Pakistan's interest in helicopters for civil aviation began during American exploration of oil and gas in the remote areas of East Pakistan in the 1950s.^[1] In 1963, the national airline PIA (which evolved from the Calcutta-based Orient Airways) launched scheduled helicopter flights between Dacca and regional cities. For short-haul operations in East Pakistan's delta region, PIA set up a network of scheduled helicopter routes, using Sikorsky S-61Ns. The first commercial flight took place on 25 November 1963. The first routes were between Dacca and Khulna, the center of the East Pakistani jute industry; and between Dacca and Faridpur.^[3]

The PIA S-61Ns were configured to carry a total of 24 passengers with four crew members and 1,800 lb of cargo. The first five pilots were trained with British European Airways (BEA) at a training facility in Kidlington, England, where they learnt to fly the Brantly B-2 light helicopter. They then converted to S-61N at Sikorsky's factory in Connecticut, United States. They returned to Pakistan for route flying on a Hiller UH-12E4 before delivery of the S-61Ns.^[3]

The helicopter route to Khulna reduced the 21-hour journey overland to 37 minutes by air.^[3] 20 towns and cities covered by the network,^[1] including Bogra, Sirajganj, Chittagong, Mongla, Kushtia, Barisal, Chandpur, Sandwip and Hatiya Upazila. The average price of a ticket was 25 rupees. It was the world's largest commercial helicopter network at the time.^[1]

The only air accident of the service involved Pakistan International Airlines Flight 17.^[4]

PIA began switching to fixed wing aircraft for domestic operations in the late 1960s. In modern Bangladesh, many airlines use turboprop planes for domestic operations.

On 2 February 1966 Flight 17, operated by a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter, crashed on a scheduled domestic flight in East Pakistan after the main gearbox failed, killing 23 of the 24 passengers and crew on board.^[4]

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  A PIA helicopter at Dacca Airport

• List of helicopter airlines