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257:. Here Lematta began performing precision lift jobs by using a longer-than-average cable. The concept was that the pilot could lean out the side of the aircraft and see directly where the load would be placed rather than relying on visual instructions from the ground crew or a mirror. A few years later, Wes' brother, Jim, was flying a
500:
In
December 2012, Columbia bought four Boeing Vertol 107II-14s (originally Swedish Air Force HKP 4As, modified from 1988 to 1991 to Swedish Navy standards as HKP 4Ds), two Boeing Vertol 107II-15s (HKP 4Bs), and four Kawasaki KV-107IIA-16s (HKP 4Cs) from the Swedish Government, all ten formerly
289:. The following year, the 107s were used. Since the project used Lematta's helicopter and Erickson had purchased the timber, both Columbia Helicopters and Erikson's Air-Crane claim to be the first successful "heli-loggers". Another unusual feat was pulling a
217:
helicopter. With help from his brothers, he supported his young company with many odd jobs, such as carrying Santa Claus to trapeze acts. He performed most of his flying on the weekends while still working as a truck driver during the week.
712:
200:, oil exploration, construction, government support, film production, disaster response, and many other activities. In addition, the company operates a large FAA repair station supporting customers worldwide.
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of the Model 107 and Model 234 from Boeing. Currently the company is seeking FAA issuance of a production certificate (PC) to produce parts, with eventual issuance of a PC to produce both aircraft.
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in the
Colorado Rockies. He was so cold that he was forced to land. Columbia developed the first pilot bubble window to fill the need for an enclosed cockpit.
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In
October 1991, Columbia Helicopters bought four Boeing Vertol 107II-14s from the Swedish Government, formerly operated by the Swedish Air Force as the
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Columbia
Helicopters, Inc. Boeing 234 N245CH (left) and Boeing Vertol 107 C-FHFW (right) rest on the company pad in
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407:- CHI BV-234 N239CH demonstrates the lifting capability of the Super Grapple during heli-logging operations.
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427:- KV-107 N192CH performs various flight sequences and serves in the background of several scenes.
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591:"Happy birthday to Columbia Helicopters! Oregon-based company celebrates its 50th anniversary"
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fame, and
Lematta were able to demonstrate the first financially successful run of helicopter
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Columbia
Helicopters' Kawasaki Vertol KV-107 II, painted in a special grey paint scheme, at
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Lematta gained great notoriety on
September 15, 1957, by rescuing 15 sailors from a sinking
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757:"Columbia Helicopters Acquires eight CH-113 Labrador helicopters from Canadian military"
180:. It is known for operating tandem rotor helicopters; in present times, exclusively the
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249:, Lematta began to operate more lift jobs. One of these large jobs was working on the
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459:. When the 234s operate internationally, five containers are used for support tasks.
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Columbia
Helicopters was founded on April 24, 1957, by Wes Lematta with a single
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Chinooks for utility service, as they are not allowed to carry passengers.
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448:. In addition to the flying fleet, in 2005, CHI purchased eight surplus
857:
Oregon
Legislature Renames Aurora State Airport in Honor of Wes Lematta
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helicopters for fleet expansion. For fleet support CHI operates a
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397:- KV-107 N185CH can be seen in company colors hauling away actor
281:
registration number N318Y on a U.S. Forest
Service log sale near
444:
tandem rotor helicopters. Many of the latter were obtained from
841:
Columbia Helicopters Adding Army Surplus Heavy Lift Helicopters
301:
As of December 15, 2006 Columbia Helicopters had purchased the
718:. Federal Aviation Administration. 2007-01-17. Archived from
687:. Federal Aviation Administration. 2007-01-17. Archived from
573:"Columbia Helicopters Names Mike Tremlett as President/Ceo"
524:
passed a resolution identifying Columbia's home airport as
375:- BV-234 N241CH flies in a large cage to capture dinosaurs.
277:, or "heli-logging", in 1971. This was done with Lematta's
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141:
324:
Columbia Helicopters aircraft have appeared in several
610:"Columbia Helicopters Celebrates its 50th Anniversary"
798:
Erickson and Columbia: Keeping The Big Blades Flying
964:
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1957
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27:US aircraft manufacturing and operator company
821:Columbia Helicopters Website: Company History
8:
811:, 5 October 2014. Accessed: 18 October 2014.
172:manufacturing and operator company based in
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847:, March 30, 2014. Accessed: April 18, 2014.
596:, 18 April 2007. Retrieved: 24 August 2012.
29:
526:Wes Lematta Field at Aurora State Airport
516:Wes Lematta Field at Aurora State Airport
954:Privately held companies based in Oregon
924:Companies based in Marion County, Oregon
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969:American companies established in 1957
713:"Type Certificate Data Sheet No. H9EA"
682:"Type Certificate Data Sheet No. 1H16"
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133:Columbia Helicopters, New Zealand, LTD
7:
462:Columbia's past fleet includes the
245:After purchasing the more powerful
744:Straight Up: Helicopters in Action
436:Columbia currently operates eight
405:Straight Up: Helicopters in Action
162:Columbia Helicopters, Incorporated
101:Stan Wilson, Chairman of the Board
25:
293:on snow, ice, and water in 1982.
241:Direct Visual Operational Control
188:. These helicopters are used in
36:
253:on his company's namesake, the
763:. RotorHub.com. Archived from
538:Boeing Vertol CH-46 Sea Knight
508:In 2014, Columbia bought five
457:Beechcraft 200C Super King Air
229:. For his heroic actions, the
1:
959:1957 establishments in Oregon
548:Columbia Helicopters Heliport
419:' band out to the battleship.
372:The Lost World: Jurassic Park
346:Los Angeles Police Department
939:Private military contractors
929:Airlines established in 1957
671:. Retrieved: 24 August 2012.
612:. 2007-04-17. Archived from
344:- BV-234 N241CH serves as a
231:U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
985:
830:. Retrieved on 2008-12-12.
553:Columbia Aviation Heliport
356:- BV-107 N191CH, a former
875:Senate Joint Resolution 8
664:October 16, 2015, at the
35:
31:Columbia Helicopters, Inc
18:Columbia Helicopters, Inc
897:Official company website
522:Oregon State Legislature
438:Boeing-Vertol Model 234s
283:Taylorsville, California
192:and forestry, including
786:N111NS on Airliners.net
265:"First in Heli-Logging"
209:Founding and early days
415:- KV-107 N192CH flies
380:More American Graffiti
321:
287:Plumas National Forest
158:
121:Commercial helicopters
520:On May 26, 2009, the
442:Boeing-Vertol 107-IIs
316:
152:
99:Wes Lematta, founder
914:Helicopter operators
669:Columbia Helicopters
543:Boeing CH-47 Chinook
944:Aerial firefighting
919:Helicopter airlines
767:on 22 December 2007
594:Vertical (magazine)
575:. 12 December 2022.
198:aerial firefighting
113:President & CEO
107:President & CEO
32:
880:2011-06-11 at the
862:2011-07-17 at the
826:2009-01-23 at the
803:2014-10-19 at the
616:on October 8, 2007
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271:Erickson Air-Crane
269:Jack Erickson, of
190:stream restoration
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109:Michael Tremlett,
659:"The hover barge"
297:Type certificates
186:Boeing Vertol 234
182:Boeing Vertol 107
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16:(Redirected from
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501:operated by the
446:New York Airways
424:X2: X-Men United
309:In popular media
303:type certificate
233:awarded him the
227:Coos Bay, Oregon
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353:King Kong Lives
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720:the original
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696:. Retrieved
689:the original
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618:. Retrieved
614:the original
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401:' spaceship.
399:Jeff Bridges
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194:heli-logging
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127:Subsidiaries
110:
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76:Headquarters
70:Portland, OR
45:Company type
412:Under Siege
348:helicopter.
142:ColHeli.com
908:Categories
771:5 December
729:2007-02-08
698:2007-02-08
645:2011-06-07
620:2007-08-23
559:References
472:Hiller 12E
468:Bell 47-G2
464:Hiller 12B
291:hoverbarge
247:Hiller 12E
215:Hiller 12B
95:Key people
845:Aero-News
809:AINonline
365:King Kong
319:Fox Field
285:, in the
59:Aerospace
878:Archived
860:Archived
824:Archived
801:Archived
761:RotorHub
662:Archived
532:See also
170:aircraft
168:) is an
118:Products
55:Industry
949:Logging
510:US Army
440:and 14
394:Starman
358:US Navy
275:logging
204:History
138:Website
131:Helifor
111:current
65:Founded
49:Private
723:(.pdf)
692:(.pdf)
495:HKP 4A
476:MD 500
223:dredge
105:former
84:Oregon
80:Aurora
68:1957,
716:(PDF)
685:(PDF)
432:Fleet
361:CH-46
225:near
773:2010
486:and
184:and
88:U.S.
166:CHI
910::
843:"
807:"
759:.
601:^
581:^
528:.
505:.
497:.
490:.
482:,
478:,
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328::
237:.
196:,
176:,
86:,
82:,
839:"
775:.
732:.
701:.
648:.
623:.
164:(
157:.
20:)
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