Nelson choppers work with Koreans

CHOPPERS ON ICE: Helicopters NZ utility operations manager Dave Sowman inside a Squirrel helicopter, similar to the two that will be used on board a new South Korean icebreaker in Antarctica.

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Two helicopters and crew from Nelson-based Helicopters NZ are heading south to Antarctic waters on board a new South Korean icebreaker.

The company has secured a high-value contract with the Korean Polar Research Institute (Kopri) to provide air support for its mission looking at options for setting up a new Antarctic research station.

Helicopters NZ (HNZ), which has operated for 55 years, has experience working in Antarctica dating back 30 years, since its chief pilot Jim Wilson first went there.

It has worked on supporting Antarctic programmes with New Zealand, Norway, Germany, Italy, India, Australia and France, and this is its first with South Korea.

Kopri already has a station on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands, and last year commissioned its new research ship Araon, the first Korean-built icebreaking vessel.

The ship has been built especially for polar research and has 85 scientists on board, a crew of 25 and 15 logistical staff.

HNZ has two Squirrel helicopters on the stern deck, equipped for Antarctic work and each worth $2 million. With them on a 40-day trip are Nelson engineer Dave Lewis, who has worked more than 15 Antarctic seasons; senior pilot Lee Armstrong, from Kaikoura, who is on his fourth trip to the Ice; and Ash Clarke, from Fox Glacier, who is making his fifth trip.

HNZ operations manager Dave Sowman said the Araon left Lyttelton on Tuesday and would meet a Russian icebreaker in the Ross Sea. The Araon would also have a Russian icebreaker captain on board, because this would be its first encounter with ice.

It would travel east to Cape Burks, then leave the Russian escort ship and travel to Terra Nova Bay before returning to New Zealand. There was a possibility of a second sailing to look at another base option.

At Cape Burks, the helicopter crew will fly 22 people 15 kilometres inland for research and reconnaissance for a possible base. They will also transport equipment, including a fibreglass igloo.

"Our strategic business plan is to maintain our strong position supporting Antarctica operations, and we are always actively trying to grow it with different nationalities by attending different polar forums," HNZ group general manager Denis Laird said.

The company first met the Koreans in Shanghai six years ago, and Kopri contacted it last year about the new contract.

Mr Sowman said the challenges of working in Antarctica included operating the aircraft in minus 40 degrees Celsius, which meant having to pre-warm the helicopters, and restarting them every hour for five minutes in the field.

"Simple things like pre-flight checks can take four or five times longer because your fingers are so cold."

The crews trained for the environment, particularly having to contend with featureless terrain, flat light and whiteout conditions away from support, and they carried survival packs, he said.

"It's a dangerous environment but we make sure there are backup arrangements. We have plenty of extensive checklists."

HNZ's motto "Excellence in the extremes" had grown out of its work in Antarctica, he said.

"The company looks on this work with a great deal of pride, and we jealously guard our business down there.

"It's raised the company's profile internationally, and we are highly regarded by all Antarctic programmes for our expertise, and I believe we are second to none."

The company, which operates 45 aircraft, now has eight doing Antarctic work for Germany, Italy, New Zealand and the Koreans.

Its Antarctic contracts make up 15 to 20 per cent of its business. Other work includes offshore oil and gas support, tourism on glaciers, defence services, and firefighting in Australia.

- © Fairfax NZ News