46 | “It’s hard to get a chopper licence in the first place, what with the cost of training, and harder still to set up a helicopter company with its own aircraft....” New horizons beckon After leasing helicopters to start the company in 2020, Paul is now in the market for one of his own. Central Heliwork T T Hugh de Lacy CONTRACTING It’s no small task setting up your own sole-trader helicopter company, but with a new hangar he has just built himself at Roxburgh Airport in Central Otago, Paul Booth of Central Heliwork has finally got it over the line. After leasing helicopters to start the company in 2020, Paul is now in the market for one of his own, which will extend his services from agriculture to scenic flying and other air- transport operations. A Roxburgh native, who grew up on a farm at nearby Ettrick, Paul launched himself into the helicopter industry in 2010, passing all 13 examinations and flying the 150 hours in two years to gain his commercial licence. Completing his education in the challenging skills of flying helicopters, Paul has up-skilled with various type ratings, and has lately gained his qualification as an agricultural flight instructor, and at 35 he is one of the youngest CEO/Chief Pilots in the country. He’s also just finished building a 12m by 14.5m hangar as the base for his diversification. “I poured the concrete foundations for the hangar in January of this year, and completed it in mid-August,” Paul says. “It’s hard to get a chopper licence in the first place, what with the cost of training, and harder still to set up a helicopter company with its own aircraft, but I’m ready to buy one – probably a Hughes 500 – rather than continuing to lease, and I can say I’m finally under way with my own company.” Paul has had a colourful journey, gaining his private helicopter licence with Wanaka Helicopters, and his commercial licence with Southern Wings in Te Anau. He then pursued a succession of employment opportunities, starting with High Country Helicopters in Southland, followed by a stint at Anderson Helicopters in Hokitika before doing his agricultural rating with Precision Helicopters in Taranaki. Then it was off on the OE, flying a chopper off a 40-man, 260ft Taiwanese registered tuna boat, where his job was to scour the surrounding sea for schools of fish. When the Taiwanese owners neglected to pay him after a 42-day voyage, Paul came home and worked with Nokomai Helicopters, part of the sheep and cattle station of the same name in Southland, and when that came to a close he formed Central Heliwork, and contracted himself out to companies all round the country. He was inspired by local farmer demand to launch Central Heliwork in his hometown of Roxburgh, and for the next two years he operated a Hughes 500 and a Squirrel As350 , reducing that inventory to one when agricultural work started to dry up during the farming downturn. “It’s simply impractical to rely on a single industry for helicopter work, though there are some who can do it, but it’s tough to get a specialist agricultural chopper company over the line when the cockies have stopped spending,” Paul says. “The legislation and the paperwork both impose costs, but the recovery of the tourism industry has given me an excellent opportunity to develop the business.” • Spraying • Fertiliser • Seeding • Mustering • Pest Management • Lifting • Fire Fighting / Lighting For all your aerial application requirements contact Paul Booth Phone (027) 357-3640 email centralheliwork@gmail.com SUPPLIED AND BUILT BY PROUDLY SUPPORTING CENTRAL HELIWORK LTD Visit www.sheds.co.nz Free call 0800 94 33 77
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