Mr Peter Turnbull, of Whangarei, ONZM for services to aviation
Peter Turnbull is CEO of Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST), a rescue/air ambulance service which flew 916 missions in 2016 and provides emergency cover for Starship and the Auckland District Health Board. Earlier in his career, as Chief Pilot with NEST in Whangarei, Mr Turnbull worked tirelessly to ensure the service survived. He was instrumental in the Trust’s upgrade to the three S-76 Sikorsky helicopters it currently operates. He has accrued more than 21,000 flying hours, which stands as a record for a pilot in air ambulance/rescue work in New Zealand. He implemented the personalised GPS route structure in Northland for Instrument Flight Rules, which has been emulated by other EMS services around the country. Mr Turnbull has driven the creation of further helipads in Northland communities.