Flying Canterbury for 40 years
In 1983, John Currie founded Garden City Helicopters with Chief Pilot Roger Corbin. Just a year later, the company moved from east to west, purchasing land on Memorial Avenue adjacent to the old airport roundabout. The need for more space, driven by the company’s expansion, led to the construction of their purpose-built new home at a more logistically compatible location on Grays Road. The building was completed in 2017 and is now known as GCH Aviation.
“The biggest driver for our relocation was space – a place where we could consolidate services and allow for expansion. Where we’ve landed is good for us, good for the airport, and good for the community,” says Daniel Currie, CEO of Rotary and Fixed Wing Operations at GCH Aviation.
In 2024, GCH Aviation boasts a commercial rotary fleet with five helicopter bases across New Zealand, including Pacific Island Air in Fiji. Accommodated within the facility is the GCH Jet Centre, providing access to the South Island for private jet guests. GCH also operates a Bombardier Challenger covering the Pacific Rim.
GCH Aviation is the owner/operator of the rescue helicopter service and NZ Flying Doctor Service – with both operating from the main base here in Christchurch and serving local urban and rural communities. Much like St John, GCH Aviation receives a level of government funding, but ultimately, there is an expectation that the community will also be able to contribute towards the services. The fundraising provided by the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, the NZ Flying Doctors Trust, and the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust, supports these services and is invaluable.
After 40 years, GCH Aviation remains a family business. John, the Group Managing Director, and his sons Daniel and Andrew are responsible for rotary, fixed-wing, and jet operations, respectively. Chantelle, their younger sister, is also involved in the business.
Daniel describes their current role as twofold, aligned with their mission statement: “Enriching lives through our expertise in aviation for over forty years.”
“Firstly, we want people to have a positive experience with us, whether we’re doing rescue work, disaster response, or taking them to a winery for lunch or on a scenic flight to one of the many destinations in and around our region.”
“We provide healthcare infrastructure for Canterbury and the West Coast, and our roots are in serving the local community,” Daniel says.