Articles of Association

Purpose

The New Zealand Helicopter Association (NZHA) is dedicated to:

Promoting the interests of its members and where possible, addressing issues that threaten the enjoyment of their use of helicopters whether that use is private, corporate, or commercial.
The advancement of the voice and influence of the helicopter community (private, corporate, and commercial operators and pilots) in New Zealand. It also fosters links with comparable organisations overseas and with military personnel engaged in the provision, deployment or servicing of helicopters.
NZHA is an operating division of the Aviation Industry Association of New Zealand (Inc) (AIA) that, for the purposes of ensuring that the helicopter community has appropriate representation, agrees that members of NZHA can be engaged in, or associated with, private, corporate, or commercial helicopter activities.

Mission Statement

To provide its members with services that directly benefit their business or pursuit of private/corporate operations and to provide safety programmes and seminars that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and promote the unique contribution helicopters make to the New Zealand economy and way of life.

Code of Ethics

The NZHA has technical, professional and business standards that assure users of NZHA member services that these services are properly and safely conducted. These standards are declared in the NZHA Code of Ethics and are designed to promote the good name of NZHA members and to protect their reputations.

ARTICLE I

Purpose

It is the purpose of this Code of Ethics to establish certain minimum standards in order to foster public confidence in the safety of helicopter operations and the integrity of NZHA members and to protect the reputation and good name of the helicopter community.

In order to promote these objectives, each member subscribes to the following code:

ARTICLE II

Technical Standards

Flight: flights will be made in accordance with the appropriate statutory framework. In addition, members and their employees will exercise their best judgment to ensure a maximum safety factor at all times.
Flight Personnel: A member will only assign individuals who hold current and appropriate certificates of qualification. In addition, the member shall be satisfied, either through training provided by a recognised organisation or by review of the pilot’s experience, that flight personnel are familiar with the type of work to which they are assigned and are capable of completing it satisfactorily.
Maintenance: maintenance on a member’s aircraft shall be performed in a manner that conforms to appropriate regulations and manufacturers specifications as to ensure the airworthiness of the aircraft. Members who are maintenance providers shall hold the qualification appropriate to the service being provided.

ARTICLE III

Conduct and Professional Standards

While recognising that it is impossible to enumerate all the attitudes and factors that comprise good ethics, members shall make every effort to promote and maintain the highest professional and, where appropriate, business standards possible. Members shall not perform any act that is a wilful breach of any law or regulations made thereunder, or undertake any behaviour that may be unethical or prejudicial to the helicopter community in New Zealand.

Members, who do perform such acts, subject themselves to termination of membership in accordance with the by-laws of the AIA.

ARTICLE IV

Modification

The Code of Ethics outlined herein shall be subject to modification or elaboration as the needs of the industry shall require.

Scope of Activities

The NZHA is charged with:

Developing safety programmes and strategies to improve the safety of the helicopter community in New Zealand
Representing the general interests of the helicopter community to the appropriate stakeholders whether they be business, the environment, regulatory, or the general public
Attending to all matters which affect the helicopter community in New Zealand
Establishing a database of environmental issues which impact on the New Zealand helicopter community
Providing leadership on business sustainability and other matters to the helicopter community
Developing codes of practice or best practice guidelines
Working in conjunction with the AIA to advance the interests of aviation in New Zealand
Participating in aviation sector safety committees
Issuing certificates for safety or any other matter relevant to the helicopter community, such as environmental sustainability.

Annual Membership Subscriptions

The rate of subscription shall be reviewed from time-to-time at the association’s annual general meeting on receipt of a recommendation from the AIA's executive committee.

The base rate for membership has been set at the following rates:

General Membership - Companies operating helicopters shall pay a base rate of $1,470 plus $157.50 per helicopter for the second helicopter up to a maximum of 10 helicopters.

NZAAA Division Members who are helicopter operators shall automatically become members of NZHA on payment of the NZAAA subscription.

Engineering Division Members shall pay $420 in addition to their AIA Engineering division subscription if that subscription is less than $1,470. If their Engineering division subscription is equal to or exceeds $1,470, membership of the NZHA will automatically become an option on payment of that subscription.

Private/Corporate Owners shall pay a base fee of $420 plus $157.50 per helicopter for the second and up to a maximum of 10 helicopters.

Individual pilots/Ground Support shall pay $168.

Associate membership is restricted to those who are not operational in the private or commercial environment including companies who provide support services to the helicopter community, but who do not derive their primary source of income from the helicopter community. Associate members shall pay $210.

Students are free for the first year, thereafter shall pay $100 until qualified.

All subscriptions quoted are exclusive of GST.

Committee Structure

The Association (NZHA) shall appoint an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from commercial operators and non-commercial owners/pilots with a maximum number of eight.

A chair and deputy chair shall be selected from within the executive committee. These two positions shall hold automatic rights to attend the AIA Council meetings as appropriate.

The committee may from time-to-time second additional members.

The committee shall meet as and when deemed appropriate.

Presently the New Zealand Helicopter Association operates with a transitional committee consisting of :

Chair Toby Clark, Helipro
Deputy Chair Peter Garden, South West Helicopters
Larry Bennett, North Shore Helicopters
Qwilton Biel, Heli Harvest
David Beck, Beck Helicopters

Rules

NZHA members shall adhere to the Rules of the AIA. Notwithstanding this, from time-to-time NZHA may make additional rules or change the existing rules for its members.

Awards and Recognition of Safety Performance

Each year NZHA shall make, on application of a member, an award in recognition of the safety performance of that applicant.

Other Awards

NZHA may make other awards from time-to-time. In making such awards the criteria will be set on the basis that all members of NZHA will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of such awards.