Sir Richard is a well known and respected pilot with 40 years of experience flying in the mountainous terrain of Fiordland, and has in excess of 32,000 helicopter flying hours. He operates with skill and professionalism and is heavily involved in Search and Rescue operations, often with the use of Night Vision Equipment. His skill and experience has been recognised nationally by being awarded the MNZM (Member of New Zealand Order of Merit) for his services to Search and Rescue. In 2014 Richard was promoted to Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to search and rescue and the community. Sir Richard and Lady Carol Hayes also own and operate Heliworks Mt Cook, based at Aoraki/ Mt Cook airport.

Michael now a second generation pilot has began his flying career in 2010 with Southern Lakes Helicopters and gained valuable experience in scenic, commercial and rescue operations over 7 years here in the beautiful mountains of Fiordland and the remote continent of Antarctica.
In 2017 Michael moved overseas for three years, flying BK117 and B212 helicopters on oil & gas, mining and the United States MIA programme in the exotic highlands of Papua New Guinea.
Now back in his home town Te Anau, Michael has returned to Southern Lakes Helicopters to share his passion for flying and Fiordland with our guests.

Snow joined the team in 2015 after many years flying in Milford Sound. Snow has over 20 years flying experience in the Fiordland area, and also flew commercially in Canada for a year which included fire fighting. In 2019 Snow was promoted to Chief Pilot.

Andrew grew up in Te Anau and has been flying around Fiordland in between overseas tours for 10+ years. Has gained valuable experience in a broad range of operations both here and overseas. He enjoys spending time with his family, boating and hunting.

Paul started flying 10 years ago after a career as an aircraft maintenance engineer. Since then, he has flown in Botswana, Fiji, and the last 6 years in Fiordland clocking up around 2700 hours. Paul enjoys the variety of the flying here and the challenge of Fiordland's rugged landscape. When he isn’t working Paul will be spending time with his young family or out taking his rifle for a walk.

Ben Young has gained valuable flying experience across diverse terrains, including Australia and the untamed wilderness of Canada. Whether navigating the Southern Lakes region from above or tracking game on the ground, Ben’s love for the outdoors permeated every aspect of his life, bringing a unique perspective and unmatched enthusiasm to every Southern Lakes helicopter adventure.

After 18 years in the outdoor industry, Richie became our Safety Manager and Crewman at Southern Lakes Helicopters. His role with us has a number of responsibilities similar to his former career of mountain guiding, field safety and search and rescue in New Zealand, Antarctica and the Himalaya.
Richie still enjoys skiing, climbing, cycling and canoeing in the mountains and rivers of New Zealand.

Ngaire has been a team member at SLH since 2008. She carries out safety and compliance administration.
She enjoys the challenge of navigating the complexities of CAA regulations and all safety compliance.

Southland born and bred, Bex joined the Southern Lakes Helicopters team in October 2018. Bex loves all of the outdoor activities that Fiordland has to offer - chat to her about Fiordland's Great Walks, or our new Lake2Lake cycle trail.

Brittany joined the team at Southern Lakes Helicopters in 2022 after completing an Agribusiness and Marketing degree at Lincoln University. Brittany fell in love with living in Fiordland and enjoys putting her skills to use in the area she loves. She is excited to be a part of such a dynamic team of people and hopes to make a positive impact in her role.

Katerina joins the Southern Lakes Helicopters team in Te Anau after spending four summers working deep in the Fiordland National Park at the Pompolona Lodge on the Milford Track. Kat is also a keen snowboarder and has worked several seasons at Mt Hutt. Her love for wildlife brings her back to Fiordland and she is a joy to have as part of our team.

Kaya was raised in the area bringing a deep understanding and love for our beautiful surrounding landscapes. She developed a deep appreciation for nature and a strong sense of community. Bringing a wealth of local insight and a love for the outdoors, Kaya now seeks to fully immerse herself in the splendor we call home. Kaya with her friendly demeanor and warm welcoming nature will be an asset to our small base we call family.