Helicopters (NZ)

HNZ is 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 performs helicopter transport and air work for a number of private and government clients across Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia & Antarctica.

Helicopters (NZ)
IATA ICAO Callsign
- - -
Founded1955
Operating bases
Subsidiaries
  • Helicopters (Australia)
  • Helicopters (Cambodia)
  • Glacier Helicopters
Parent companyHNZ Group
HeadquartersNelson, New Zealand
RevenueCAD$26.8m[1]
Websitewww.hnzglobal.com

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 airwork services for the NZ Government and Oil and Gas clients in the 1960s.[2]

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.[3]

HNZ was sold to Petroleum Helicopters International in October 2017.[4]

Clients

HNZ operates on behalf of the following organisations:[5]

  • Shell-Todd Oil (Oil & Gas)
  • Rio Tinto (Pilot Transfers)
  • FESA WA (Firebombing)[6]
  • Origin Energy (Oil & Gas)
  • Esso (Oil & Gas)

Fleet

Helicopters (NZ) fleet 1955 to 2006
Aircraft Introduced Retard Notes
Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama19711996Six helicopters
Aerospatiale SA 318C Alouette II Astazou19751977One helicopter
Aerospatiale SE 3160, SA 316A Alouette III19691971Two helicopters
Aerospatiale SA 316C Alouette III19751978Three helicopters
Bell 47D19571963Two helicopters
Bell 47D-119571965Three helicopters
Bell 47G19631968One helicopter
Bell 47G-219651968One helicopter
Bell 47G-3B19651970Three helicopters
Bell 47G-3B119691981Six helicopters
Bell 47G-419651980Five helicopters
Bell 47G-4A19691981Five helicopters
Bell 47J-2 Ranger19681985Three helicopters
Bell 47J-2A Ranger19641965One helicopter
Bell 205A Huey19681969One helicopter
Bell 206A JetRanger19681969One helicopter
Bell 206B JetRanger19741994Six helicopters
Bell 206B-2 JetRanger1985CurrentFour helicopters. Three Bell 206B-2 jetRangers were still in service in 2006.
Bell 206B-3 JetRanger1982CurrentThree helicopters. Three Bell 206B-3 JetRangers were still in service in 2006.
Bell 2121975CurrentSeven helicopters. One Bell 212 was still in service in 2006.
Bell 4122002CurrentOne helicopter
Bell 412EP2004CurrentOne helicopter
Bell 412SP1999CurrentOne helicopter
Cessna 208B Grand Caravan20032004One aircraft
Eurocopter AS 350B Squirrel1982Current12 helicopters. Two were in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350B1 Squirrel19981998One helicopter
Eurocopter AS 350B2 Squirrel1991Current18 helicopters. 11 were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350B3 Squirrel1988CurrentEight helicopters. Four were still in service in 2006
Eurocopter AS 350BA Squirrel1980Current15 helicopters. Eight were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350D Squirrel1994CurrentFour helicopters. Two were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter AS 350D(BA) Squirrel1998CurrentTwo helicopters. Eight were still in service in 2006.
Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri20032004One helicopter
Hughes 396, 500C19781981One helicopter
Hughes 369HS, 500C19751976One helicopter
Hughes 369D, 500D19772004Nine helicopters
Hughes 369E20022004One helicopter
Piper PA-23 Aztec19761982One aircraft
Robinson R.44 II20042005One aircraft
Sikorsky S-55B19621963One helicopter. It crashed near Patea on the 13th of March 1963.
Sikorsky S-58ET19741984Two 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-61N19761984Two 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+ SpiritTwo helicopters
HNZ Bell 412

As of April 2012, the HNZ fleet consisted of over 45 aircraft:[7][8]

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