New helicopter for New Zealand’s Canterbury and West Coast region
The rescue helicopter was purchased by the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, and is the first of a batch of three new rotorcraft for the region
New Zealand's Canterbury and West Coast Air Rescue Trust has unveiled the first of a batch of three H145s which will serve the region.
The H145 spent the preceding three months undergoing commissioning, and will now enter regular service.
The new helicopter, which will be leased to operator GCH Aviation, will allow crew to operate in more adverse weather conditions, while its larger cabin would provide more space for medical crew and patients.
The rotorcraft is one of three H145s ordered for the trust in August 2024, supporting its fleet modernization efforts. The trust also supported the purchase of a fourth for Nelson Marlborough.
The second and third helicopters are currently undergoing commissioning, while the fourth is due to arrive in Christchurch in early 2026.
“The H145 is the ideal machine to use across our challenging South Island terrain and can be flown using instrument flight rules (IFR), which means we’ll be able to fly in more adverse weather,” said Brent Fredericksen, Rescue Helicopter Pilot and IFR Training Manager for GCH Aviation. “This machine is built for rescue missions – it’s fast, reliable, and designed to save lives.”
US air ambulance provider ARCH Air Medical recently acquired a new H145 to replace its aging BK117.
Oliver Cuenca
Oliver Cuenca is a Junior Editor at the Voyageur Group. He was previously a News and Features Journalist for the rail magazine IRJ until 2021, and studied MA Magazine Journalism at Cardiff University. His favourite helicopter is the AW169 – the workhorse of the UK air ambulance sector! He also led the creation of Waypoint: The AirMed&Rescue podcast, serving as its Production Editor and co-host.