Helicopters (NZ)

Helicopters (NZ)
HNZ Logo
IATA ICAO Callsign
- - -
Founded1955
Operating bases
Subsidiaries
  • Helicopters (Australia)
  • Helicopters (Cambodia)
  • Glacier Helicopters
Parent companyPetroleum Helicopters International[1]
HeadquartersNelson, New Zealand
RevenueCAD$26.8m[2]
Websitephi-int.com

Helicopters New Zealand or HNZ was a New Zealand-based helicopter operator serving the oil and gas, EMS and government markets. Operating a mix of light and medium turbine-engined helicopters, it performed helicopter transport and air work for a number of private and government clients across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and Antarctica.

History

Helicopters New Zealand base, Nelson, 1969

Founded in 1955 in Timaru, New Zealand, Helicopters New Zealand commenced operations with a Bell 47, conducting agricultural operations on the New Zealand South Island. The company grew and started providing helicopter air work services for the Government of New Zealand and oil and gas clients in the 1960s.[3]

In 1992, Helicopters New Zealand bought West Coast Helicopters renaming it Helicopters (Australia) Pty Ltd and obtained a foothold in the Australian Helicopter market.

In 2011, HNZ was purchased by Canadian Helicopters. In 2012, Canadian Helicopters Group Inc., the parent company for Canadian Helicopters and HNZ, changed its name to HNZ Group Inc.[4]

HNZ Group Inc's operations in the Pacific were sold to Petroleum Helicopters International in October 2017.[5] The remainder of HNZ Group Inc. was taken private and continued operations as Canadian Helicopters Limited.

Clients

HNZ operated on behalf of the following organisations:[6]

  • Shell-Todd Oil (Oil & Gas)
  • Rio Tinto (Pilot Transfers)
  • FESA WA (Firebombing)[7]
  • Origin Energy (Oil & Gas)
  • Esso (Oil & Gas)

Fleet

Helicopters (NZ) fleet 1955 to 2006

Aircraft Introduced Retard Notes
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama 1971 1996 Six helicopters
Aerospatiale SA 318C Alouette II Astazou 1975 1977 One helicopter
Aerospatiale SE 3160, SA 316A Alouette III 1969 1971 Two helicopters
Aerospatiale SA 316C Alouette III 1975 1978 Three helicopters
Bell 47D 1957 1963 Two helicopters
Bell 47D-1 1957 1965 Three helicopters
Bell 47G 1963 1968 One helicopter
Bell 47G-2 1965 1968 One helicopter
Bell 47G-3B 1965 1970 Three helicopters
Bell 47G-3B1 1969 1981 Six helicopters
Bell 47G-4 1965 1980 Five helicopters
Bell 47G-4A 1969 1981 Five helicopters
Bell 47J-2 Ranger 1968 1985 Three helicopters
Bell 47J-2A Ranger 1964 1965 One helicopter
Bell 205A Huey 1968 1969 One helicopter
Bell 206A JetRanger 1968 1969 One helicopter
Bell 206B JetRanger 1974 1994 Six helicopters
Bell 206B-2 JetRanger 1985 Current Four helicopters. Three Bell 206B-2 jetRangers were still in service in 2006.
Bell 206B-3 JetRanger 1982 Current Three helicopters. Three Bell 206B-3 JetRangers were still in service in 2006.
Bell 212 1975 Current Seven helicopters. One Bell 212 was still in service in 2006.
Bell 412 2002 Current One helicopter
Bell 412EP 2004 Current One helicopter
Bell 412SP 1999 Current One helicopter
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan 2003 2004 One aircraft
Eurocopter AS 350B Squirrel 1982 Current 12 helicopters. Two were in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350B1 Squirrel 1998 1998 One helicopter
Eurocopter AS 350B2 Squirrel 1991 Current 18 helicopters. 11 were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350B3 Squirrel 1988 Current Eight helicopters. Four were still in service in 2006
Eurocopter AS 350BA Squirrel 1980 Current 15 helicopters. Eight were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350D Squirrel 1994 Current Four helicopters. Two were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350D(BA) Squirrel 1998 Current Two helicopters. Eight were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri 2003 2004 One helicopter
Hughes 396, 500C 1978 1981 One helicopter
Hughes 369HS, 500C 1975 1976 One helicopter
Hughes 369D, 500D 1977 2004 Nine helicopters
Hughes 369E 2002 2004 One helicopter
Piper PA-23 Aztec 1976 1982 One aircraft
Robinson R.44 II 2004 2005 One aircraft
Sikorsky S-55B 1962 1963 One helicopter. It crashed near Patea on the 13th of March 1963.
Sikorsky S-58ET 1974 1984 Two leased helicopters. The first S-58ET was leased form Cordan International. It was in service from 1974 to 1979. The second S-58ET was in service from 1983 to 1984.
Sikorsky S-61N 1976 1984 Two leased helicopters. The first S-61N was leased from Okanaga Helicopters, Vancouver. It was in service from 1976 to 1978. The second S-61N was in service from 1983 to 1984.
Sikorsky S-76A+ Spirit Two helicopters
HNZ Bell 412

As of April 2012, the HNZ fleet consisted of over 45 aircraft:[8][9]

References

  1. ^ "PHI acquires HNZ's offshore business in Pacific". 31 October 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  2. ^ Canadian Helicopters Financial Results
  3. ^ "HNZ Website - History". Archived from the original on 15 June 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2012.
  4. ^ Canadian Helicopters Changes Its Name Archived 19 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine - Ottawa Citizen
  5. ^ "PHI acquires HNZ's offshore business in Pacific". 31 October 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
  6. ^ HNZ Global Clients Archived 14 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine - NHZ Website, retrieved April 2012
  7. ^ Perth Helitacs hit milestone Archived 14 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine - Australian Aviation, 8 May 2012
  8. ^ Australian civil aircraft register search Archived 2015-05-11 at the Wayback Machine using "Helicopters (Australia)" as the search parameter. Search conducted April 2012.
  9. ^ NZ Civil Aircraft Register Search Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine using "Helicopters NZ" as the search parameter.