Responsible Flying Guidelines
Pilots of Garden City Helicopters Limited intend to fly helicopters in the Christchurch City Sector having full regard to the people in our community by adopting the principles of the Helicopter Association International “Fly Neighbourly Guidelines”
This includes:
- Maintaining the minimum recommended altitude for light helicopters which is 1000 feet AGL (above ground level) with a practice of flying at 1300-1500 feet over the central city sector.
NB: The maximum height is often set by Christchurch Air Traffic Control at “Not above 1500 Feet” so as not to conflict with Airline traffic making Instrument Flight Rules approaches to Christchurch Airport.
- Where ATC allow up to 2500 feet, we will attempt to reduce noise below by maintaining a “high as practical” altitude.
- We will avoid making sharp or steep turns to eliminate “Blade slap” against the air to reduce noise, in sensitive areas.
- We will reduce power settings, and fly at lower speeds to reduce engine and tail rotor noise so long as practical with regard to Air Traffic Control instructions.
- We will vary the flight paths and routes taken to reduce repeated annoyance to persons below.
- We will utilise our Eurocopter EC120 helicopter as much as possible for these flights as it produces the lowest noise and lowest fuel emission,” environmentally friendly” helicopter we have available for such flights, with its noise reduction main rotor blades and fenestron (enclosed) tail rotor, followed by our smaller Robinson R44 Raven 2.
- We will limit the hours of operation for “The Changing Face of Christchurch” heliflights to between: 10am to 12pm and 1:30pm to 3-30pm flights.

All other commercial flights provided by our company will attempt to meet these guidelines, but may be restricted by operational requirements, if deemed necessary.
Simon Duncan
General Manager
Garden City Helicopters
