Helicopters
The helicopters can attain cruising (long-distance) speeds of around 200 km/h (120 mph), and have a range of about 500 km (300 nautical miles), carrying 605 litres internally and a further 300 litres with auxiliary fuel tanks. Helicopters currently operated are:
- Auckland: ZK-HLN & ZK-HKZ - BK117-850 D2's MBB-Kawasaki operated by Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust (*)
- Hamilton: ZK-HZQ - Bell 222B operated by Philips Search & Rescue Trust
- Wellington: ZK-HLF - BK 117-B2 MBB-Kawasaki operated by The Life Flight Trust
- Christchurch: ZK-HJC - BK 117-B2 MBB-Kawasaki operated by Garden City Helicopters
(*) The leased Auckland service model was replaced in 2007 by a second-hand model of the same make (with a low number of flight hours and was fully rebuilt from the ground up), and equipped with extended night-flying gear, weather radar and better internal configuration. The new helicopter has cost NZ$3.3 million, compared with a yearly lease of NZ$1 million for the previous model. A second machine was purchased in 2010, providing better coverage to the more than 1.5 million population of the serviced region.
Read more about this topic: Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust