Andy McKay
For the last 25 years, Mr. McKay has been a seasoned CEO, Chief Pilot and
helicopter subject matter expert
Andy is currently Standards Lead (Helicopter) for the Civil Aviation Authority
of New Zealand he has worked for the CAA since 2013. Andy’s main
responsibility is leading the development of flight standards within NZ and
supporting the CAA as a subject matter expert. He is the prime flight
operations liason between the CAA and the helicopter OEMs including
Leonardo, Airbus, Robinson and MD helicopters.
This has him at the various Helicopter
manufacturers on a yearly basis working very closely with the OEM factory flight instructors and test
pilots. Regularly called upon as an SME in court proceedings and accident investigation. He is
currently the project lead on standards development around Night Vision Imaging Systems (NVIS)
which had him sign on behalf of CAA a technical services agreement with Bell textron. For this he has
to maintain a US security clearance and holds an NZ Diplomatic Visa with the USA.
He currently
approves all of the Helicopter flight simulators operated within NZ and approves offshore simulators
for use within NZ. Recently finished a 3 year project working very closely witgh Robinson Helicopters
Torrance USA studying Mast bumping accidents and review of the FAA SFAR-73.
An expereinced helicopter instructor and examiner Andy overseas the 80+ Helicopter pilot examiners
within NZ. He is the prime check and training examiner on the MD902, AS355, BK117, Bell 429
MD500/520, Bell 505 and AS350 series of Helicopter for the NZCAA.
Andy has been an aviation advisor and consultant throughout SE Asia for 10 years. He has owned and
operated “The Heliflight Group” for 15 years. Heliflight operated a helicopter fleet in multi mission
operations. The fleet included both single and multi emgine helicopters including Airbus and MD
helicopter types.
He was the General Manager of “PT Eastindo” Jakarta, Indonesia from 2009 to 2012 which included
being the Flight Department Head for Sukanto Tanoto at Fiberone in Singapore operating under
April/RGEI. (Who also owned Eastindo) His responsibilities there included managing corporate jet
and turboprop fleet of 18 aircraft on international operations throughout Asia. The utility fleet of
fixed wing and helicopter supported the Oil and Gas sector as well as one of the largest Pulp and paper
suppliers in the world.
Andy is ICAO certified in Risk Assessment, Audit and Safety Management Systems and is a Certified BARS auditor. Andy is currently rated on 18 heavy and light helicopters with over 7,000 hrs of flight time. Andy sits on a number of FAA and USA aviation safety working groups and is frequently a guest lecturer and speaker both within NZ and the USA. On topics including Emergency Response Planning and various technical papers around helicopter flight operations. He graduated from the Cranfield University "Applied air accident investigator course" in the United Kingdom and often provides SME support in accidents, coronial court and expert witness testimony.
Former Police Detective with the Royal New Zealand Police where he served in the (CIB) Criminal
Investigation Branch.
Andy is married to his wife Sara and has two grown boys. Andy currently lives in Auckland, NZ.