Helicopters Otago Limited

Helicopters Otago is a family owned helicopter operator based at Taieri Airfield in Mosgiel, New Zealand. It has provided aerial support to the Otago, Southland, Fiordland and Westland regions for over 30 years, growing from a single helicopter agricultural operation into what it describes as the busiest agricultural and emergency medical service helicopter company in the country. It says it now runs over 20 helicopters with 90 staff.

Services

• Air ambulance: the Otago Southland Rescue Helicopter, operated since 1998 with five dedicated helicopters from two bases, 24 hours a day
• Agriculture: spraying, topdressing from 1 kg of seed to 300 tons of fertiliser, seeding and pest control, using purpose built spray gear, buckets and GPS
• Charter flights, from all day charters to 20 minute scenic flights
• Commercial work to suit customer requirements
• Flight training from Taieri Airfield, plus an H145 flight and navigation procedures trainer simulator
• Part 145 engineering, with more than 11 engineers and a parts department stocking Airbus, MBB and Bell components

Rescue service

The rescue helicopters cover 89,000 square kilometres and 350,000 people across South Canterbury, South Westland, Otago, Fiordland, Southland and Stewart Island. Crews include critical care paramedics, and the aircraft are certified for single pilot VFR, IFR and night vision goggle flying. The company is on call to RCCNZ and Police for search and rescue, with winches, thermal imaging cameras and beacon direction finding equipment fitted.

Fleet

The fleet page lists the H145D3, EC145C2, BK117B2, H125, Bell 206L, Bell 206B3 and Cabri helicopters. The engineering department says it belongs to the fleet leader group for the H145 D3 and is the only provider of Part 145 night vision goggle support in New Zealand.

Company facts

• Operating in Otago and Southland since 1990, per its About page
• Taieri Airfield base in Mosgiel and a second base at Queenstown Airport
• Taieri base hours: 24 hours, manned 8am to 6pm, seven days