Columbia Helicopters Celebrates 50

When Columbia Helicopters was formed in 1957, the company owned one helicopter. Fifty years later, it owns and flies 14 operational Boeing Vertols and seven 234 Chinooks. The company operates around the world, helping to provide famine relief as well as search and rescue services. Columbia’s selective harvesting procedure, in which only a portion of lumber is removed from a forest, is seen as environmentally sensitive.  The company has also made strides in the petroleum and gas exploration industries.