By KATHERINE HOBY
About the time many New Year revellers stumbled home to bed early today, helicopter pilot Regan Graham was getting ready to take off bound for Sydney.
He and five colleagues were due to fly from Kaitaia at 5 am, heading for Coffs Harbour to help fight fires ravaging
areas of New South Wales.
Mr Graham, base manager for Helipro Palmerston North, says the firm has a lucrative contract to supply two helicopters and six personnel to Heli Aust.
The helicopters - a Kawasaki BK117 and a Bell UHIH (Iroquois) - will be welcome in the firefight because they can carry and dump large buckets of water, unlike some of those the Australians use.
The Bell can carry 1500 litres and the Kawasaki 1100 litres.
They were due to fly to Norfolk Island first, then to Lord Howe Island and on to Coffs Harbour. The journey will take 12 hours and the helicopters will arrive at 9 pm local time - barring any visibility difficulties from smoke.
They have been modified to carry the extra fuel needed for the flight.
"Once we're there, we'll just do what we're told," Mr Graham said.
"We plan to be there for a while, depending how it goes, of course. We will stay as long as we are needed."
He said a phone call was made on Friday to offer the company's services and the contract was confirmed on Sunday night.
It would mean six weeks' work, flying up to 10 hours a day.
Mr Graham said the contract was for a substantial amount of money.
"We aren't in it to make millions. We can't do it for free but we are there primarily to assist," he said.
"I am very much looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to getting in there."
* New Zealand's national rural fire officer Murry Dudfield said he had a request from Australia on Sunday for staff to fill planning and logistics roles. He had sent a man to Sydney to assess what personnel were needed.
"We have had the question asked as to whether we can help in that area - and we have said yes," he said.
If staff are to go to Sydney, Mr Dudfield said about 20 would go, and act in a supervisory role.
"We don't know yet if and when we will be needed as the fire environment changes every day," he said. "But we're more than happy to help."
By KATHERINE HOBY
About the time many New Year revellers stumbled home to bed early today, helicopter pilot Regan Graham was getting ready to take off bound for Sydney.
He and five colleagues were due to fly from Kaitaia at 5 am, heading for Coffs Harbour to help fight fires ravaging
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