Skydance Helicopters

Skydance Helicopters is a helicopter operator based in Minden, Nevada, serving Northern Nevada, California and beyond. The company is FAA certified and says it has been in business for over 30 years, calling itself one of the oldest and most experienced helicopter companies.

Services

• External load and heavy lift, including construction work
• Electric utilities and power line work
• Forestry and firefighting
• Wildlife management: capture, survey and relocation
• Aerial survey
• Exploration: seismic, drilling, survey and magnetometer work
• Aerial film and photography, including location scouting and gimbal work
• Salvage recovery and consulting

Aircraft

Skydance says its aircraft suit demanding jobs and that it provides in-house maintenance, fuel logistics and operations management. Two types are described on its About page.

• MD530 FF with an Allison/Rolls Royce 250-C20B engine, pilot plus three passengers, 3,000 lb maximum take-off weight (3,550 lb with external load), service ceiling 16,000 ft
• UH-60 Blackhawk with a crew of two pilots and a crew chief, able to lift up to 8,000 pounds of cargo externally

Its news pages also mention an AStar used for US Forest Service short-haul training in Montana in 2015, when Skydance was named a provider for the USFS helicopter short-haul program.

Company facts

• FAA certified, more than 30 years of aviation experience
• Safety management system provided by PRISM Aviation Research
• Credential badges on the site include PRISM, ISNetworld and WBENC
• Heli-portable drilling system called Skydance-Xtreme mentioned in its news