Two Airbus H145 rescue helicopters have arrived in New Zealand, marking a major milestone in the fleet renewal programme for the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust and operator GCH Aviation, with international transportation managed by global aerospace logistics specialist B&H Worldwide. The helicopters, configured for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) operations, were transported from Zurich, Switzerland, to Christchurch, following a carefully coordinated international logistics operation. Once fully commissioned, the aircraft will support emergency medical, accident response, inter-hospital transfer and search-and-rescue missions across the Canterbury, West Coast, Nelson and Marlborough regions, where rescue helicopters respond to more than 1,700 missions each year. The arrival of the Airbus H145 helicopters represents a significant upgrade in capability and reliability. The aircraft will replace the long-serving BK117 fleet and form part of a standardised H145 fleet operated by GCH Aviation across the upper South Island.
