Otago rescue helicopter pilot Clayton Girven on wild weather flights, sticking to your guns

John WeekesSenior Business Reporter·NZ Herald·7 Aug, 2026 08:00 PM7 mins to read‌Clayton Girven, chief IFR pilot at HeliOtago, has flown 1600 hours in HeliOtago's H145 D3.Clayton Girven, chief IFR pilot at HeliOtago, has flown 1600 hours in HeliOtago's H145 D3.“There were many times when I started out, I was going to quit.” Rescue helicopter pilot Clayton Girven has seen a lot – and been in positions where he can’t see much at all. HeliOtago operates helicopters from a base at Dunedin’s Taieri Airfield. Girven and colleagues are responsible