New Zealand has had only two scheduled helicopter-operated air services. Both were short-lived.
The second, that operated during the summer of 1991/92, was operated by Vincent Aviation between Wellington and Picton in a joint venture with Helicopters (NZ) Ltd using one of their Bell 212 helicopters which could carry twelve passengers. The timetable showed flights would operate on Friday and Sunday evenings with a fare of $111. Additional flights were scheduled over the Christmas holiday period.
The first scheduled helicopter service was designed to overfly Auckland traffic. The company that operated it, Heli Taxis Limited, was founded on the 4th of August 1987, by Arthur Young. The company was contracted by Air New Zealand offer the helicopter service which flew under the name of “City Shuttle.” Flights operated between Auckland International Airport and Mechanics Bay near downtown Auckland, the service starting on the 15th of June 1988 using Agusta A109A II ZK-HBC (c/n 7122).
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NZ Herald, 13 June 1988 |
Prior to the service’s commencement media representatives were given an opportunity to sample it. On the 14th of June 1988 the Christchurch Press published the impressions of Les Bloxham, the newspaper’s travel editor…
Passing everything in sight, I simply flew along Auckland’s southern motorway at 240km/h yesterday but didn’t cop a ticket. In fact the cops would have had difficulty in keeping up for I was 300 metres above the road in Air New Zealand’s new “city shuttle” helicopter. The seven-minute link between Auckland Airport and Mechanics Bay, on the downtown waterfront, was unveiled to journalists yesterday. It will be available to the public from tomorrow at $60 a seat — double the charge by taxi and about eight times as much as a ticket on the Airporter bus, both of which take about 30 minutes depending on traffic. Strictly speaking, the complete journey by city shuttle takes 15 minutes allowing for the time to travel by road from Air New Zealand’s downtown terminal to the helipad at Mechanics Bay.
Passengers in a hurry, however, stand to save at least 15 minutes, possibly more at peak time. One of the advantages offered by the new service is the check-in facility at the airline’s downtown travel centre. Passengers get their boarding passes there and can make a gate-to-gate transfer after arriving at the airport by helicopter. Air New Zealand’s new chief executive, Mr Jim Scott, said the airline was proud to be providing “this innovative service.” “It is yet another manifestation of the national carrier's commitment to provide the best services for every type of passenger. “We are confident the service will meet a need that will be well supported.”
The helicopter will be run by an Auckland company, Helitaxis, Ltd, under contract to Air New Zealand, using a six-seat Agusta 109 twin engine machine. The airline has given consideration to the flight path to keep the helicopter away from residential areas. It follows the motorway before flying over commercial land at Otara.
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| A cover shot for New Zealand Wings, Agusta 109 ZK-HBC flying past Air New Zealand's building in downtown Auckland. Source : NZ Wings, July 1988 |
Meanwhile, Ross MacPherson made a nice connection in July 1988 issue of Wings... Air New Zealand is going back to its roots. Not for any reasons of nostalgia - the current climate does not allow for much of that - but to launch a new customer service based on Auckland. TEAL, Air New Zealand's international predecessor, began its trans Tasman operation out of Mechanics Bay on Auckland, city waterfront with Short S.30 flying boats in April 1940.1t was a harbour front connection that was to conclude with the by Solent flight from Fiji in September Now Mechanics Bay figures once again on Air New Zealand schedules. this time as the city terminus for an innovative helicopter shuttle service to Auckland International.
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| City Shuttle's Agusta 109 at Ardmore in August 1988. Photo : B Kerr Collection |
Seven return flights were operated each weekday, with the first flight departing from the airport at 8.15am, arriving at Mechanics Bay at 8.25am before departing back to the airport at 8.35am. The last service of the day departed Mechanics Bay at 5.55pm with the flights per day from Monday to Friday have been timed to coincide with Air New Zealand’s flights to and from Wellington and Christchurch. At Auckland International flights operated from Gate 27, beside the airbridge at the Air New Zealand domestic terminal.
On the 21st the Press reported that Air New Zealand is pleased with the response its new City Shuttle helicopter service has received in its first week of operation. The scheduled flights have brought downtown Auckland to within seven minutes of the domestic, terminal at Mangere. The service is being provided under contract for the airline by Helitaxis, Ltd, from Its base at Mechanics Bay. Passengers are transferred between the heli-pad and Air New Zealand’s downtown travel centre by mini-bus, a trip that takes about three minutes. The bus is also available to passengers wanting to be dropped off at other Auckland central-city locations. Passengers who book for a City Shuttle flight (and reservations are essential) receive their domestic flight boarding passes at the downtown travel centre. They can then directly board their aircraft after the helicopter lands at the domestic terminal.
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| The Press, 21 June 1988 |
The June 1988 edition of Aviation News gave more information on the Agusta helicopter. Air New Zealand's "City Shuttle" service will be operated by an Auckland company - Helitaxis Ltd - under contract to the airline, using a six-seater, Agusta 109 twin engined helicopter. This helicopter type is extensively used for executive transport as well as air ambulance service when patient comfort necessitates quietness, safety, mobility and speed… The Agusta has several advantages for this particular operation: The four-bladed, twin engined is a good neighbour and in fact of being the quietest helicopter type in service in New Zealand. It is also fast, cruising at 155 knots. Its retractable undercarriage allows the helicopter to taxi right up to the airport gate at Auckland airport and the newly refurbished, executive interior will provide for a comfortable ride.
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| The Press, 13 July 1988 |
In addition to the scheduled work the Agusta operated scenic helicopter flights from Mechanics Bay in the weekend.
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| City Shuttle's Agusta 109 ZK-HBC offering scenic flights at Mechanics Bay in 1988. Photos: L Acket |
In December 1988 a notice in the New Zealand Gazette seemed to indicate there were problems brewing. On the 19th of December 1988 Air New Zealand filed an application for the winding up of Helitaxis Limited by the High Court. The order sought is an order that Air New Zealand Limited purchase the shares of Thomas Williams Nominees Limited, and A. W. Young in Helitaxis Limited, at a price to be fixed by arbitration in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration Act 1908.
In January 1989 the City Shuttle service, having failed to gain sufficient patronage, ceased operating.
Within a few days of this the Press reported that Air New Zealand is being sued for $41.3 million by the company which operated the city-to-Auckland Airport helicopter passenger shuttle for the airline. The service ceased operating earlier this month, apparently because of insufficient patronage. Air New Zealand had opted out some time earlier, however. Heli Taxis Limited is claiming that the airline is in breach of a contract by not only not promoting the service, but by discouraging its use. It alleges that Air New Zealand "absolutely refused to promote it, so that the service is in disuse." The agreement was for a minimum of 15 years and Heli Taxis calculates it will lose $41.3 million over that period in earnings. The estimated first-year return of $574,000 was expected to increase by a minimum of 20 per cent a year. It claims that the airline withdrew Heli Taxi's domestic terminal and landing facilities at the beginning of December and forced it to relocate. Heli Taxis is seeking $41.3 million in damages and a High Court order directing Air New Zealand to promote and utilise its service. It also wants the airline to be restrained from encouraging its passengers to travel between the airport and the city by any way except its helicopter service. Under the contract Air New Zealand agreed to purchase a minimum of 750 flights a year at an initial rate of $1640 per flying hour. Air New Zealand says it will fight the action.
So ended New Zealand's first scheduled helicopter service.
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