Oz Choppers

Oz Choppers recently completed a successful seven-week demonstration tour across New Zealand, showcasing our Bell 407GXP VH-8Y8.

The tour was conducted in collaboration with Bell Textron and Core Aviation, the newly appointed Bell Independent Distributor for new aircraft in New Zealand.

Spanning both the North and South Islands, the tour included visits to numerous operator bases, providing the opportunity to present the aircraft to a wide range of industry professionals. Notably, there are currently no Bell 407 aircraft operating in New Zealand, making this demonstration particularly significant.

Mark conducted a large number of demonstration flights, giving prospective operators firsthand experience of the aircraft’s performance — particularly its smooth ride and 140-knot cruise capability.

The aircraft was also featured on the Textron stand at the Warbirds Over Wanaka Airshow, where it attracted strong interest from thousands of attendees.

The tour concluded at Core Aviation’s base with a final Bell 407 demonstration day, offering operators — including many H130 owners — a direct comparison of the aircraft’s capabilities.

Mark and Kate would like to thank everyone involved for their support and hospitality throughout the tour.

Until next time New Zealand!