APPEALING FOR YOUR HELP | Chairman’s Report

2016 has been another busy and very challenging year for the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter, but our greatest challenge is the one we are facing right now – and we need your help to see us through. 

The Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter is currently grounded and undergoing unexpected, but essential, maintenance. This is coming at a cost of more than $120,000.

What has happened?

We take great pride and care of our Rescue Helicopter. It is an absolute asset – and a necessity – to the wider Taranaki community. To ensure the helicopter is fit to fly we undertake regular routine checks. It was during one of these checks that corrosion was found on the cladding around the transmission.

Corrosion is a common problem for helicopters, particularly ones that operate in coastal environments. Our Rescue Helicopter is currently in Auckland where engineers are working on it to make it safe for flying again. This is expected to take up to eight weeks.

Calling for your support

During this time, we have taken measures to ensure Taranaki still has the services of a rescue helicopter. We are leasing a replacement helicopter but this incurs additional costs.

As a Trust, we have a small reserve to cover the unexpected; however, the cost of this repair leaves us with no contingency fund.

We therefore need your help and I make no apologies in asking for your support in our time of need.

As a FRIEND and supporter of the Taranaki Community Rescue Helicopter, we are truly grateful for your continued generosity. On this occasion, I am asking you to please give us a little more to help bring our Rescue Helicopter home to Taranaki skies.

Bryce Barnett
Chairman,
Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust