Columbia Helicopters
| File:CHI Logo With Name.png | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 1957, Portland, OR |
| Headquarters | Aurora, Oregon, U.S. |
Key people | Wes Lematta, founder Stan Wilson, Chairman of the Board Steve Bandy, former President & CEO Michael Tremlett, current President & CEO[1] |
| Products | Commercial helicopters |
| Subsidiaries | Helifor Columbia Helicopters, New Zealand, LTD |
| Website | ColHeli.com |
Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated (CHI) is an aerospace manufacturer and operator based in Aurora, Oregon, United States. The company specializes in tandem rotor helicopters, focusing mainly on the Boeing Vertol 107 and Boeing Vertol 234 models. It caters to a wide range of industries including stream restoration, forestry with an emphasis on heli-logging, aerial firefighting, oil and gas exploration, construction projects, government contracts, film production support, and emergency disaster relief. Additionally, Columbia Helicopters runs a significant FAA-certified repair facility servicing clients worldwide.
Origins and Initial Growth
Established by Wes Lematta on April 24, 1957, Columbia Helicopters started with a single Hiller 12B aircraft and modest contract work. Lematta managed his time between piloting flights on weekends and driving trucks during weekdays. Early acclaim was earned after Lematta rescued 15 crew members from a sinking dredge near Coos Bay, Oregon, an effort that led to receiving the Army Air Medal from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Innovations in Pilot Load Control
As the company expanded its fleet with the more capable Hiller 12E, it concentrated on precision lifting operations such as those at the John Day Dam along the Columbia River. Wes Lematta introduced a novel approach enabling pilots to directly oversee load movements by physically leaning out of the cockpit instead of depending entirely on ground-based signals. To enhance pilot protection and comfort in challenging environments like the Colorado Rockies—where his brother Jim encountered severe cold conditions—Columbia developed the first pilot bubble window that enclosed the cockpit space.
Pioneering Heli-Logging
In 1971, Jack Erickson of Erickson Air-Crane collaborated with Lematta to carry out what is considered the first commercially viable helicopter logging operation ("heli-logging") using Lematta’s Sikorsky S-61 near Taylorsville, California within the Plumas National Forest. The following year saw deployment of Model 107 helicopters for similar tasks. Since Lematta supplied the helicopter while Erickson purchased timber rights, both Columbia Helicopters and Erickson Air-Crane assert pioneering status in heli-logging. A further significant achievement occurred in 1982 when Columbia successfully towed a hoverbarge across snow, ice, and water surfaces, demonstrating advanced operational versatility.
Type certificates
On December 15, 2006, Columbia Helicopters obtained the type certificate for both the Model 107 and Model 234 from Boeing. As of July 2020, the firm is actively seeking FAA production certificates to enable parts manufacturing and ultimately full-scale aircraft production. This initiative supports its strategic objective of enhancing manufacturing capacity and increasing its presence in the heavy-lift helicopter sector.
In popular media
Aircraft from Columbia Helicopters have appeared in numerous motion pictures, such as:
- Coogan's Bluff
- Demolition Man – featuring BV-234 N241CH portrayed as a Los Angeles Police Department helicopter
- King Kong Lives – BV-107 N191CH, previously a US Navy CH-46, transports King Kong in a cage
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park – BV-234 N241CH used to carry a large dinosaur containment cage
- More American Graffiti
- Runaway Train
- Starman – KV-107 N185CH, painted in company colors, hauls Jeff Bridges' spaceship
- Straight Up: Helicopters in Action – CHI BV-234 N239CH demonstrates Super Grapple technology in heli-logging operations
- Under Siege – KV-107 N192CH transports Tommy Lee Jones' band to a battleship
- X2: X-Men United – KV-107 N192CH is used for flight sequences and background shots
Fleet
Columbia operates a fleet comprising eight Boeing-Vertol Model 234 helicopters and fourteen Boeing-Vertol 107-II tandem rotor aircraft, many of which were acquired from New York Airways. In 2005, the company expanded by adding eight surplus Canadian Forces CH-113 Labrador helicopters. For logistical support, Columbia utilizes a Beechcraft 200C Super King Air. The international deployment of the 234 models includes five dedicated support containers.
The company's historical fleet has featured various models such as the Hiller 12B, Bell 47-G2, Hiller 12E, MD 500, as well as several Sikorsky types including the S-58, S-61, and CH-54.
Significant fleet additions include four Boeing Vertol 107II-14 helicopters purchased from the Swedish Government in October 1991; these were formerly Swedish Air Force HKP 4As. Further expansion occurred in December 2012 with ten helicopters acquired—four Boeing Vertol 107II-14s (modified HKP 4Ds), two Boeing Vertol 107II-15s (HKP 4Bs), and four Kawasaki KV-107IIA-16s (HKP 4Cs)—all previously operated by the Swedish Navy.
In 2014, Columbia incorporated five US Army Chinooks into their fleet for utility purposes; these aircraft are not authorized to carry passengers.
Wes Lematta Field at Aurora State Airport
On May 26, 2009, the Oregon State Legislature officially named Columbia Helicopters’ primary base Wes Lematta Field at Aurora State Airport in honor of its importance to the company’s operations.
See also
- Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
- Boeing CH-47 Chinook
- Columbia Helicopters Heliport
- Columbia Aviation Heliport
External links
- ↑ "Columbia Helicopters Names Mike Tremlett as President/Ceo". 12 December 2022.