Air Hawkes Bay's air ambulance
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Air Hawkes Bay's air ambulance
Hey does anyone know if Air Hawkes Bay still operate a air ambulance service? I remember reading on their website a while back about their air ambulance but when i recently checked again, the website was only talking about their flight training
Cheers
Cheers
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: The Night Sky
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
As far as I know, they do the doctor's run to Wairoa and I've seen them take the odd stretcher. Most of the serious air ambulance work out of Hawkes Bay seems to be done by Skyline/Lowe Corporation. There may be a link up there? I don't know. I've heard Skyline minimums are on the high side (2000 + hrs)
Join Date: May 2001
Location: NZ
Posts: 656
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Skyline does all the air ambulance work for the HBDHB with the C421 ZK-MFT, and PA-31 ZK-LWN, sponsored by Lowe Corporation. Navajo was owned by Skyline but crewed by Air Hawkes Bay until things got a bit messy with AHB using the 3rd year diploma students to do some of the flying, then Skyline went on their own, and expanded their Rescue Helicopter operations to include the fixed wing.
Not sure if they lease the hangar space anymore or if they have built their own.
AirHB may still do the Doctor's run to Wairoa in the PA-34 I's and III but that's about it. Shame, cos it was a great job 3 yrs ago... wouldn't hesitate to go back and work for Mike Toogood and the Skyline organisation, very good outfit.
S2K
Not sure if they lease the hangar space anymore or if they have built their own.
AirHB may still do the Doctor's run to Wairoa in the PA-34 I's and III but that's about it. Shame, cos it was a great job 3 yrs ago... wouldn't hesitate to go back and work for Mike Toogood and the Skyline organisation, very good outfit.
S2K
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: back to the land of small pay and big bills
Age: 50
Posts: 1,218
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Talking to the young fella flying the 421 at AKL the other day (last year actually) and he said he loves the job so much that he isn't even applying for any of the regionals in NZ. Good pay at Skyline. Well maintained machines. Great weather in the Bay and fabulous Sav Blanc..what more could he ask for?
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Domaine de la Romanee-Conti
Posts: 1,691
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes
on
1 Post
Yep AHB really let that one slip through their fingers, with the Bay lifestyle and the facilities they had at that time, they were so close to being the greatest flying school / piston charter operation in the world, if only that 
****ing arrogant control freak old **** of a CFI had put a bit more time and effort into looking after the customers, instead of spending all his days dreaming up new ways for making everyone's life such a relentless ****ing misery, then things might have been so different. . I'm not suprised it all turned to poo and Skyline ended up going it alone.
I'm so glad that in his own limited little single crew way he finally got shown up for the p!ss poor pilot he really was when AHB kicked him into touch and he tried to get a real job, he wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes in an airline.
****ing arrogant control freak old **** of a CFI had put a bit more time and effort into looking after the customers, instead of spending all his days dreaming up new ways for making everyone's life such a relentless ****ing misery, then things might have been so different. . I'm not suprised it all turned to poo and Skyline ended up going it alone.I'm so glad that in his own limited little single crew way he finally got shown up for the p!ss poor pilot he really was when AHB kicked him into touch and he tried to get a real job, he wouldn't have lasted 10 minutes in an airline.
Luke mate , last I heard PK was still running the ambo ops as chief fixed wing pilot for Skyline, tho that was a while back, and may not still be the case! Came to pass, if I recall correctly, after the semi retirement job didn't pan out. Rumour has it the PA42-1000 is a bit of a handfull! 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: back of the crew bus
Posts: 1,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Rumour has it the PA42-1000 is a bit of a handfull!
From what I heard, the aircraft wasn't the problem...
remoak. Yeah mate I heard the same , perhaps I should have said " he found it a bit of a handful! " , was try'n to be a bit diplomatic, silly me 
.
Urlocal.
By all reports Mike Toogood is a top bloke to work for , though a shrude business man. He really needs to find a business case for springing for a B200C, then it really would be a top job! Good luck if you're gunna give them a go !
Luke . I'm told that PK left a fair while before Skyline took over the ambo ops completely, apparently the new CFI was have'n trouble staffing it while keeping everyone within duty time limits. Airnz link kept stealing his Navajo Pilots
. However , I do agree , they should have moved heaven and earth to keep the flying. It WAS one of the main advantages to training there
.Urlocal.
By all reports Mike Toogood is a top bloke to work for , though a shrude business man. He really needs to find a business case for springing for a B200C, then it really would be a top job! Good luck if you're gunna give them a go !
Luke . I'm told that PK left a fair while before Skyline took over the ambo ops completely, apparently the new CFI was have'n trouble staffing it while keeping everyone within duty time limits. Airnz link kept stealing his Navajo Pilots
. However , I do agree , they should have moved heaven and earth to keep the flying. It WAS one of the main advantages to training there
