Helijet
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| Founded | 1986 | ||||||
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| Hubs | Vancouver International Airport | ||||||
| Fleet size | 15 | ||||||
| Destinations | Four scheduled | ||||||
| Headquarters | Vancouver, British Columbia | ||||||
| Key people |
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| Website | http://www.helijet.com | ||||||
Helijet International is a helicopter airline and charter service based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Well known for its scheduled passenger helicopter airline services, it also operates a charter division (Helijet Charters) serving the film, television, aerial tour, industrial and general charter markets, as well as helicopter and jet air ambulance services. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport (YVR).[1]
Sightseeing harbour and city tours and scheduled services to Victoria and Nanaimo operate from the Vancouver Harbour Heliport located on the shores of Burrard Inlet, adjacent to Waterfront Station. The actual heliport is a floating structure located in the harbour waters. Helijet is also British Columbia's largest air medical service provider, operating rotary wing and fixed wing medevac aircraft including Learjets.[2]
History[edit]
The airline was established in 1986 and started operations between Vancouver and Victoria in November 1986 with one Bell 412 helicopter and 14 staff members. It was formerly known as Helijet Airways. During the past 25 years of operation, Helijet has grown from one aircraft in scheduled service with 14 personnel carrying just 22,000 passengers into a diversified company with 15 aircraft and 150+ employees carrying over 100,000 passengers per year. The company has an excellent record of aviation safety.[citation needed] With US Helicopter now defunct in the New York City area since 2009, Helijet is the only scheduled passenger helicopter airline service in North America.[3]
In the past, Helijet provided scheduled passenger services with Sikorsky S-76A helicopters or Beechcraft 1900 turboprop fixed wing aircraft to Seattle-Boeing Field, Abbotsford International Airport, Langley Airport, Victoria International Airport and Campbell River Airport, all of which are still destinations accessible by Helijet Charters' services. Helijet has operated large, 19 passenger seat Sikorsky S-61 helicopters as well including in scheduled service between Vancouver and Victoria.
All scheduled passenger services between the company's heliports located in downtown Vancouver, B.C. and downtown Victoria, B.C. have been operated for many years with twin engine, Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) capable Sikorsky S-76 helicopters flown by two (2) pilots. During the 2013 summer season, all scheduled service between Vancouver and Victoria was being operated with Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III turbine powered rotorcraft.[4] However, with the advent of the 2013 fall season, Helijet was once again operating Sikorsky S-76 helicopters between Vancouver and Victoria and is currently doing so.
Helijet International operates the Vancouver and Victoria Harbour Heliports under its wholly owned subsidiary, Pacific Heliport Services.
Destinations[edit]
Helijet operates bases at the following heliports/airports in British Columbia, Canada:[5]
- Vancouver International Airport (YVR) - Home base and corporate headquarters
- Vancouver Harbour, in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia (CXH)
- Victoria Harbour, in downtown Victoria, British Columbia (YWH)
- Nanaimo, British Columbia - New service effective March 11, 2015 operated from the Nanaimo Harbour Heliport at the Nanaimo Cruise Ship Welcome Center[6]
- Prince Rupert/Seal Cove, in Prince Rupert, British Columbia
- Sandspit Airport, in Sandspit, British Columbia
Helijet also operates helicopter services between Masset airport and numerous fishing lodges in the Haida Gwaii area during the BC fishing season. The fishing lodges have an operating helipad to facilitate this service, which includes passenger and cargo transfers.
On March 11, 2015, Helijet began operating new scheduled passenger service utilizing Sikorsky S-76 helicopters with seven roundtrip flights every weekday between the company's downtown heliport located in Vancouver Harbour and the Nanaimo Harbour Heliport located at the Nanaimo Cruise Ship Welcome Center.[7]
Fleet[edit]
The Helijet fleet consists of the following rotorcraft and jet aircraft types (as of March 2013):
- 7 Sikorsky S-76A - C-GHJL, C-GHJP, C-GHJV, C-GHJW, C-FZAA
- 3 Sikorsky S-76C++ - C-GIHJ, C-GHHJ, C-GCHJ
- 3 Bell 206L-3 LongRanger III - C-GVIZ, C-GVIQ, C-GXHJ
- 2 Bombardier Learjet 31A - C-GHJJ, C-GHJU
- 1 Eurocopter AS350B2 AStar - C-GHJS
HeliJet operated the following fixed wing turboprop and helicopter types in the past:
- Beechcraft B200 Super King Air
- Beechcraft 1900C
- Beechcraft 1900D
- Bell 206B JetRanger
- Bell 206L-1 LongRanger
- Bell 412
- Eurocopter AS355F-1 Twinstar
- Sikorsky S-61N
- Robinson R-22
References[edit]
- ^ "Directory: World Airlines". Flight International. 2007-04-03. p. 90.
- ^ "Helijet - BC Air Ambulance services". Helijet Official site.
- ^ Exploits of an Enduring Enterprise. Helicopters Magazine. Retrieved on 2014-04-12.
- ^ http://www.helijet.com, Scheduled Services - Summer 2013 Schedule
- ^ http://www.helijet.com, About Helijet - Our Locations
- ^ http://www.helijet.com, Press Release: "North America's Premiere Scheduled Helicopter Operator Begins Nanaimo Express Service March 11th
- ^ http://www.helijet.com, Press Release: "North America's Premiere Scheduled Helicopter Operator Begins Nanaimo Express Service March 11th"
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helijet International. |
