Who is columbia helicopters? In addition the company operates a large FAA repair station supporting customers around the world. Columbia Helicopters was founded on April 24, 1957 by Wes Lematta with a single Hiller 12B helicopter. With help from his brothers, he supported his young company with many odd jobs ranging from carrying Santa Claus to trapeze acts.When did columbia helicopters buy the model 107 from boeing? As of December 15, 2006 Columbia Helicopters had purchased the type certificate of the Model 107 and Model 234 from Boeing. Currently the company is seeking FAA issuance of a production certificate (PC) to produce parts, with eventual issuance of a PC to produce both aircraft.What is a 234 chinook helicopter used for? The Columbia Model 234 Multi-Mission Chinook helicopter is a standard transport category helicopter designed for global multi-mission heavy lift operations. The aircraft’s extreme flexibility, including combi configurations, allows agencies to easily support multiple missions year-round.