Helicopter firm seeks licence under new name after fatal Fox Glacier crash

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Seven people are dead after a helicopter crash at Fox Glacier on Saturday, November 21, 2015.

The South Island helicopter firm involved in a crash at Fox Glacier that killed seven people is seeking a new operating certificate under a new name.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) suspended the air operating certificate (AOC) of James Patrick Scott, owner of Alpine Adventures and Fox & Franz Josef Heliservices, on May 27.

Pilot Mitch Gameren died along with six tourists in a helicopter crash on Fox Glacier in 2015.

It was initially suspended for 10 days amid doubts about the safety of the operation.

The CAA confirmed on Tuesday the suspension had not been extended as Scott had surrendered the certificate.

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Fox & Franz Josef Heliservices manager Michael Nolan said the company had applied to the CAA for a new certificate under a new name.

'We have surrendered the certificate of the name it was under JP Scott. We are now in the process of applying for a new AOC under a new name and a changed management structure,' he said.

He said the company had used the name Alpine Adventures for more than 30 years but another company had since registered the name.

The company had done everything CAA had asked of them.

'We are working closely with CAA to make sure everything is good. It's still hard to know when it will be signed off. We are hoping it will be days but how long is a piece of string.'

CAA official information officer Karl van der Plas said the decision to suspend Scott's certificate was based on several factors.

'While the suspension of the AOC was not extended there is currently a prosecution under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and disclosing the reasons for the suspension is likely to prejudice this process,' he said.

Scott and the company's quality assurance manager Barry Waterland face health and safety charges in relation to the November 2015 crash that killed 28-year-old Kiwi pilot Mitch Gameren and six tourists: Andrew Virco of Cambridge in England, 50, Katharine Walker of Cambridge in England, 51, Nigel Edwin Charlton of Hampshire, 66, Cynthia Charlton of Hampshire, 70, Sovannmony Leang of New South Wales, 27, and Josephine Gibson of New South Wales, 29.

They will appear in the Greymouth District Court on July 12.