Canadian Helicopters Acquires Helicopters (N.Z.)

Canadian Helicopters Limited, the largest helicopter transportation services company operating in Canada, acquired all of the assets of Helicopters (N.Z.) Limited, the largest helicopter transportation company in New Zealand, including the shares in Helicopters (Australia) Pty Ltd and its other wholly owned active subsidiary companies, as well as the assets of Helicopter Nominees Limited (in receivership), for a purchase price of NZ$154 million.

In connection with the closing of the transaction on July 7, 2011, Canadian Helicopters also entered into a new $125 million revolving credit facility with National Bank of Canada, Caisse centrale Desjardins and Canadian Western Bank as lenders.

Canadian Helicopters was represented by McCarthy Tétrault LLP (as Canadian counsel) with a team that was led by Frédéric Cotnoir and Eric Gosselin and included Max Rogan (M&A and corporate) and Mathieu Dubord, David Tournier and Sabine Audette-Hall (financial services) and by Minter Ellison Rudd Watts (as New Zealand counsel with Minter Ellison Perth advising on Australian matters) with a team that was led by Cathy Quinn and included Mark Forman, Andrew Ryan and Amber Stanton (M&A and corporate) and Tom Fail, Chris Forrest and Gehann Perara (financial services).

Canadian Helicopters was also represented in connection with the financing by Holland & Knight LLP (as US counsel) with a team that included Richard Hadlow, Trey Baldy and Paul Lawler and by Clifford Chance LLP (as Dutch counsel) with a team that included Laurent Levac, Jasper Dijkshoorn, Joep Bertrams and Hein Tonnaer.

Helicopters (N.Z.) Limited and Helicopter Nominees Limited (in receivership) were represented by Chapman Tripp with a team led by John Strowger that included James Twigg.

The lenders were represented by Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (as Canadian and US counsel) with a team that included Etienne Massicotte, Maxime Laverdiere, Nathan Whitaker and Mikulas Arendas.