| 53 RURAL SERVICES » High Country Helicopters Ltd Helping farmers and growers from above Tightening regulations have also put increased pressure on farmers and growers to manage their land in particular ways. Kim Bowden The crew at High Country Helicopters takes to the skies to give farmers and growers a helping hand on their properties. They make quick, easy work of what would often otherwise be time-consuming and labour-intensive tasks on the land. There are three pilots working out of the company’s homebase just outside Riversdale in Southland, plus one extra pilot in training. Andrew Gunton’s the chief executive - and chief pilot. He says he has loved helicopters and “all things aviation” since he was a kid growing up next door to an air force base. “I started to get into it as soon as I was able.” The company makes use of different machines for different jobs. “We go from the R22, which is a two-seat machine we use for mustering, to our B3 Squirrel, which is a seven-seat helicopter we use for ag work and utility lifting,” Andrew says. It is hard for him to pinpoint an average week in the job. “We follow the agricultural seasons, so it’s always changing, which means we’ve got quite a lot of variety in the work and it just depends on what’s happening on the farm at the time,” he says. “It usually starts with fertiliser in the spring and then transitions to spraying paddocks and crops.” Right now, the team are often taking to the air to deal to pest vegetation like broom and gorse. “We keep our aircraft pretty busy from spring through to autumn and then we take time off through the wintertime.” Andrew also struggles to pinpoint the company’s average client – he says people approach them to work on some of the region’s biggest farms right down to much more modest operations. But the agenda is generally the same: “We’re just like any other agricultural contractor; we’re there to do the job as fast and efficient as we can, and help them achieve their farming goals.” The business was established in 2006, and services properties throughout Northern Southland and down to Te Anau and Tapanui. According to Andrew, industry developments over the decades have heavily impacted the company’s growth. “The intensification of farming has been a big driver of our work. Crops cost more to establish, they’re worth more, so it makes sense to spend more in developing them.” Tightening regulations have also put increased pressure on farmers and growers to manage their land in particular ways – and chopper pilots can often help carry some of this load. Alongside Andrew, Ellie Metcalfe manages a chunk of the desk work, interacting with clients and divvying up jobs to the pilots. She is also responsible for the mapping of jobs; a task she says has rapidly evolved with technological advances. The pair agree they do not generally need to sell their services to clients. “They know where the place of the helicopter is,” Andrew says. “Often it’s worth getting a job done faster or with less damage.” He says his crew loves its work. “We all really passionate about what we do and being part of our client’s businesses.” Proudly supporting High Country Helicopters Ltd p: 03 218 6179 e: Greg.Munro@mcp.co.nz w: www.mcp.co.nz At McCulloch + Partners we are a local business run by local people. We pride ourselves on being friendly, accessible and experienced accounting specialists no matter the industry you’re in. Andrew flying. MAUNGATI LIME CO LTD Supp l i er s of Hi gh Qua l i t y L ime • Track Rock • Lime & Fertiliser Spreading • Lime Chip • Aggregate • Owner Operated Spreaders Sean Johnson 027 653 1722 Alistair Johnson 027 433 8735 Holme Station, RD2 Timaru Ph 686 4859 Southland and Otago’s Independently owned Ford dealership
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