Heli Glenorchy

Heli Glenorchy is a locally owned and operated helicopter company at the Glenorchy Airstrip, about 45 minutes by road from Queenstown on the shores of Lake Whakatipu. The airstrip sits at the edge of the Southern Alps, Mount Aspiring National Park and Fiordland National Park. The website names Action Helicopters Ltd as the legal entity.

Services

• Scenic flights from Glenorchy, including a snow landing flight of 25 to 30 minutes and flights over Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound
• Earnslaw Burn flights with a valley landing; the company says it is the only operator permitted to land there
• Pure Fiordland flights of about two hours with three landings
• Heli-ski charters, half or full day, on terrain the company describes as exclusive
• Hunting and fishing transport
• Commercial services listed as crane work, firefighting, search and rescue, and farming and conservation work
• Weddings, proposals, conferences and incentive trips

Fleet

The fleet page lists seven helicopters: three Airbus H125 Squirrels (ZK-INF, ZK-HBB and ZK-IHW), two Kawasaki BK117 twins (ZK-ICY and ZK-IRD), an Airbus H130 (ZK-ICH) and an Airbus EC130 (ZK-HAP). The text describes the Squirrels as suited to scenic flights, hunting and fishing, charters and commercial work, and the twin-engine helicopters to heavy lifting, sling work and urban fire or powerline tasks.

Company facts

• Pilots described as having more than 80,000 flying hours
• Endorsed by Qualmark with silver level certification
• Based at Glenorchy Airstrip
• Private heli-ski packages can include a night at the remote Paradise Trust accommodation