frames. Today the active Columbia helicopter fleet stands at seven Columbia Model 234 Chinooks and fourteen Columbia Vertol 107s.
Complimenting the helicopters
are two King Air airplanes which are used to transport per- sonnel and parts, including rotor blades which can be car- ried in a special exterior compartment. There are rough- ly 700 pilots, maintainers and support personnel that keep Columbia helicopters flying around the clock and around
Above: With a unique fleet of helicopters comes some unique maintenance challenges. To meet these challenges, Columbia Helicopters has developed an in house ability to maintain its fleet.
In this picture Columbia maintenance crews at the Aurora
Airport in Oregon work on two Chinook 234s, a Vertol 107 and a complete rework of another Vertol 107.
Left: In 2006, Columbia Helicopters completed an agreement with Boeing to acquire the Type Certificates for the Vertol 107 and Chinook Model 234. Columbia now holds Type and Production Certificates for these aircraft allowing them to make engineering changes to their twin rotor fleet. This October 2006 picture shows Wes Lematta and Mike Tkach, Vice President and General Manager of Boeing Rotorcraft, signing the Type Certificate agreement.
Opposite: Wes Lematta receives the Helicopter Association International Member For Life Award from HAI board of directors member and former Columbia Helicopters president Roy Simmons in February of 2005.
Photos: Courtesy of Cloumbia Helicopters, Inc. 32
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52