Hills2Helipad
Hills to Helipad 2026
Joint Pre Winter Training Day
Hosted by Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue and GCH Aviation
Date: Wednesday 24 June 2026
Kickoff: 12:30 PM
Location:
GCH Aviation Hangar
73 Grays Road
Harewood
Christchurch 8042
Programme — 24 June 2026
| Time | Activity |
| 12:30 | Introduction |
| 12:45 | Safety around helicopters Platform walkaround |
| 13:00 | Clinical Workshops rotation |
| 15–20 mins each | The Survey: Primary & Secondary assessment |
| 15–20 mins each | The Airway: Management principles |
| 15–20 mins each | The Pulse: high performance CPR & AED |
| 15–20 mins each | The Bleed: Major haemorrhage control and treatment |
| 15–20 mins each | The Break: fractures management & analgesia |
| 14:30 | Afternoon tea mingles |
| 14:50 | AvaLife refresher |
| 15:00 | Putting it all together: simulated mass burial scenario |
| 16:00 | Alpine Cliff Rescue winch demonstration |
| 16:45 | Wind down mingle/refreshments |
Bringing Ski Field Staff, Volunteers, Mountain Professionals and Air Rescue Teams Together
Hills to Helipad is a collaborative pre winter training day designed to bring together ski field staff, mountain safety personnel, rescue teams, aviation professionals, and volunteers from across the South Island.
The aim is simple. Build stronger relationships, improve communication, share knowledge, and develop a better understanding of how mountain operations and air rescue teams work together during incidents and rescues in alpine environments.
The day provides an opportunity to meet the people behind the helicopters, understand operational considerations, discuss real world scenarios, and strengthen the networks that help deliver positive outcomes when they matter most.
Training Day Leadership
The training programme is being delivered by the experienced team at GCH Aviation, with Pablo Callejas leading the coordination of the day.
Further programme details and session information will be released closer to the event or on the day.
Registration is now full
We've reached capacity — thank you to everyone who has registered.
Still keen to come along? You're welcome to join us and stand at the back, or swap your spot with a teammate from your own organisation. We'll work it out on the day.
Questions
For event enquiries please contact the team with:
Training delivered by GCH Aviation
Event administration supported by Mt Olympus Ski Club
Powered by Southern Technology Limited technical resources.