COLUMBIA HELICOPTERS

'Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated', or 'CHI', is an aircraft manufacturing and operater company based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. They are known for operation tandem rotor helicopters primarily the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing 234. These helicopters are used in Heli-Logging, oil exploration, fire suppresion, construction and many other activies. In addition the company operates a large FAA Repair Station supporting customers around the world.

Contents

History

Founding and early days

Direct Visual Observational Control

"First in Heli-Logging"

Type Certificates

References

See also

External links

History

Founding and early days

Columbia Helicopters was founded in 1957 by Wes Lematta with a single Hiller 12B helicopter. With help from his brothers, Wes supported his young company with many odd jobs ranging from carrying Santa Claus to trapeze acts. He performed most of his flying on the weekends while still working as a truck driver during the week. Lematta gained great notoriety on September 15, 1957 rescuing 15 sailors from a sinking dredge near Coos Bay, Oregon. For his heroic actions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Wes the Army Air Medal. Columbia Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary

Direct Visual Observational Control

After purchasing the more powerful Hiller 12E Wes began to operate more lift jobs. One of these large jobs was working on the John Day Dam on his company's name sake Columbia River. Here Wes began performing precision lift jobs by using a longer than average cable. The concept was the pilot could lean out the side of the aircraft and see directly where they are placing the load. A few years latter Wes' brother Jim was flying a Sikorsky S-61 in the Colorado Rockies. Jim was so cold he was forced to land. In need of an enclosed cockpit Columbia went on to develop the first pilot bubble window.

"First in Heli-Logging"

Jack Erickson, of Erickson Air-Crane fame, and Wes Lematta were able to demonstrate the first financially successful run of helicopter logging, or "Heli-Logging" in 1971. This was done with Wes' recently acquired Boeing Vertol 107 and timber provided by the Erickson Lumber Company.

Type Certificates

As of December 15, 2006 Columbia Helicopters has purchased the Type certificate of the Model 107^[1] and Model 234^[2] from Boeing. Currently the company is seeking FAA issuance of a Production Certificate (PC) to produce parts, with eventual issuance of a PC to produce both aircraft.

References

1.
Type Certificate Data Sheet No. 1H16
2.
Type Certificate Data Sheet No. H9EA

See also

★ Boeing Vertol 107

★ Boeing 234

External links

★ Offical company website