High Terrain Helicopters
High Terrain Helicopters is a privately held British Columbia helicopter operator founded in 1992, providing tourism, wildfire suppression, search and rescue, aerial film, and commercial rotorcraft services from three Kootenay bases using a seven-aircraft Airbus and Bell fleet.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1992
- HeadquartersNelson, Canada
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What High Terrain Helicopters does
High Terrain Helicopters Ltd. is a privately held, family- and Indigenous-owned helicopter operator founded in 1992 by Steve Benwell in the Kootenays region of British Columbia, Canada. The company operates a seven-aircraft fleet comprising Airbus AS350 variants (B2, B3+, SD2) and Bell helicopters (205 A1++, 206 B2 Jetranger) from three bases, with the main hangar in Nelson and a newer base opened in Nakusp in 2021. All maintenance is performed in-house at the 3,200 sq ft Nelson facility, and the company operates 365 days per year with approximately 20 year-round employees averaging 8,000 flight hours each. Its Safety Management System is compliant with UN ICAO Annex 19 and Civil Aviation Authority standards, described as exceeding Transport Canada requirements, and specific aircraft are equipped with Class D Human External Transport Systems for search and rescue and Dart bike racks for heli-biking.
The company's service portfolio spans five revenue streams: (1) adventure tourism including scenic tours ($300–$1,250 per person), heli-biking, heli-skiing partnerships with Baldface and Powder Creek lodges, and mountain weddings; (2) government contracts covering wildfire suppression for BC Forestry, avalanche bombing for BC Highways, and 24/7 SAR support for four regional search-and-rescue organizations; (3) commercial/industrial operations including power line patrols, diamond drill moves, heli-logging, and precision long-lining; (4) aerial cinematography for productions such as IMAX films, Red Bull-sponsored Brain Farm documentaries, and feature films; and (5) environmental sciences including wildlife aerial surveys. Pricing is published per person for tourism services and quote-based for commercial and government contracts. Distribution is fully direct-to-customer via email ([email protected]), phone, and the company website, with no intermediaries or resellers involved in any segment.
High Terrain Helicopters firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- High Terrain Helicopters
- Legal name
- High Terrain Helicopters Ltd.
- Website
- https://highterrainhelicopters.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1992
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- High Terrain Helicopters is a privately held British Columbia helicopter operator founded in 1992, providing tourism, wildfire suppression, search and rescue, aerial film, and commercial rotorcraft services from three Kootenay bases using a seven-aircraft Airbus and Bell fleet.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
High Terrain Helicopters industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Helicopter Services
- NAICS
- Other Nonscheduled Air Transportation (481219)
- SIC
- Air Transportation, Scheduled (4512)
- akta.pro primary industry
- On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate) (TLAFACAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours (TLAFACAD), Air Medical Transport (Helicopter/Fixed-Wing) (HLAFANAD), Helicopter Crew Change & Offshore Passenger Transfers (Oil & Gas / Wind) (TLAFACAH)
Keywords
Where High Terrain Helicopters is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Nelson
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
High Terrain Helicopters business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tourism Services: Direct-to-consumer helicopter tours, heli-biking, and wedding services charged per person or per trip. Revenue generated from individual adventure seekers and small groups booking flights.
- Government Contracts: Wildfire suppression contracts with British Columbia Forestry service, Search and Rescue services for local SAR teams, and avalanche bombing for BC Highways.
- Commercial Operations: Power line patrols, heli-logging support, diamond drill moves, construction crew moves, and long-lining precision placement for commercial clients.
- Aerial Filming: Aerial cinematography services for film productions including extreme sports documentaries, IMAX productions, and feature films.
- Heli-Skiing Services: Transport services for boutique heli-ski operators in Southeast BC, flying guests to mountain terrain for skiing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Heli-Biking - Burn & Beyond and Toad Mountain runs |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wedding Package at McKean Lakes |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tour - Whitewater Ski Resort & Ymir Mountain (20 min) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tour - Kokanee Glacier (30 min) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tour - Flight over Valhalla (45 min) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tour - Alpine Lakes Landing (40 min with picnic) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Tour - Grand Tour Best of West Kootenays (50 min) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
High Terrain Helicopters product offering
Product offeringCore offering
High Terrain Helicopters provides specialized mountain helicopter services from bases in Nelson and Nakusp, British Columbia, using a fleet of Airbus AS350 and Bell aircraft. The company's offerings include adventure tourism (scenic tours, heli-biking, heli-skiing, weddings), emergency response (wildfire suppression for BC Forestry, search and rescue, avalanche bombing for BC Highways), industrial support (power line patrols, heli-logging, diamond drill moves, construction crew transport), aerial cinematography, and environmental sciences surveys across BC and Alberta.
Product overview
High Terrain Helicopters operates a fleet of Bell and Airbus aircraft providing specialized helicopter services across British Columbia and Alberta. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio including adventure tourism services (Tours, Heli-Biking, Heli-Skiing, Weddings), emergency services (Wildfire Suppression, Search & Rescue, Avalanche Heli Bombing), industrial services (Commercial Operations, Diamond Drill Support), and media services (Aerial Film, Environmental Sciences). The fleet consists of five aircraft: Bell 205 A1++, Bell 206 B2 Jetranger, Airbus AS350 B2 (x3), AS350 SD2, and AS350 B3+, each selected for specific operational capabilities in mountain terrain. Services are delivered from bases in Nelson (main hangar) and Nakusp.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Helicopter Tours
Quantifiable outcome
- Spotless safety record maintained across all operations
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use High Terrain Helicopters
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
High Terrain Helicopters technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
High Terrain Helicopters partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Baldface LodgecoreLong-standing partnership with Baldface Lodge for heli-skiing transport services. High Terrain provides helicopter transport for guests to access backcountry skiing terrain in the Kootenays.
- Powder Creek LodgecoreLong-standing partnership with Powder Creek Lodge for heli-skiing operations. High Terrain provides reliable aircraft and crew for guest transport in Southeast BC.
- British Columbia Forestry ServicecoreActive contractor to BC Forestry for wildfire suppression operations. Services include long-line slinging, water bucketing, bird dogging, and fire crew transport following CIFFC and HAC guidelines.
- Nelson Search and RescuecoreLong-standing reputation with Nelson SAR team. Holds annual joint training exercises. 24/7 availability for mountain rescue missions.
- Kaslo Search and RescueminorProvides rescue services to Kaslo area with annual joint training.
- Rossland Search and RescueminorProvides rescue services to Rossland area with annual joint training.
- Columbia Valley Search and RescueminorProvides rescue services to Columbia Valley area with annual joint training.
- BC HighwayscoreWorks closely with BC Highways and local government agencies for avalanche bombing operations during peak winter months to protect highways.
- Brain Farm ProductioncoreProud to do all Canadian aerial work for Brain Farm's Red Bull-sponsored productions 'The Art of Flight' and 'That's It, That's All'. Operations manager Tyhlor Kahret has over 25 years of film production experience.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
High Terrain Helicopters competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Blackcomb Helicopters: Whistler, BC-based helicopter operator offering tourism, heli-skiing, aerial filming, SAR, and utility work in coastal/mountain BC with a comparable Bell and Airbus fleet; directly overlaps with High Terrain's mountain tourism and commercial services mix.
- Alpine Helicopters: Kelowna, BC-based operator with a similar full-service mix including wildfire suppression, heli-skiing, tourism, SAR, and long-line work; competes in the same interior BC government contract pool as High Terrain.
- Summit Helicopters: BC-based helicopter operator providing tourism, heli-skiing, wildfire, and commercial services; closely comparable in service portfolio, fleet composition (AS350 / Bell), and Interior BC operating territory.
- Yellowhead Helicopters: Valemount, BC operator with a focus on heli-skiing, heli-hiking, tourism, and wildfire support in the Canadian Rockies — overlapping geography and service mix with High Terrain's Kootenay operations.
- Northern Mountain Helicopters: BC-based full-service helicopter operator providing wildfire, tourism, SAR, and long-line services in mountain terrain; directly comparable regional peer to High Terrain with similar service mix and fleet profile.
- Pacific Helicopters: Western Canadian helicopter operator offering charter, tourism, filming, and utility services including long-line work — overlapping service categories with High Terrain, though geographically more dispersed.
- Glacier Helicopters: BC-based helicopter operator providing scenic tours, heli-skiing support, wildfire, and commercial aviation services in mountain environments — directly comparable in vertical mix and customer segments to High Terrain.
Regional players
- HeliJet: BC-based helicopter company focused on scheduled passenger service, EMS, and helicopter charter; competes with High Terrain for BC-based charter and EMS/SAR contracts, though with a more scheduled-tilted model.
Broad incumbents
- VIH Helicopters (VIH Aviation Group): One of Canada's largest helicopter operators with broad EMS, wildfire, and utility contracts across multiple provinces; competes with High Terrain on government wildfire and emergency response tenders at a much larger scale.
- Canadian Helicopters (a VIH Aviation Group brand): National helicopter operator providing EMS, SAR, utility, and charter services across Canada; competes for the same BC provincial contract pools as High Terrain but at significantly greater fleet scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
High Terrain Helicopters social profiles
Digital presenceHigh Terrain Helicopters financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
High Terrain Helicopters leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
High Terrain Helicopters funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
High Terrain Helicopters M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about High Terrain Helicopters
What does High Terrain Helicopters do?
High Terrain Helicopters provides specialized mountain helicopter services from bases in Nelson and Nakusp, British Columbia, using a fleet of Airbus AS350 and Bell aircraft. The company's offerings include adventure tourism (scenic tours, heli-biking, heli-skiing, weddings), emergency response (wildfire suppression for BC Forestry, search and rescue, avalanche bombing for BC Highways), industrial support (power line patrols, heli-logging, diamond drill moves, construction crew transport), aerial cinematography, and environmental sciences surveys across BC and Alberta.
Is High Terrain Helicopters a public or private company?
High Terrain Helicopters is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was High Terrain Helicopters founded?
High Terrain Helicopters was founded in 1992. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is High Terrain Helicopters based?
High Terrain Helicopters is headquartered in Nelson, Canada, in the North America region.
How does High Terrain Helicopters make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Tourism Services are the primary driver. The others are government Contracts, commercial Operations, aerial Filming and heli-Skiing Services.
Who are High Terrain Helicopters's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Blackcomb Helicopters, Alpine Helicopters, Summit Helicopters, Yellowhead Helicopters, Northern Mountain Helicopters, Pacific Helicopters and Glacier Helicopters. HeliJet is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are VIH Helicopters (VIH Aviation Group) and Canadian Helicopters (a VIH Aviation Group brand).
Does High Terrain Helicopters have an API?
No public API is recorded for High Terrain Helicopters.
What industry is High Terrain Helicopters in?
High Terrain Helicopters's product category is Helicopter Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAFACAB, On-Demand Helicopter Charter (Private/Corporate), with a secondary code of TLAFACAD, Helicopter Sightseeing & Scenic Tours. Its NAICS code is 481219 and its SIC code is 4512.