Big Russian

[Dreamweaver]

Look whats lurking around the Central Plateau

[ZK-Brock]

Cool! Not pretty though is it!

[Jimmy]

ew I feal a little sick now

So why was that ugly beast flying around frightening humanity?

Sorry it is kinda neat looking, in its own special way

James

[Dreamweaver]

A mate sent it to me its apparently we think its the one of the Heliserv Mil, its working up at Turoa Skifield lifting towers for the new chairlift. Aparently its Parked up on the mountain overnight for the next couple of weeks.
Might go up Sunday and have a nose

[FlyingKiwi]

I saw one (quite possibly that same one) at Ardmore a while ago, they're huge when you get up close to them.

[ardypilot]

Isn't that the one based at Taupo that was sent up to Raoul Island (via Ardmore- perhaps that is when you saw it FlyingKiwi) when it exploded last year?

[Captain_Hamish]

hi

i know where that chopper is based it is based here in christchurch at christchurch city helicopters just down from the canterbury aero club it is always sitting outside there it does alot of freight lifting

[ZK-Brock]

yes! I remember it now, my first time at NZCH last year I saw it parked at the heli centre. (Or something like it anyway)

[JonARNZ]

isn't one of those the office for some helicopter outfit just north of Taupo?

[chopper_nut]

There are three of these in the country at the moment I think. The funny thing is that none of them have NZ regos. They have been flying around for about 5 or 6 years like this. The main base of operations seems to be Taupo.

[Dreamweaver]

Heli Harvest Ltd is a New Zealand registered company formed as a joint venture between Helicopter Services BOP Ltd and Rural Aviation (1963) Ltd.

Heli Harvest Ltd provides specialist aerial heavy-lifting services with a fleet of three large Russian Mil Mi-8MTV-1 (commonly referred to as 'Mi-8') helicopters. These helicopters have a maximum external lifting capacity of 5.0 tonnes.

Operating throughout New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.
The company's managerial and administrative functions are shared between offices in Auckland and Taupo. The helicopters are maintained and based at Taupo Airport

Helicopters BOP has the contract to work on the skifields and for DOC. They have been pooring cement for the last few months with two AS350.

Aparently its work schedules are pretty full and they have it for one week only at a cost of $7500 per hour.

[chopper_nut]

Thats odd, every time that anyone has been working on them, they have been russian or some eastern european nationality. Some of them are a bit odd

[ardypilot]

Dreamweaver, you sure know alot about the Central Plateau area don't you!

[Dreamweaver]

Dreamweaver, you sure know alot about the Central Plateau area don't you!

Considering I grew up on a farm near Taihape and worked for Winstone pulp at Tangiwai for a few years I reckon its just another part of my backyard

[FlyingKiwi]

They carry ER- registrations, which is from Moldova.

[ZK-TJL]

I've seen this one before...Transporting loggers back to NZNS from somewhere in the wilderness.

[Ian Warren]

Anything Russian is Whicked! Mil Mi-8MTV-1 (commonly referred to as 'Mi-8') , Yip , I'd love to see the Mil26 in action , a heli with the same lifting capacity as a C130 ! , also to find the Mil Mi-12 ... which failed to enter prodution , Nato code name" HOMER" ? DOLE! ..

Look at everyones fav An124 from last week in NZAA , 88 Aussie Bicentienal airshow , displayed , from a very low pass.. ie the wheel dia: off the ground to a climb and full wingover almost on it back !

Unforunate Accident with a Mil Mi-8 in the West Coast well over a decade back while log lifting , shed a blade , killing all involved

So with all there shape and sizes Anything Russian is Whicked!

[squirrel350]

If its working at Turoa it will just be the Mil-8 thats always sitting outside Heliservices Hangar in NZAP everytime I have picked up or dropped off the Bell its been sitting there only once have I ever seen more than 1 there which was my first flight to NZAP when they had all 3 getting ready to take off t'was a great sight too.

SQ350