The aircraft and crew are trained and equipped to operate day and night, their missions range from emergency/accident casualty transport, to medical transfers (medevacs), rescue searches and airlifts.

[citation needed] The helicopter flown by George Sobiecke was based on the hill behind the Piha Surf Life Saving Club.

From 1971 on, the rescue helicopter service operated during the surf life saving club patrolling season from Labour Weekend to Easter.

A Rescue Helicopter Squad of 32 specially trained lifeguards from the various clubs affiliated to the Auckland Surf Life Saving Association was formed.

Money raised from surf reports provided by the duty helicopter lifeguards was used to purchase and redecorate a batch opposite the toilet block on the middle beach at Piha.

This became the summer base for the rescue helicopter crew with a landing pad to the north of the Piha Middle Beach toilet block.

On 8 January 1977 the then prime minister Robert Muldoon, who was at Piha for the re-opening of the Piha Surf Life Saving club house after the Project 40 rebuild, joined the helicopter lifeguards to jump into the surf and be lifted out of the water and be transported back to the beach slung under the helicopter using the rescue strop connected into the cargo hook.