About

Coromandel Helicopters was founded in 2007, based at Whitianga in the heart of the Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand. The company is privately owned and operated by Shamus Howard and Karen Deasy, (who are engaged but too busy to get married yet), and highly regarded for their high operational standards, flying skills and professionalism.

With over 25 years in the industry, Coromandel Helicopters looks to ensure every experience is of the highest standard in safety, quality, and customer service. They have a wide experience operating many different types of aircrafts for variety of objectives.

Strategy

Coromandel Helicopters is currently in the process of developing its climate neutral strategy, and working towards improving its previous environmental efforts.

Coromandel Helicopters proprietors have a summer holiday home at Cooks beach, a five hectare homestead in Taupo, and an aero club office space at Whitianga.  All staff that stay in all of these locations act environmentally conscious and work to keep these dwellings as eco friendly as possible since the company has the intention of creating a clean, safe and healthy environment.

We advise our customers where possible on charter flights to have the helicopter stay and wait rather than fly a return trip to help reduce CO2 emissions, and we offer customers the opportunity to buy a native tree to be planted on their behalf to help offset the carbon footprint of their holiday and helicopter flight. Coromandel Helicopters has regenerated 1.2 hectares into native bush at the Taupo homestead over the past three years and is planting 60 trees, a mix of native and non native in a different area on the property, since this is where the helicopter is mainly based over winter.

The company recycles all food waste in the gardens and brings all recyclables to a facility in Taupo. Coromandel Helicopters makes sure to use low energy light bulbs in all locations, and at its holiday home and in Taupo, the showers have water restrictors, power switches are turned off when not in use, and a washing line is used instead of dryer for all laundry. The company purchases trade aid, NZ kiwi green, and other eco friendly cleaning products to clean living areas, the office space and all vehicles including the helicopter. This is done with a bucket of water rather than a hose and the lawns are never watered to conserve water. Coromandel Helicopters has also made a request to reduce water use at the airfield it uses.

Coromandel Helicopters staff live full time at Cooks beach from October to May. During this time of the year, they cycle 40 minutes to the ferry to get over to Whitianga town, where the company car is, reducing emissions from a potential 1 hour return drive.  

All helipads are environment friendly and approved by the Department of Conservation (DOC). The company does not clear any native plants or trees to make the helipads, and the company has a rule and guide for all our customers, “Leave only footprints and what you take in, you must bring out.” The pilot asks and double checks this to makes sure no rubbish, bait or tackle is left behind when picking up customers when finished their activity flight.

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