Tasman Helicopters above & beyond Ltd

Tasman Helicopters above and beyond Ltd.

Experience New Zealand in Style, Luxury Air Travel at Your Leisure

Tasman Helicopters and Tasman Aviation provide luxury air travel at your leisure, Heli Lunches, Scenic Flights, and Private Charters - Your Time Your Destination.

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Tasman Helicopters

& Tasman Aviation

Our award winning company has a simple goal: "to exceed your expectations and to provide a five-star service to you our valued clients".

Tasman Helicopters is based at the top of the South Island in Motueka. Our location is amongst some of the world's most spectacular scenery, combine this with the wealth of local knowledge from our pilot and CEO Andrew Gillatt, and you are guaranteed a truly memorable experience of a life time.

Our Team

From left: Shaun Rolls, Willie Sage, Andrew Gillatt & Quentin Rewi

Andrew Gillatt

Andrew Gillatt the son of a Wellington-based commercial pilot, Gillatt grew up around aircraft. He fell in love with helicopters when he had his first flight at age 10. He took on a plumbing apprenticeship, but most of his wages went towards learning to fly. Gillatt settled in Motueka where he lives with his family and was offered the chance to lease the hanger and helicopter.

Shaun Rolls

Since a young age Shaun has always wanted to be a pilot. Being too tall for the Air Force he joined the Police where he served for 14 years, most of those as a dog handler. With his passion to fly still strong, he worked as a crewman on the local rescue helicopter in Hawke's Bay while fulfilling his police duties, then decided to leave the Police force and fly full time.

He has spent time teaching people to fly and flying parachute aircraft locally until convincing his wife to spend more of their money on helicopter lessons. This led to where he is today flying both the company's helicopter and fixed wing aircraft.

Shaun is the tall one with grey hair. He is not sure whether that's because he works with Andrew, Shaun has been married to Sandra for 18 years and has two teenage children.

Willie Sage

Willie Sage grew up on a sheep and cattle farm in the central north island out the back of Taihape and completed his secondary Education was by correspondence.

Willie left school to go shearing and farming then his family set a tourism business white water rafting on the Rangitiki river. He worked as white water raft guide then moved to Rotorua to work at the agrodrome presenting the world famous sheep show. He completed his commercial Pilots license while working in Rotorua then worked for Mountain air at Mount Ruapehu flying tourists over the Volcanoes and flying hunters and fisherman into the back blocks. Four years later moved to Wellington and flew for Sounds Air Across to Picton.

Willie then moved on to work as Pilot for Eagle Air (Air New Zealand Link ) based out of Blenheim. In 2000 he moved to Darwin on a contract with Vincent Aviation flying the NZ defence to Timor and helped set up the Vincent Aviation airline in Australia then moved back to NZ as a check and Training Captain and flight examiner for the company.

Willie and his wife Jane live on the 50 acre block up the top of the Wirau Valley and run a few sheep and cattle. Willie has over 9000 hours flying experience in all type of aircraft from his Piper Pacer to the Dash 8. His Passion is the outdoors and flying around in his modified bush plane into the wilderness.

Our Award...

Tasman Helicopters won an award from the Microsoft Corporation when they embarked on the search for New Zealand's most exciting companies(The National Business Review, April 30th 2004). "Tasman Helicopters eye for detail and emphasis on continuous improvement caught the attention of respondents", "Mr Gillatt takes a personalized approach to sightseeing that has seen the South Island's luxury lodges favour his services". This award reiterated to us that we are focused on and achieving our goal of providing you with the luxury experience that you deserve.

Join the Rich and Famous

Tasman Helicopters are the only holder of royal clearance to transport the royal family when in the region, one of the two carriers for the Lord of the Rings crew and the choice of the rich and famous...

Our Helicopter

Our helicopter provide maximum safety and flying pleasure with our luxury Eurocopter EC130 being the flagship of our operation and one of only 50 worldwide. In an ambience of quiet sophistication, you will travel in total comfort.

Client Testimonials

"Thanks for the great service and fantastic experience. It really made our honeymoon an experience we will never forget." Jan & David Linter, Ohio. USA.

"What an amazing country you have and what better way to see it. We will be back!" Paul & Samantha Winter, Michigan. USA.

"I have spent a lot of time on helicopter tours. I do it where ever I go. This was undoubtedly the best yet. Great staff, great machine, great time. Thanks." John B Mitchel Jnr, Texas. USA.

"We have been visiting New Zealand for over 15 years. On this last trip with you we saw more in 3 days than we have ever seen before. What a great way to see your wonderful country. Thanks for your kind service and flexibility." Alec and Martha Wilson, Gloucester. UK.

"It's great to finally find an adventure service that feels safe enough to take our whole family on. Professional pilots and great staff, not to mention a fun time, keep up the good work." Fiona T Bell, B.A. Argentina.