Christchurch helicopter firm takes off with new $25m headquarters

Wednesday, 25 April 2018

Garden City Helicopters' new $23 million facility at Christchurch Airport has taken two years to build. (Video first published in April 2018)

A new $23-million aviation centre at Christchurch Airport is being hailed a game-changer for tourism and medical rescue in the South Island.

Garden City Helicopters Aviation's development, which is a mini airport terminal in itself with different areas for medical staff, patients, private jet owners and pilots, will be officially unveiled on Friday.

It is the highlight of a long aviation career for managing director John Currie, who began Garden City Helicopters in 1983 at New Brighton Beach as a coastal helicopter rescue service and scenic flight operator.

Christchurch-based Garden City Helicopters has a new air ambulance, rescue and tourism centre at Christchurch Airport.

As well as tourism, the company's rescue efforts have become well known in disasters such as the recent Port Hills fires, or the Otira Gorge bus crash in 2015, when four helicopters took turns landing and picking up maimed passengers for the quick trip to Christchurch Hospital.

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Managing Director John Currie started Garden City Helicopters in 1983 at New Brighton Beach as a coastal helicopter rescue service and scenic flight operator.

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The facility has taken two years to build.

The company has about 24 helicopters and nine fixed-wing aircraft, employing 121 staff, as well as health sector contractors.

With the help of modern computer applications, Garden City can monitor where every helicopter is at any time.

As well as tourism, the company's rescue efforts have become well known in disasters such as the recent Port Hills fires, or the Otira Gorge bus crash in 2015.

The new 9000-square-metre facility is the one of the largest of its kind in Australasia and is home to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and New Zealand Flying Doctor Service.

The ample hangar space has potential as a disaster centre with easy ambulance and truck entry. It also houses a collector's item – a 1959 de Havilland Vampire jet used at airshow events.

The New Zealand Flying Doctor Service has its base at the site.

The building has direct runway access and a helipad, meaning patients and families can wait in comfortable lounges for their journeys.

Dedicated medical staff are on standby to accompany pilots, on average about twice a day, although it can be highly variable.

Rest rooms and showering facilities are available for pilots, and separate ones for patients or customers.

Currie said he was keen to capture more of the corporate market for owners of private jets or high-profile travellers who may wish to use a smaller and quicker facility than the airport's main terminal.

Airport security maintains camera surveillance on baggage scanning equipment and other areas.

Commercial flight training is another area Garden City is involved in and there are rooms in the new building set aside for training.

Currie said it had taken about 14 years and analysis of five other sites before agreement was clinched with the airport company, which owns the land.

His two sons, Andrew and Daniel, own half the the business. Chief executive Andrew Currie said the new centre was a game-changer for Canterbury and the South Island.

'It will benefit the community and boost high-value business and tourism to the region.

'It means we can continue to expand business from the new head office for our other operations throughout New Zealand and the Pacific.'

Garden City also has facilities in Christchurch, Greymouth, Nelson, Wellington, Vanuatu and Fiji, where it employs about 55 people.

The new centre has been welcomed by Dr David Bowie, chairman of the Canterbury West Coast emergency care team and clinical leader of the Canterbury Air Retrieval Service. Garden City has service contracts with district health boards throughout New Zealand.

He said high-level patient care was central to the design, allowing faster transfer of patients and support for their families from all over the South Island.

ChristchurchNZ tourism manager Caroline Blanchfield said it put the region on the world stage as a luxury, high-end destination.

'Business and luxury travellers into the South Island now have fast, private secure entry and exit. About 50 international corporate jets arrive into Christchurch Airport each year,' she said.

The building took two years to build and includes features that John Currie oversaw – such as a generator in case of power supply failure, and hangar doors easily opened by hand rather than electronically.

A combined emergency services open day at the new facility will be held on April 29, with support from the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.