Columbia Helicopters

10/20/2026

Who needs a helipad? 🌲🚁

The 107-II goes where the work is: steep slopes, dense forest, and remote sites far from any runway or road.

Columbia is proud to have this proven workhorse in our fleet, helping us support missions around the world.

📷 Photo by Ian McCall

10/16/2026

We’re proud to announce that our President and CEO, Melanie Bergier, is the featured profile in RotorHub International’s “Helicopter People” series for Issue 5, 2026!

The feature tells both Melanie’s story and Columbia’s, from her lifelong passion for aviation to her hands-on focus on operations and her vision for our future as a leading heavy-lift operator and MRO provider. It’s also a reflection of the talented team behind every mission we fly.

Thank you to Editor Gideon Ewers and the RotorHub International team for featuring Melanie and sharing her story.

⭐📰 Read the full feature here, starting on Page 66: https://www.rotorhub.com/mags/Um90b3JIdWJJbnRWb2wyMElzc3VlNTI2_Vol20_Issue5_26c/index.html

10/13/2026

When the call comes, our aircraft are ready to answer it.

That readiness is built every day by our maintenance team. From scheduled inspections in our Aurora hangar to field maintenance, our mechanics keep our fleet safe, reliable, and ready to fly.

With decades of experience on the 107-II and 234, and as the Type Certificate holder, we know these aircraft tip to tail. That expertise goes into every inspection, every component, and every return to service. Because mission ready isn't a status. It's a standard.

📷 Photo: Sarah Wescott

10/09/2026

From Korea to Türkiye to the United States, our crews and fleet supported wildfire response around the world in 2026.

Fire seasons around the world are starting earlier, lasting longer and burning hotter. When fires move fast through steep, remote terrain, aerial response provides one of the most effective ways we can protect communities and give ground crews the support they need.

Thank you to our pilots, crew chiefs, mechanics, and support teams who made these operations possible, and to our partners for trusting us with the mission.

09/22/2026

We're headed to Lexington, Kentucky!

Columbia Helicopters is excited to be exhibiting at the National Association of State Foresters' 2026 Annual Meeting, "Bridging the Divide: Conservation in Action," this week.

This year's meeting brings together state foresters and wildland fire leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges facing our forests.

Visit Table 15 to learn more about our fleet, and how we support forestry initiatives and aerial firefighting operations across the country. Our team is looking forward to connecting with state and federal partners about how our aerial operations can better serve their missions.

We hope to see you there!

📅September 21 - 24, 2026 (Exhibits Open Sep. 22)
🌎Lexington, Kentucky

09/16/2026

Columbia teamed up with Trout Unlimited and the Hoh Tribe to fly logs into the Olympic Peninsula, rebuilding 22 logjams along Owl Creek.

Using the Columbia Model 107-II, crews flew logs with root wads and boulder ballast, placing them precisely into the creek below. The new logjams will now play an important role in the restoration of Owl Creek, helping create healthy habitats for salmon and steelhead.

We are proud to support this mission alongside our partners.

Learn more about the project by watching Trout Unlimited's film, Restoring Owl Creek: https://youtu.be/lwvEiLY_Gns?si=OyIzy2GWxGjmBA8h

On Owl Creek, an important salmon and steelhead tributary of Washin...

08/21/2026

We’re proud to officially join the United Aerial Firefighters Association (UAFA).

Paul Petersen, Executive Director of UAFA, visited Columbia’s facility in Aurora this week to meet with our team and talk about what’s ahead for the aerial firefighting industry, and how we can work together to support safer, stronger, and more effective wildfire response.

For Columbia, joining UAFA is about more than membership. It’s another opportunity to bring our heavy-lift experience to the table, learn from others across the industry, and work together as the need for aerial firefighting capability continues to grow around the world.

We’re proud to be part of the community working toward what’s next.

08/14/2026

Our aircraft and crews are currently supporting wildfire response efforts in Oregon, working alongside firefighters and agency partners to help slow fire growth and protect communities at risk.

We're honored to play a role in these efforts and grateful to everyone working tirelessly to keep people safe.

🎥 Watch KPTV Fox 12 Oregon's coverage of the fires here: https://youtu.be/0vIDIH_Qwro?si=F9I8v3MOqjWjpfkF

Update on wildfires burning in Oregon for Wednesday afternoon, Aug....

07/24/2026

Some of the most meaningful conversations happen when people from different backgrounds, roles, and experiences come together with a shared willingness to learn from one another.

Last week, women from across Columbia Helicopters joined us for our Women in Aviation Operations session, "Built for Heavy Lifts." It was an afternoon dedicated to open discussion, shared experiences, and thoughtful conversation.

Through small-group discussions, guided conversations, and a Q&A with our CEO, Melanie Bergier, participants explored topics ranging from career journeys and leadership to challenges, opportunities, and the lessons learned along the way.

While every story was unique, the conversations revealed just how much we can learn by taking the time to listen, ask questions, and understand perspectives beyond our own.

Thank you to everyone who participated, contributed, and helped make the afternoon such a meaningful experience.

We’re excited to keep the momentum going through future events that strengthen connections, encourage learning, and help us grow together as a team.

07/04/2026

This Fourth of July, we celebrate America's 250-year journey and recognize the people, partnerships, and progress that continue to shape the nation's future.

We're proud to support critical projects across the United States, working alongside State and Federal government agencies, commercial customers, and local communities as part of our broader global mission to deliver safe, reliable heavy-lift helicopter solutions wherever they're needed.

Happy Independence Day to our employees, customers, and partners celebrating across the United States.