This year has been a very busy one for Vancouver-based helicopter organisation Talon Helicopters, due to SAR and wildfire fighting. However, its VIP and corporate work is still very slow compared to a normal year, which is directly related to the lack of international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our current fleet is all Airbus Helicopters," explains chief pilot Jarrett Lunn. “We operate the AS350, AS355 and the AS365. The AS365 has proven to be a very popular choice due to its size, speed and ability to fill multiple roles with little time to change aircraft configurations. The AS365 can be used for water bucketing, heli-tanking, hoist rescue, medevac, crew transport and VIP transfers. It is also set up for night vision goggle operations so we can conduct all our operations day or night, without any restrictions to lit up helipads or anything like that.

“Versatility played a large role in getting through the pandemic. When one industry was slowing down (VIP charters) another was picking up (medevac) directly due to the pandemic. Because we are set up to fly for such a variety of industries, it allowed us to shift our efforts as the pandemic evolved. We still have aircraft assisting on wildfires, but the season is starting to come to an end. We will regroup, give our pilots some much deserved days off and start to set up for fall/winter season work. With the COVID-19 pandemic constantly changing we will ensure we are ready for charter work as travel restrictions relax. We also take pride in being able to offer our services to our local search and rescue teams 24 hours a day, seven days a week."