Yellowhead Helicopters Ltd.

Yellowhead Helicopters Ltd. is a privately held, family-run Canadian helicopter company. Garry Forman founded it in Valemount, British Columbia, in 1975, when he bought his first helicopter, a Bell 206 JetRanger. Today the operations centre is in Prince George.

The company grew into Prince George by buying Vancouver Island Helicopters' base, contracts and several aircraft there, a deal reported in March 2013. Its website now lists bases at Blue River, Clearwater, Dease Lake, Fort St. James, Fort St. John, Mackenzie, McBride, Prince George, Stewart, Terrace, Valemount and Vanderhoof in BC, and Hinton in Alberta.

The website cites a fleet of around 40 helicopters. Types include the Airbus AS350 B2 and B3e, the Bell 206B3 JetRanger, the Bell 212HP and the BK117. Most of its work is commercial: wildfire support, forestry, mining and oil and gas exploration, utility and powerline work, wildlife surveys, avalanche control, search and rescue, and film and photography. It also runs heli-skiing, heli-logging and heli-tours through its Adventures brands, and it does helicopter maintenance.

Its website shows a gold-level Basic Aviation Risk Standard (BARS) audit logo and Helicopter Association of Canada membership. Private flyers will mostly use the company for charter or tour flights in northern BC and western Alberta.