WE’RE READY TO FLY
are you ready to escape?
Escape Aviation offers bespoke fixed wing and helicopter journeys across New Zealand’s Central North Island – touching down in places no one else can. Our experiences invite you to disconnect from the everyday, travel with purpose and connect deeply with the land.
Helicopters Operated by Helisika Ltd
Premium HELICOPTER
CHARTERS & Experiences
From luxury charters and transfers to Hawke’s Bay winery tours and long lunches, wilderness dining and cultural experiences, scenic flights over the Volcanic Plateau and Lake Taupō to remote backcountry heli-hiking adventures. Escape Aviation offers some of New Zealand’s most exclusive experiences. Explore our experiences in more detail below.
FIXED WING
CHARTERS AND TRANSFERs
Travel in comfort aboard our Piper Navajo, available for private charter. Whether you are looking for efficient transportation or a unique way to experience New Zealand from above, this twin-engine aircraft offers a reliable and comfortable flying experience.
Hunting & Fly Fishing
Helisika
Based in the foothills of the Kaimanawa and Kaweka ranges on Poronui Station. Helisika lease over 80,000ha of untouched wilderness only accessible by helicopter. For over 30 years we have flown hunting parties into the region chasing the elusive sika deer with great success. The network of rivers flowing through the region are renowned for their trout fly fishing. Wilderness experiences are our specialty.
Heli Biking & Hiking
kaimanawa Alpine Adventures
Nestled on the doorstep of the Tongariro National Park, Kaimanawa Alpine Adventures boast some of the most stunning views in New Zealand and offers the best ways to enjoy them. Choose from the North Islands only private 23km Heli-biking trail, a scenic flight over the main volcanic peaks in the North Island or a heli hike. If you enjoy outdoor adventure and breathtaking views we have everything you need.
Remote Stays
Disconnect to reconnect
Experience complete immersion in nature and the luxury of total solitude – there are no roads, no people, no cell coverage, no stress. Just wild perfection.
Choose from Te Whare Ruruhau, our 2 bedroom cabin with extensive decks, outdoor bath, stargazing from bed, and a separate guides quarters or our Glamping location nestled on the Waipakihi River with 2 rooms for up to 4 guests.
A leading wilderness helicopter operator for over 30 years
Escape Aviation is a family-owned and operated aviation company based in Taupō, with more than 30 years of experience flying throughout the Central North Island.
Beginning as Helisika, our roots are firmly in the remote Kaimanawa and Kaweka Ranges. Today, Escape Aviation operates from Taupō Airport, Poronui and the edge of Tongariro National Park, providing private helicopter, fixed-wing flights, transfers and exclusive experiences across New Zealand.
What sets us apart is where we can take you.
Through long-standing relationships with local iwi and landowners, we have access to more than 80,000 hectares of privately owned wilderness. This gives our guests the opportunity to land, explore and experience parts of the Central North Island that simply aren’t accessible to the general public.
From remote fly fishing, heli-hiking and mountain biking to private lake cruises, wilderness dining, scenic flights and luxury lodge transfers, we connect our guests with some of the region’s most remarkable places.
And when the destination is further afield, our charter services make getting there part of the experience. Skip hours on the road and travel directly between lodges, golf courses, airports and destinations throughout New Zealand.
Our team
Your pilot is more than just the person at the controls. They know the land, its history and the stories that make it special. Passionate about the region they call home, they are there to share the experience with you from start to finish.
Our bases
Central North Island based, we are spread across three main bases. Taupo Airport, Poronui Station to the East of Taupo and on State Highway One South of Turangi on the doorstep of the Tongariro National Park.
Our fleet
Our fleet consists of five helicopters and a Piper Navajo fixed-wing aircraft, each selected to support the diverse range of tourism and commercial operations we offer. The fleet includes two AS350 SD2 helicopters, two Hughes 500 helicopters, our flagship AS355 NP Twin Squirrel, and the Piper Navajo.