Chopper
Appeal

What an incredible moment - a blessing ceremony perfectly timed with a surprise visit from our West Coast Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Yesterday we had the privilege of welcoming Maaka Tau, representing Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and Mark Sullivan, Vicar of the Anglican Parish of Heathcote and Mt Pleasant, to the GCH Aviation Air Rescue Base. Together, they blessed and officially welcomed two additional H145 rescue helicopters into service.

The first aircraft, with tail number IGB, will remain based here in Christchurch. The second, called IGC, is heading north today to join the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter service.

We’re proud to support the Nelson Marlborough team with the purchase of a state‑of‑the‑art H145. With Canterbury, the West Coast, and the top of the South all operating these advanced aircraft, we’re strengthening safety, efficiency, and ultimately improving patient outcomes across the entire region.

And as if the day wasn’t special enough, our West Coast Westpac Rescue Helicopter dropped into the base at the perfect moment. The crew had just completed a patient transfer to Christchurch Hospital and stopped in to refuel - giving us the rare chance to capture all three aircraft together.

Meanwhile, the engineering team is hard at work preparing the final H145 for service. It won’t be long before it joins the Christchurch-based fleet.

@gchaviation

Rob was trapped in this boat. Water rushing in, his friend holding his head above the water. It took a team to save him.

“𝗜𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗷𝗼𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 ... 𝗪𝗲 𝗱𝗼 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲." 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵, 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰

Putting together a mission is like putting together a puzzle – everyone has a vital role to play.

When it came to rescuing Rob, the rescue crew needed each other more than ever. While Kath was down the wire, in the boat, she relied on the exceptional skill of the winch operator and pilot to get her – and Rob – out.

Kath talks about this rescue here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/stories/trapped-under-water-a-truly-life-saving-mission/

This Chopper Appeal, we need to raise $100,000 to support the rescue helicopters across Canterbury and the West Coast. Can you help?

Donate today. www.airrescue.co.nz/chopper

Or see the Chopper Appeal link on our Linktree

A very special moment for the West Coast as its first dedicated H145 Westpac Rescue Helicopter was officially welcomed to the region.

We promised we would deliver the West Coast a world-class rescue helicopter service. That is what this rescue helicopter will help provide.

Critical Care Paramedic Rod says going from the BK117 to the H145 is like going from a Ford Cortina to a Tesla - a massive leap forward.

𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼, 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Extra special thanks to ANZCO Foods, Rapid Relief Team NZ, Westpac NZ, Mitre10 MEGA Greymouth, The Rescue Warriors, ROA Mining, Air Rescue and Community Services, Bathurst Resources, BRM Developments, Westfleet

Read more here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/stories/west-coasts-new-h145-officially-unveiled or see Latest News on our Linktree