ABOUT US

Precision Helicopters Ltd (also known as PHL) was formed in 2005 and to date has carried out over 8,000 incident free flight hours.

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PHL operates Bases at:

• New Plymouth (Urenui)
• Blenheim
• Greymouth
• Gore

PHL hold both Air Transport Operators and Agricultural Applicators certification with CAA and can therefore offer a wide range of services including:

• air transport / scenic flights / tourism and general charter.
• photographic and filming
• lifting work
• back country and difficult terrain construction
• bucket work
• spraying
• fine particle application
• seismic survey
• drilling
• powerline work
• surveying
• frost protection

All pilots have Agricultural/Chemical ratings and are very experienced at low level flying work.

Company History
Matt Newton, PHL's CEO and Chief Pilot, gained his commercial helicopter licence at the Nelson Aviation College in 1989.

In 1990, he began trading as Precision Helicopters, as a sole trader, contracting to Helicopter Services in Inglewood. During this time, Matt was engaged in agricultural work.

Between 1993 and 2004, Matt was a contract pilot for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter Trust.

With growing demand for helicopter services, Precision Helicopters became incorporated in 2005 and expanded to meet the requirements of tourism, the energy industry, the agricultural and conservation sectors, and seismic survey work.

Matt Newton
Matt has been a pilot throughout his career. Flying is in the Newton Family's blood!

Matt's father, Harold Newton, flew with Bomber, Fighter and Transport Commands for the Royal Airforce during world War II.

At the end of the war, Harold flew a single engined Ercoupe monoplane all the way from Belgium back home to New Plymouth. This amazing feet was closely followed in the press.

On a fateful day in 2003 when Matt was flying for the Taranaki Rescue Helicopter service, he was called to an incident at the family farm. Harold had had an accident with a tractor that sadly cost him his life. Harold was 86.

Matt is married to Tammy, who's father is a helicopter pilot and flew in the New Zealand Airforce and for Helicopters NZ Ltd.

Tammy's brother, Garth Shaw, is also a helicopter pilot and the PHL Base Manager at New Plymouth (Urenui).