Best Heavy Lift Helicopters for Any Job | Construction, Logging, Firefighting | Maintenance and Parts | Columbia Helicopters Columbia Helicopters was founded in the Pacific Northwest in 1957, and we’re proud of the reputation we’ve built over the last half-century as a global leader in heavy-lift helicopter operations, and Columbia Helicopters was founded in the Pacific Northwest in 1957, and we’re proud of the reputation we’ve built over the last half-century as a global leader in heavy-lift helicopter operations, and a trusted expert in Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul services.