“The only time we get together is at funerals.” That was the sentiment discussed several years ago after the passing of Nick Wallis, son of New Zealand aviation icon Sir Tim Wallis. He was the second child that Sir Tim had lost in a single year, both to helicopter accidents. While paying their respects to the fallen pilot, fellow Kiwis Ned Dawson (an aviation photographer and magazine publisher), Bill Hales (owner of Alpine Springs Helicopters), and Kelly Buick (CEO of HeliSupport New Zealand) reflected on the lack of meet-ups for the helicopter industry in their country.

“Every time we’d lose another pilot or owner or mechanic, we would go to the funeral, remember the ones we had lost, and tell stories of the good and bad times we’d been through,” Dawson told Vertical Magazine. “Then we would go our separate ways saying, ‘See you at the next one.’ We decided that it shouldn’t take a tragedy for us to gather together.”

With a country covering over 100,000 square miles (260,000 square kilometers), spread across two main islands and more than 600 small islands, and a topography running the gamut from sea-level plains to 12,000-foot (3,700-meter) mountains, helicopters have long been a fundamental method of transportation in New Zealand. Vertical-lift aircraft have become a way of life for the residents and visitors of this island nation. A myriad of industries, including deer culling, agriculture spraying, tour operations, gas and power line work, and more, rely on the capabilities these aircraft offer.

Perhaps due to the relatively small population and the harsh landscapes, the helicopter community here is a tight-knit one, where pilots don’t only know each other by name, but can often recount the registration numbers and owners of many of the aircraft based in-country. It’s not uncommon to chat with a pilot about a particular aircraft and without hesitation, they can relay several previous operators and the various bases where it had been located.

With this type of camaraderie, it’s not surprising that when the call went out in an attempt to organize a fly-in, the New Zealand helicopter community was up to the task.

“Originally, we were going to have a gathering of all makes of helicopters from across the country. We had everything pretty much all sorted, then Covid hit,” Dawson said. As the global pandemic began to retreat, Hales called Dawson and suggested the meet be inclusive of only MD 500s. Ever since the historic Hughes 500/MD 500 was introduced in the late 1960s, it has been a popular, and often favored, model in use across both main islands. Its combination of versatility and availability has ensured its place in New Zealand aviation history. Dawson and the others involved in the planning stages liked the idea, and the Great Kiwi 500 Fly-In was born.

A Central Location

One would be hard-pressed to find a location in New Zealand that would not provide a stunning backdrop for a meeting of helicopters. Needing enough space and nearby lodging for attendees, Hales offered up his generous plot of land on the outskirts of the picturesque vacation town of Hanmer Springs. Located towards the northern end of the South Island, it would also provide a central location for those flying in.

“At that point, we had a plan and a location, so several of us joined forces and made it happen,” Dawson said. Woody Blakely of Christchurch-based Blakely Construction assisted in logistics and planning, while Hales and Dawson put the word out for volunteers and, most importantly, aircraft that would attend.

“Initially, we’d hoped to get 20 to 30 helicopters,” said Dawson. “But as word spread, the number kept climbing. Before long, we had over 80 500s that were committed to the event.”

This was a significant headcount, especially considering there are just 106 Hughes/MD 500s in the whole of New Zealand. To have 80 percent of the entire collection wanting to attend was quite an accomplishment and a testament to the flying community.

Everything was in place and on track for the Feb. 28, 2023, meeting when tragedy struck the country. For 10 days between Feb. 6 to 16, the North Island was impacted by a devastating storm. Category 3 Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle became the costliest cyclone ever recorded for the Southern Hemisphere. At the time of this article, damages had exceeded NZ$13 billion (US$8.12 billion). The maximum winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) displaced tens of thousands, destroyed hundreds of homes, and resulted in 11 deaths, with thousands more unaccounted for.

Although the hardest hit areas were in the far northern portions of the country, the inaccessibility to many of the victims required the use of helicopters for rescue and relief efforts. This included many of the aircraft slated to attend the fly-in. “They were needed by the people of Hawke’s Bay, Coromandel, Gisborne, and many other communities,” said Dawson. “The lives and well-being of those people were far more important than our get together, so we did everything we could to support their efforts.”

When the day finally arrived, organizers didn’t know how many 500s would be able to attend, due to the relief efforts in the north. However, as the day progressed, one after another began to arrive, sometimes in groups of three or more at a time. As the last skid set down in the neatly arranged rows and columns of Hales’ exquisitely-mowed fields, the final tally sat at 63 aircraft.

The paddock was populated by nearly every iteration of Hughes/MD 500 available, including C, D, E, N, and even a solitary F model. While many of the arriving helos were filled with passengers anticipating the planned activities, hundreds of spectators from all parts of the country anxiously watched as each ship approached the staging area and then repositioned for a precisely-executed landing in its designated parking location. The talents of these aviators were clearly appreciated by all those in attendance, with evidence of their skills visible in the final grid-like alignment once all had shut down for the evening.

Those who had come to observe the gathering were allowed to mingle amongst the aircraft and pilots, to learn about the different models and the roles they played in their respective companies. Also on display were some old tools of the trade in the form of homemade net guns. This New Zealand invention was utilized for the live capture of deer for relocation. Original versions were handheld with later ones being mounted on the helicopter skids. Examples of each were available for viewing.

A Visit from the Manufacturer

It is no secret that MD Helicopters as a company has gone through some tumultuous times over the past few decades. The situation reached a nadir just one year ago, as it entered U.S. Chapter 11 bankruptcy — and the worldwide network of MD operators collectively held their breath. In September 2022, a light emerged at the end of the tunnel, as the company was purchased, reorganized, and a new executive team was put in place.

What remained to be seen was whether this would mean a new commitment to products and support. A positive indicator in that direction was the presence of members of the new MD team at The Great Kiwi 500 Fly-In, including VP of aftermarket sales and service Ryan Weeks, and director of sales – Asia-Pacific & Oceania Justin Texeira, who sat down with Vertical to discuss the recent activities at MD Helicopters.

“We wouldn’t miss an event like this,” Weeks told Vertical. “It demonstrates our commitment to the worldwide MD community. . . . I truly feel you’re going to see a difference in the new leadership team.”