The Department of Conservation (Doc) is banning staff, volunteers and contractors from using Robinson helicopters because of safety concerns.
The decision comes after the deaths of two forestry workers in a Robinson R44 crash in Northland on Monday and the placing of the United States company's helicopters on a Transport Accident Investigation Commission (TAIC) watchlist a week ago.
Tourism New Zealand has also reviewed its policy on the use of helicopters by staff and guests - the latter including international media and celebrities - on the back of TAIC's decision.
Doc health and safety director Harry Maher said it had made the decision to ''protect Doc staff''.
It would review its position after it had received more information about the Northland crash from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
TAIC put Robinson helicopters on its watchlist of ''pressing concerns'' last Thursday, saying it and the CAA had investigated 14 ''mast-bumping'' accidents involving Robinsons - killing 18 people after in-flight break-ups - in the past 20 years.
The move was praised by Queenstown helicopter operator Louisa Patterson, whose son, James Louis Patterson Gardner (18), died in a Robinson R44 crash near the resort last year.
One of her company's pilots, Stephen Combe (42), also died in the crash.
Ms Patterson said her company, Over The Top, no longer used Robinsons for any purpose, and that they should not be allowed to operate in New Zealand, particularly for commercial activities such as tourism.
Heliworks general manager Richard Mills said Robinsons were safe provided they were flown by experienced, well-trained pilots in appropriate weather conditions.
The Queenstown company had a Robinson R44 in its fleet and followed a ''strong and robust'' policy about what kind of weather to fly it in.
But management were now talking about whether to stop using the aircraft because Robinson safety concerns were becoming ''a perception of the travelling public''.
''But we know they are safe helicopters when they're flown by people who know how to fly them and train in them regularly,'' Mr Mills said.
''If we thought they were dangerous, we would've stopped flying in them a long time ago.''
Tourism New Zealand corporate affairs general manager Deborah Gray said that, since July last year, any use of a helicopter needed the approval of the agency's chief executive.
About 300 Robinson helicopters are registered in New Zealand, making up about 40% of the helicopter fleet.
