AS350/MD500 Aerial Work Pilot – New Zealand

Heli Preflight; Wānaka; Hybrid; NZD 100,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

The Alpine Helicopters division of The Alpine Group Limited in Wanaka/Queenstown seeks aSenior Pilot to join full-time and perform as many operations as possible. The candidate must hold NZ CPL-H with substantial helicopter and turbine time, be AS350 and MD500 rated, and bring mountain flying and external load experience.

Ideal applicants will demonstrate a strong safety mindset and a commitment to keeping helicopters and hangars clean while supporting regulatory compliance across NZCAA rules.

Qualifications

• NZ CPL-H with 1000+ helicopter hours and 500+ turbine time.
• AS350 and MD500 ratings preferred.
• Experience in mountain flying and external loads.
• Solid understanding of Part 135 operations and safety standards.
• Commitment to maintaining clean helicopters and tidy hangars.

Responsibilities

• Lead and perform core flight operations as Senior Pilot.
• Maintain high safety and regulatory compliance.
• Support operations across Wanaka and Queenstown bases.
• Coordinate with maintenance and operations teams to ensure readiness.

Skills

NZ CPL-H

1000+ helicopter hours

Mountain flying

External load experience

Part 135 operations knowledge

Safety compliance

Aircraft cleanliness / hangar upkeep

Tools

AS350 rating

MD500 rating

Job description

Company: The Alpine Group
Location: Wanaka, Otago
Type: Full time
Posted: 8 hours ago

Description

The Alpine Group Limited is a family-owned business based in Wanaka, operating brands including Alpine Helicopters, Minaret Station, Southern Lakes Heliski.

Alpine Helicopters provides a wide range of aerial services under NZCAA Part 135 certification, in addition to providing intracompany support to our tourism brands. Services include but are not limited to aerial filming, fire suppression, heli-skiing, heli-hunting, lifting, pest control, scenic & charter work. The company also conducts venison recovery operations throughout the year under NZCAA Part 91 privileges.

The company has bases at Wanaka and Queenstown Airports, but also operates remotely throughout the South Island. The current fleet is made up of AS350 B2/B3+ and MD500D models.

Alpine Helicopters currently employs several fulltime pilots and lists the services of contract pilots seasonally throughout the year. The business has full time engineering, administrative, and operational support staff.

The Position

We are seeking an experienced and capable Senior Pilot to join the company in a full-time capacity to perform as many of the existing operations as possible.

The Pilot must have:

• A NZ CPL-H preferably with a minimum 1000-hours helicopter time and 500-hours turbine time and preferably be AS350 and MD500 rated
• Mountain flying and external load experience
• Sound understanding of Part 135 operations
• Commitment to maintaining high safety and compliance standards
• Affinity for clean helicopters and tidy hangars

This is both a Wanaka and Queenstown based role with the start date to be negotiated with the successful applicant.

Applications close 5pm, Friday 4th December 2026, unless filled prior.