Both of Taranaki's community rescue helicopter pilots have quit, while a lack of funds for the trust that runs it threatens its future.
The trust needs $400,000 by Christmas to avoid having to close by the end of the year.
Chairman Mark Masters told Radio New Zealand it was not a good situation, but they were working on it.
He said one of the pilots had been offered a better paying job in the Australian mining industry and the other announced his resignation once the trust's financial position was announced.
"The first pilot's still there until the end of this month and the second pilot's there until the end of October. So it's not as though we're not flying at the moment."