New Zealand operator GCH Aviation is looking forward to welcoming an Airbus Helicopters H145 for EMS missions. The aircraft is expected to arrive by the middle of the year, and the company is also waiting to receive a King Air B200, which is currently being prepared in Australia. “Following the opening of our Christchurch Jet Centre, we plan to add a private jet for Pacific rim operations as well as one or two additional EC130/B4s,” says group general manager Simon Duncan.

GCH started out as Garden City Helicopters in 1984, performing scenic flight services with a Hughes 300 at New Brighton beach in Christchurch. The business moved to Christchurch International airport in 1985, operating with one Hughes 500C for scenic flights, before forming a rescue service under current MD John Currie.

Today GCH Aviation remains family-owned: John holds a rotary and fixed wing PPL, and his two sons Andrew (now CEO and a commercial fixed wing pilot) and Daniel (CFO and a commercial helicopter pilot) along with daughter Christie (accounting) are still very much involved in the business. The organisation has four bases across New Zealand at Christchurch, Greymouth, Nelson and Queens Wharf, Wellington. The family also owns Pacific Island Air in Fiji and Vanuatu Helicopters in Vanuatu.

GCH provides BK117 EMS rescue helicopters at the three South Island bases and supplies tourism and commercial ops at all four NZ bases. It also owns and operates the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service, using three pressurised fixed-wing types out of Christchurch and Nelson, and these will soon be joined by the B200 King Air currently in Australia being setup for NZ wide service. The BK117s are also occasionally deployed for utility work such as power line inspections and firefighting.

The operator is active in Fiji, through Pacific Island Air, where the vast majority of flying is touristic in nature, with some air ambulance and commercial work thrown in. “We move on average 800-900 people per week between Nadi where the international airport is, out to the many island resorts,” continues Duncan. “For this purpose we use amphibian aircraft such as two Otters, a Beaver, three twin engine wheeled Britten Norman Islanders plus helicopters such as single and twin Squirrels. We also perform scenic flights off a moored pad in the Denarau marina.”

Vanuatu Helicopters, the only operator in Vanuatu, is responsible for several R66 and R44s, ferrying in additional machines from time to time where required.

GCH Aviation is also a NZ CAA certified UAV operator providing drone services out of Christchurch and Blenheim, with a range of aircraft in this field. The company holds a Diamond Safety Award from the NZ Helicopter Association, after completing more than 30 years of flights without injury, accident or harm to self or others. It has also been awarded Gold Qualmark certification for taking care of tourist and visitor activity in the region, and employs more than 130 staff across its group as well as a team of paramedics and flight nurses from key medical contractors.

“Our biggest obstacle is our distance from other markets, and maintaining our high quality safety record,” concludes Duncan. “The Asia Pacific market is always challenging.”