History & Partnerships
Dehcho Regional Helicopters is the success story of an Indigenous partnership that spans more than 17 years. In the early 2000s while other groups were making plans based on the possibility of the Mackenzie Gas Project, a group of Indigenous leaders and business people in the Nahendeh Region focused on something more secure, something linked closely to their land- wildfires.
The business arms of Acho Dene Koe First Nation, Fort Simpson Metis Nation, Nahanni Butte Dene Band and Sambaa K’e First Nation came together in 2004 to form Dehcho Regional Helicopters. The core of their business plan was to secure, with their operating partner Great Slave Helicopters, the contract for helicopter services that supports the Department of Environment and Natural Resource’s Fort Simpson fire base.
It is a source of pride for Dehcho Regional Helicopters’ Limited Partners that every summer since its founding, their company has played a part in managing forest fires and protecting the communities and cabins of their members from the ravages of those fires.
In 2010 Liidlii Kue First Nation and Pehdzeh Ki First Nation joined the partnership. This expansion united all seven First Nations and Metis Nations in the Nahendeh Region in the business. Dehcho Regional Helicopters is the only 100% Indigenous owned helicopter company in the NWT.
Our Nahendeh Region Partners
The seven Limited Partners in Dehcho Regional Helicopters include every Indigenous group in the Nahendeh Region of the Northwest Territories. It is the express wish of each of the Indigenous governments in the region that Dehcho Regional Helicopters, through our partnership with Great Slave Helicopters, be used for any helicopter flights on their traditional lands, which encompass the whole region and, in some cases, extend beyond it.
DCV
With its distinctive blue and white colour scheme, DCV is a frequent sight in the skies above the region. One of the partnership’s earliest decisions was to make a joint investment to purchase a helicopter. DCV, formally registered under the call sign C-GDCV, arrived in 2008 fresh off the Eurocopter assembly line. An AStar 350 B2, DCV is flown and maintained by Great Slave Helicopters. As part of the fire services contract, DCV spends each summer dedicated to flying for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, which includes supporting the fire crews that monitor and manage wildfires fires in the region.
DCV Specs
Passenger Seating- 5 passengers
Average Cruise Speed- 212kph/132 mph
Average Fuel Consumption- 180 ltr/hr
Maximum Range- 582 km/368 miles*
Maximum Interior Load- 373 kg/824 lbs of cargo
Maximum Flight Time- 2.8 hours with 20 minutes reserve*
Maximum External Sling Load- 957 kg/2,150 lbs*
Extras- Two USB ports available for passenger use.
Quick-release square basket.
*Based on perfect conditions at sea level with no winds or internal loads.
Key Milestones
2004
Original partnership formed between the business arms of Acho Dene Koe First Nation, Fort Simpson Metis Nation, Jean Marie River First Nation, Nahanni Butte Dene Band, and Sambaa K’e First Nation.
Dehcho Regional Helicopters and Great Slave Helicopters sign their first Helicopter Services Agreement. The agreement includes scholarships for aircraft maintenance engineers and a yearly Women’s Wellness and Youth Infrastructure Grant for each of the Limited Partners to be used to benefit their community.
2006
Working in partnership, Dehcho Regional Helicopters and Great Slave Helicopters secure, for the first time, the five-year Fort Simpson based Fire Services Contract with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Decision made to invest $5,000 per partner toward securing financing to purchase a helicopter.
Agreement signed to create a fixed-wing division and work collaboratively with Air Tindi.
2008
DCV, formally registered under the call sign C-GDCV, an AStar 350 B2 arrives fresh from the Eurocopter assembly line and starts work in the Nahendeh through a lease agreement with Great Slave Helicopters.
Dehcho Airways and Air Tindi sign a Joint Venture Agreement that includes aircraft maintenance engineer and pilot scholarships as well as a Youth and Women’s Grant.
2010
The partnership expands to include the economic arms of Liidlii Kue First Nation and Pehdzeh Ki First Nation. This expansion united all seven First Nations and Metis Nations in the Nahendeh Region in the business.
The partnership, working with Great Slave Helicopters and Sahtu Helicopters, takes over the contract to conduct visual inspection flights of the Enbridge pipeline between Norman Wells and Zama, Alta.
Dehcho Regional Helicopters is recognized by the NWT Chamber of Commerce as the territorial Business of the Year.
2011
Dehcho Regional Helicopters and Great Slave Helicopters, this time through an open competitive bidding process, are again awarded the five-year Fort Simpson-based Fire Services Contract.
2012
A new agreement negotiation with Air Tindi establishes the scholarship fund, using a percentage of the net profit earned on all scheduled service flights in the Nahendeh Region including the route between Fort Simpson and Yellowknife.
2014
Dehcho Regional Helicopters awards its first scholarship- an Aviation Support Services Scholarship.
2015
The loan on DCV is repaid in full.
2016
Dehcho Regional Helicopters and Great Slave Helicopters are once again awarded a five-year Fire Services Contract through the competitive bidding process.
2018
Dehcho Regional Helicopters signs a new Helicopters Services Agreement with Great Slave Helicopters that includes more money for the yearly Youth Infrastructure and Women’s Wellness Grants.
2020
The first $30,000 Fixed-Wing or Helicopter Pilot Scholarship is awarded.