Aurora, Oregon

Columbia Helicopters Wins CARB Certification
March 7, 2011 - 7:20am

Columbia Helicopters (Booth No. 1017) announced that the Commercial Airlift Review Board (CARB) recently certified the Oregon-based company for Department of Defense (DOD) passenger and cargo operations.

With this and prior certifications, Columbia is now eligible to bid on a more comprehensive variety of contracts for heavy-lift helicopters for all U.S. government agencies.
Columbia stays in the family
February 22, 2010 - 6:34am

The threatened pink workstations are a nonstarter, but Nancy Lematta has her hands firmly on the controls of Aurora, Ore.-based Columbia Helicopters. Her late husband, Wes, who founded the company with his brothers, charted a course that she plans to follow.
Glenn “Wes” Lematta 1927-2010
January 29, 2010 - 7:03am

Glenn “Wes” Lematta, 83, the founder of Columbia Helicopters, died December 24. Lematta and his brothers started Columbia in 1957 with a single used Hiller UH-12B in which they offered rides at county fairs. The company grew into a global heavy-lift helicopter operator that today employs 600 and operates a fleet of 30 Vertol 107 II and Boeing 234 Chinook tandem-rotor helicopters.

Aurora honors Wes Lematta
July 1, 2009 - 5:30am

Oregon’s legislature voted to honor Columbia Helicopters founder and chairman Wes Lematta by renaming Aurora Airport Wes Lematta Field at the Aurora State Airport.
Aurora Jet Center joins Avitat network
October 9, 2008 - 5:38am

After buying Aurora Jet Center at Aurora State Airport in Oregon, new owner Metal Innovations signed a fuel provider agreement with Western Petroleum, and the FBO became a member of ExxonMobil’s Avitat network. Aurora is a convenient alternative airport for Portland-area traffic, only 22 nm from Portland International Airport and with a 5,000-foot runway. On November 1, Aurora Jet Center will open a new pilot lounge and dayrooms.

For Columbia, the gem is 50 years of rotor motion
March 14, 2007 - 10:49am

Columbia Helicopters is celebrating two anniversaries and is honoring four employees here at Heli-Expo’07.