $1.8M |
| Orbic Air, LLC | Jun 24, 2026 | $1.1M |
| Guidance Air Service LLC | Aug 10, 2026 | $944K |
| Hillcrest Aircraft Company | Aug 25, 2026 | $334K |
| D.H. Helicopter, Inc. | Mar 13, 2026 | $304K |
Where the money comes from
Funding sub-agencies within the Department of the Interior, latest 12 months. The funding organization can differ from the office that runs the requirement.
| Funding sub-agency | Latest 12 mo | Prior 12 mo | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Land Management | $27.8M | $16.6M | Up $11.2M (67.5%) |
| Departmental Offices | $12.1M | $0 | New |
| National Park Service | $471K | $1K | Up $470K (32809.3%) |
Potential recompetes
Large awards in this market whose current period of performance ends in the next 18 months. Treat these as research leads: options, extensions, and follow-on vehicles often change the timing.
| Award | Incumbent | Obligated | Current end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140D0426F0772 | Helimax Aviation LLC CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION… | $2.1M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0379 | 5-State Helicopters, Inc. CALL WHEN NEEDED TYPE 1 HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION ACTIVITY IN 2026- 5 STATE HELICOPTERS | $1.8M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0819 | Timberline Helicopters Inc CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION… | $2.3M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0826 | Heliqwest International Inc. CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION… | $4.1M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0380 | Orbic Air, LLC CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FIRE SUPPRESSION MISSION- 2026… | $1.1M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0789 | Air Resources Helicopters, Inc. CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION… | $3.4M | Nov 30, 2026 |
| 140D0426F0742 | Bluesky Helicopters Inc CALL WHEN NEEDED (UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE-FOREST SERVICE) HELICOPTER FLIGHT SERVICE IN SUPPORT OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR WILDLAND FIRE SUPPRESSION… | $3.7M | Nov 30, 2026 |
Common questions
Who are the top Interior contractors for NAICS 481212?
In the latest 12 months, Coulson Aviation (USA), Inc. ($8.4M), Heliqwest International Inc. ($4.1M), Bluesky Helicopters Inc ($3.7M) received the most Interior obligations for nonscheduled chartered freight air transportation.
How concentrated is this market?
The eight largest primes held 75.5% of positive obligations, and Coulson Aviation (USA), Inc. alone held 20.9%. 9 contractors won their first obligations in this market during the latest 12 months.
Are any large Interior NAICS 481212 contracts ending soon?
7 of the largest awards in this market reach their current end date in the next 18 months. The first is 140D0426F0772 (Helimax Aviation LLC, $2.1M obligated), ending Nov 30, 2026. An end date is a research lead, not a confirmed recompete: options and extensions often move it.
Related markets
NAICS 481212 across all agencies
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$1.1BNASA · NAICS 481212
$511.2MFigures are net obligations on prime contracts (award types A–D) from USAspending.gov, grouped by funding agency and the NAICS code on each award. Net obligations include deobligations and corrections, so they can differ from positive-obligation totals. See methodology.
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