Money – pure and simple.
There are DOC conservancies throughout New Zealand that still go for the operator with the sharper price. Never mind the sloppy link between the collective and cyclic! Money does the talking.... I am afraid that it will be a crash that has 3 DOC staff dead and families asking the Conservation Minister for answers that finally drags DOC out of the 80’s.
Ponder this...
1 - CAA are a government agency that demand the highest standards from helicopter operators.
2 - DOC are a government agency that generally don’t give a hoot about standards as long as the helicopter gets the job done and within their miniscule budget.
Perhaps the Transport Minister needs to have a wee chat to the Conservation Minister.
I hope this is the last 500 bent in the deep south for a while...