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Pilots
The pilots employed by Southern Lakes Helicopters are high flying time pilots who have experience in mountain flying. They have an extensive knowledge of the diverse Fiordland, Southland and Otago landscape and are familiar with the weather patterns in this area, a very important aspect when flying in the mountainous terrain of Fiordland and Otago.
Richard "Hannibal" Hayes (Director, CEO & Chief Pilot)
 Richard is a well known and respected pilot with 30 years experience flying in the mountainous terrain of Fiordland and has in excess of 27,000 helicopter flying hours. He operates with skill and professionalism and is heavily involved in Search and Rescue operations, often with the use of his Night Vision Equipment. His skill and experience was recognised by being awarded the MNZM (Member of New Zealand Order of Merit) for his services to Search and Rescue.
Richard's experience includes:
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30 years experience in flying in Fiordland, general charter Air Transport and Scenic flying.
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Medical evacuations and extensive experience on SAR Missions including night, winch
and scoop net operations.
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Director, CEO & Chief Pilot of Southern Lakes Helicopter, Director of Heliworks, Queenstown.
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Wild Animal Recovery operations including transmitter tracking, Search & Destroy missions,
netting and live animal capture of Deer, Goats, Tahr and Chamois.
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Helicopter Transmitter tracking for endangered NZ Native bird "Takahe".
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Supply drops, Avalanche Control - aerial dropping of explosives from helicopters.
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Fire fighting and extensive long-line work.
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Building repeater stations at altitude, which requires skill and precision as helicopter
power is depleted at higher altitudes.
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Sub-Antarctic Island D.O.C support, particularly Auckland Islands and Campbell Islands.
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Southern Ocean off-shore support.
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Lifting and Winch operations, concrete, buildings, pylons and wire stringing, tower construction
unload supply boats at sea and lifting supplies to shore.
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Season in Antarctica on AS350 rotor wing support to Italian scientific research.
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Holds Fire Fighting Unit Standard Personal Safety 3285
Rod Hall-Jones  - PILOT
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16,000 hours flight time.
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6 years filming (aerial) experience in 23 countries with Cousteau Society.
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Air transport work including scenic flying, heliskiing, medivacs, long line work, photography, mustering, fire fighting and media support.
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A-Cat instructor - helicopter
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B-cat instructor aeroplane
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HUET course
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Mustering experience
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High Altitude experience
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5 years vension / live deer capture
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Extensive experience working with film crews (Lord of the Rings, Verticle Limit, Million Dollar Catch)
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Safari Hunting (Red Deer, Chamois, Himalayan Thar)
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20 years Fiordland flying experience and vast knowledge of history and geographical information of the area.
Rod has 18 years experience flying in the Fiordland Region and also flies fixed wing aircraft where he has 3000+ hours. (He is pictured here with his Spartan Bi-Plane which is the only remaining airworthy one of its kind in the world)
Mark Deaker -PILOT
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8500+ hours helicopter flying time.
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2000+ hours Multi Engine command helicopter flying time.
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Flying KA-32 and SA35B type helicopters on heli-logging operations in the Solomon Islands & throughout New Zealand.
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Flying AS350 Squirrel helicopters in support for armed forces in Laos.
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Flying Bell 212 helicopters on oil explorations in Papua New Guinea.
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Wild animal recovery operations.
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Extensive SAR and Medivac experience around New Zealand including operations with night vision, scoop net, winch and remote sub-antartic rescues.
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Heliskiing, filming and air charter operation experience.
Chris Green - PILOT
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18 years flying experience, 8000 + hours helicopter
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7 years Westland Mt Cook National Park Scenic flying operations 
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2 seasons in Canada on seismic and forestry support
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5 years in Papua New Guinea highland on mining support, oil & gas support
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Lead pilot for seismic operations
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Longline heavy lift in SA315 Lama and AS350
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AeroTem Loop towing in AS 350 B3 through Eastern Highlands and Tabar
Island, Papua New Guinea
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High altitude experience
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Extensive snow and flat light experience
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Concrete work, line stringing, logging, wild animal recovery, fire fighting, heliskiing
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B-Cat Instructor - Check and Training Manager while in Papua New Guinea
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Stewart Island and Muttonbird Island operation for last 8 years
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Filming work
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Frost fighting
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Medivac/SAR Operations
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NVG Operations
BRENDAN HIATT 
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18 years flying experience, 7000+ hours helicopter
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1300+ hours Multi Engine command helicopter flying time
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Frost fighting
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Medivac / SAR operations / Beacon Searches
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Wild animal recovery operations.
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Long-line Operations
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Mustering
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Heliski Flying
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Filming work, Wescam, Spacecam, Cinaflex, various side mounts
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NVG operations
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Winch Operations
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Extensive snow and flat light experience
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HUET Course
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Fire fighting Unit Standard Strategy & Tactics for pilots
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Fire Fighting Unit Standard Vegetation Fire Behaviour 14564
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Fire Fighting Unit Standard Personal Safety 3285
Operations Manager
Lloyd Matheson Lloyd Matheson is a former police sergeant with 25-plus years experience in 
Fiordland Search and Rescue.
Working closely with Richard, Lloyd handles much of the day to day
business operation from the office and also provides valuable ground support
when required.
He is also our first choice winch operator, with a crucial role in rescues where the terrain or
other conditions do not allow the helicopter to land.
There is a huge trust between the pilot and winch operator as any mistakes can cause disaster.
Lloyd has been awarded the QSM (Queens Service Medal) for service to the community in search
and rescue.
Lloyd was appointed Chairman of the New Zealand Helicopter Association in 2010.
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