Richard Hayes (pilot)

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Hayes in 2007

Sir Richard John Hayes

KNZM (born 1951 or 1952)[1] is a New Zealand helicopter pilot. With over 30,000 flying hours, he is among New Zealand's most experienced pilots. He is the CEO of Southern Lakes Helicopters, a helicopter transport provider based in Fiordland.[2]

Hayes grew up in the

ONZM in the 2014 Queen's Birthday Honours — the same list in which Richard was knighted. Richard's nickname, "Hannibal", comes from the name of a character in 1970s television series Alias Smith and Jones
.

Although primarily a helicopter tour guide, Hayes is known for his search-and-rescue feats. He has participated in numerous emergency flights, including searching for survivors during the sinking of Kotuku in the Foveaux Strait and assisting with the 2013 search of a crashed plane on the slopes of Mount Elizabeth in Antarctica.[3] In 2007 he received the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Diploma for Outstanding Airmanship. In 2008, he famously saved his company's flagship helicopter, averting a disastrous crash by landing it "like a fixed-wing aircraft" at 80 knots of ground speed.[4]

In the

Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Search and Rescue and the community.[6]

In 2019 Hayes led a rescue effort to find the survivors of a helicopter that crashed into the ocean near the Auckland Islands.[7] The three passengers all survived the crash, and were found one day later with only minor injuries.[8][9]

References

  1. ^ McDonald, Christina (4 June 2014). "Knighthood out of the blue". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  2. Television New Zealand
    . 2 June 2014.
  3. ^
    New Zealand Herald
    . 2 June 2014.
  4. New Zealand Herald
    . 18 February 2008.
  5. ^ "New Year honours list 2001". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 30 December 2000. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2014". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2018.
  7. ^ "Auckland Islands helicopter trio found alive after wreckage found in Southern Ocean". Stuff. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  8. ISSN 1170-0777
    . Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Auckland Islands helicopter pilot recalls violent crash". Stuff. Retrieved 27 April 2019.

External links

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