Crew
The Youthtown Trust Rescue Helicopter service employs the pilots with additional crew members made available on a contract basis from St John Ambulance and NZ Police.
On all accident work the air rescue service utilises paramedics from St John Ambulance to respond to emergencies in the field. These paramedics are readily available to respond to accidents and emergencies in the pre-hospital environment.
Search and rescue missions require the use of trained Police members. They often operate the long-line and winch and are very good observers in searches.
In all cases the medical and paramedic crew are specifically trained to perform their duties in and around the helicopter, and in most cases will be trained in familiarisation, long-line and winching.
Hendry was brought up in White River, near the famous Kruger National Park in South Africa. He began his helicopter training 12 years ago at Rand Airport in Johannesburg.
He has flown in a wide variety of roles, starting his career by flying money around for a security company and cash in transit vehicle surveillance. Making Cape Town his base he did contract work in Luderitz Namibia, supporting offshore diamond vessels as well as Black Rhino and Antelope capture for the Namibian Government Conservation Department.
He then joined South African National Parks carrying out game capture and census operation for all the national parks in South Africa - this was a unbelievable lifestyle with very challenging flying in an amazing environment. Diamond and gold explorations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was also one of the more interesting challenges in his flying career.
In 2008 he came to New Zealand on holiday with his family, spending some days in Taupo, and then returned a couple of months later when he was offered a position flying the rescue helicopter.
Hendry was appointed Taupo Base Manager in November 2008.
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