Commercial Helicopter Charters

Specialist Commercial & Industrial Helicopter Flying

Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters provides a wide range of commercial and industrial helicopter services across the Queenstown region and the lower South Island. With decades of experience operating in demanding alpine and remote environments, our team delivers safe, reliable and efficient helicopter support for projects of all scales.

Our pilots are highly skilled, with extensive experience across the full spectrum of commercial operations.

Enquire Now

Our Capabilities

Heavy Lifting & Transport

Remote longline lifting
Cargo pods and cargo bin transport
Personnel, equipment and supply transport to coastal and alpine locations

Agricultural Support

Frost protection
Orchard operations
Mustering
Feral animal control

Firefighting

Collapsible 1200L monsoon buckets
Simplex belly tanks
Rapid mobilisation for wildfire response

Search & Rescue

Alpine rescue and recovery
Medical transfers
Extensive previous involvement with the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust

Aerial Support & Remote Access

Transport for hunters, anglers and recreational users
National park access
Supply and equipment drops

Media, Film & Photography

Aerial filming platforms
Media and film crew transport
High-quality aerial photography missions

Communications & Infrastructure

Telephone and radio communications site support
Powerline surveys
Geophysical survey flying, including:
- Attached stinger aeromag
- Bird towing
- ETEM loop towing

Environmental & Government Contracting

Avalanche control operations (reconnaissance, transport and aerial bombing)
Rock and landslip clearance
Fieldwork support for the Department of Conservation
Track and hut maintenance
Forestry industry transport and supply support

Modern, High-Performance Fleet

Our fleet of modern Airbus B3e Squirrels is purpose-built for high-altitude and high-performance operations. Equipped with the latest avionics, lifting technologies and safety systems, our aircraft ensure efficiency and reliability across all commercial work.

With thousands of hours logged in challenging mountainous terrain, our pilots and ground crews operate to the highest professional and safety standards.

Learn More

Experience You Can Trust

For over 20 years, Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters provided search and rescue and air ambulance services through the Lakes District Air Rescue Trust, contributing extensive expertise to the Southern region’s emergency response capabilities.

For detailed capability information or project-specific enquiries, please download our commercial operations brochure or contact Chief Pilot Luke McEwan directly on 021 557 367.