Our History
Niugini Helicopters was started in 1997 with one Bell Longranger helicopter and in 2000 Niugini Helicopters took over the Islands region of the Heli Niugini business after a buy-out deal with the then owner of Heli Niugini Madang.
Over the last twenty years, the business has grown steadily in its expertise and fleet size, seasoned by the boom and bust business and commodity cycles of PNG’s burgeoning economy over this halcyon period.
Today, Niugini Helicopters still retains its Head Office and Engineering facility at Kimbe in the West New Britain Islands and has several bases and field pilots, operating across the country, having earnt its expertise working within the many industries sprawled throughout PNG.
Our clients have included; OK Tedi Mining, Xstrata Frieda River, Barrick and Newcrest Mining, Digicel and Telikom Ltd, etc, plus charters for James Cameron, Dick Smith, Eric Schmidt from Google and other honored guests. You may also visit us on Youtube.
Company Profile
Niugini Helicopters has maintained its operational profile as a medium sized, low to moderate risk helicopter operator based in Kimbe West New Britain PNG, with activities spread across the country.
The company operates only Bell turbine helicopters in its fleet, and these are reputedly among the safest helicopters in the world. See Fleet details.
Niugini Helicopters currently conducts operations from three bases in Kimbe WNB, Wewak (East Sepik) and Kokopo (ENB) as well as field and remote operating centres sited on demand out of Lae (Morobe) and Kiunga (West Fly) and as required. Strategic associations and local savvy underpin national ops.
The company concentrates on the general ad-hoc charter market in PNG and has experience in all types of operations ranging from exploration and mining, drill rig shifts, aerial surveys, slinging of cargo and fuels, medical, recovery and evacuation and all logistics advisory.
Niugini Helicopters currently has a two year Air Operators Certificate, or AOC, viz-a-viz the industry standard of 12 months, an indicator of its safety consciousness and risk grade.
In-House Engineering
All of our Engineering is done in-house, to the degree possible, by our fully-licensed Engineers at our registered maintenance facility at Kimbe, West New Britain in PNG. This leads to minimal down time for our Clients and higher reliability and safety for us as an Operator.
For any component work or specialized reconditioning, we have the strong support of offshore factory approved aviation workshops available. For example, all turbine engine reconditioning is done offshore, as per industry regulations.
Our engineering facility has been developed gradually over the last 20 years and now (humbly) brags a full tool shop, paint booth, a unique air-conditioned hanger bay for all maintenance works and a general hanger for up to six aircraft.