Tour service, and rescues

Press, 13 April 1985, Page 1

Tour service, and rescues

A tourist and rescue helicopter service, the first to have a permanent base at Christchurch Airport, will start today. Garden City Helicopters, which has three helicopters and a jet boat at its disposal, is based at the heliport in Memorial Avenue, opposite the Brevet Club. A Hughes 500 C, a Bell Jet Ranger, and a Robinson R 22 will be used to carry passengers on the six sightseeing trips, organised by the company, i and for charter work.

The sightseeing trips include scenic flights over Christchurch (ranging in price from $23), a helijet excursion to the Waimakariri River, a visit to a farm, and flights to Akaroa. The company’s chief pilot is Mr Roger Corbin, also a company director. Other directors are Messrs John Butterfield and John Currie.

The heliport building included a centre where tourists would be able to make bookings for other tourist attractions in the area, Mr Corbin said yesterday.

The company also plans a 24-hour rescue service, similar to those run by helicopter firms elsewhere in New Zealand. For this purpose, Mr Corbin said, the heliport would be equipped with full para-medical facilities.

A sponsor for the rescue service, yet to be announced, would provide rescue equipment for the helicopter and would also help with the training of staff, he said. .

A Christchurch obstetrician and gynaecologist, Mr Keith Drayton, is Garden City Helicopters’ medical adviser. He is organising a roster of doctors to support the rescue service. Messrs Corbin and Currie were associated with a helicopter venture based at New Brighton last year. There Garden City Heliflights ran from the foreshore until May, when residents’ complaints about noise forced a halt to the flights. The new heliport is away from residential areas, and the directors expect none of the previous problems.