History

Stewart Island Helicopters was formed in May 2004 under the original name of Mount Anglem Helicopters. Jason Wright, Brian Winsloe and Karl Ryan built the operation and business based on brand new heli-port premises at Ocean Beach near Bluff. By October 2005 the company ownership changed hands to Phil & Sharan Caskey of Stewart Island Adventures Group which was a tourist venture based on Stewart Island. The company operated a small fleet based from the Bluff heliport and continued operations across Stewart Island with its focus mainly on heli-tourism.

Stewart Island Helicopters today

In November 2007 the business and its operations were taken over by Jason Wright a former employee and chief pilot of the company. Stewart Island Helicopters is mainly built up by its experienced and locally based pilots and a fleet of aircraft to support our client’s demands. All staff at SIH take pride in the work they carry out and ensure that safety is paramount.

The company now operates a fleet of aircraft with a moving capacity of up to 10 passengers.
• All flight operations are covered securely by a comprehensive flight following service with HF/SSB and VHF radio communications and in some cases we have satellite tracking in our aircraft for longer distance flights.
• Our aircraft are kitted with hydrostatic release life-rafts for over-water operations and each passenger wears a life-vest.
• Our Bluff base has car parking and storage facilities as well as toilets and showers for our clients.
• Locally experienced pilots and crew on many types of operations

SIH CAMBODIA

Stewart Island Helicopters (SIH) operate a service level agreement with Wildlife Alliance (Cambodia) to manage all flight operations and supply experienced pilots to fly on wildlife rescue operations and forest protection work in some of Cambodia’s protected forests. This is a part of the Cambodia Wildlife Rescue Programme. It takes precision flying and skill on some of the missions called for and working in Cambodia’s high humidity and temperatures can be stressful and working on the higher side of the aircraft's performance levels. Our work in Cambodia gives our pilots opportunities to work and gain experience in other countries during the quieter seasons in New Zealand.

Jason Wright (CEO/Operations Manager)

Jason began his flying career at the age of 14 flying fixed wing aircraft at the Southland Aero Club in 1996. 3 years later he completed a Diploma in Aviation at Quantum Aviation before switching to helicopters to fly commercially. Upon obtaining his commercial helicopter license, Jason began his first flying job at Foveaux Helicopters (Invercargill Airport) as a pilot and by the age of 21 he was a C-Cat instructor pilot for the company. During this period, Jason also worked as an instructor at other company bases - Auckland Helicopters and Christchurch Helicopters. In May 2004 Jason left Foveaux Helicopters to build his own helicopter operation based out of Bluff. This was Mount Anglem Helicopters for which Jason was the Chief Pilot and company director. Along with his business partners, they operated for a year before re-naming the company Stewart Island Helicopters.

During the winter of 2007, Jason also became an instructor for Simon Spencer-Bower at Wanaka Helicopters and became a B-Cat instructor. By December 2007, Stewart Island Helicopters ownership was to change hands again to Jason.

Jason is now a contract pilot working in New Zealand/Canada & Cambodia on various types of precision lifting drill operations, repeater servicing, mining, search and rescue, medi-vacs, coastguard, fire-fighting, forestry, aerial filming/photography, hunter transport, mutton-birder transport and tourist flying operations. Jason is based in New Zealand mainly during the summer and autumn months and overseas during the winter and spring. Jason is also a duty flight operations manager for Wildlife Alliance - Cambodia however his base remains here in New Zealand.

OUR PILOTS AND CREW

At SIH we employ pilots with local and overseas experience on precision long line, fire fighting, search and rescue, medi-vacs, surveying, filming, forestry, tourist flying and local knowledge.

Our contract pilots mainly work overseas during the quiet season in New Zealand (winter), whereas the below pilots will remain on duty during this period.

Our tourist pilots for summer 2009/2010 are:

Michael Clarke (Pilot)

Mike has been flying for SIH for over 2 years; specialising mainly in tourist operations. Most of Mike's experience is from flying between Bluff & Stewart Island on our regular service and transporting our local clients to remote locations all over Stewart Island and surrounding islands.

Tyson Bramwell (Pilot)

Tyson joined the team at SIH late in the 2008/2009 season after spending time flying overseas and in Fiordland. Tyson’s local knowledge and passion for aviation compliments our tourist operations and gives visitors a warm welcome to our region.