Established 1957, Columbia Helicopters Inc purchased its first two 234LR from
British Airways Helicopters (BAH) in 1984. In February 1989, they purchased three more from BAH successor company British International Helicopters. In January 1991, it acquired two 234ER from Trump Airlines, and in September 1995 it acquired two 234LRs from Helikopter Services, AS of Norway, bringing its total to nine Model 234 Chinooks and making it the largest civil user of the type.
On 2014 with a fleet consisting of 6 Model 234 Chinooks and 14 Vertol 107-II announced the acquisition of 5 former Army CH-47D Chinooks.
Founded by Wes Lematta, and continued to be owned by the Lematta family it is based at Wes Lematta Field / Aurora State Airport (
KUAO) and operating also in
Australia,
Canada
and
Papua New Guinea 
