New helicopter association in Australia
The Australian Helicopter Industry Association (AHIA) is being launched to give a voice to rotorcraft operators four years after the collapse of the Helicopter Association of Australasia in October 2008.
Organisers hope to complete the registration process in July 2012 with an official launch anticipated at the Avalon Airshow 2013 near Melbourne, Victoria.
Those behind the effort say it was spurred by the death of long time ABC helicopter pilot Gary Ticehurst in a crash near Lake Eyre in August 2011. He had been active in the HAA and was an icon in the industry.
Convening the AHIA is Rob Rich, who wrote in the group’s first newsletter in April: “It has taken Gary’s death to jolt people into doing something positive for the industry once again.”
Rob said there were many pressure points obstruction the development of the industry, ranging from the need to seek training and business opportunities for the Australian companies in the nearby Asian market to a review of the alleged delays in the pilot licensing and examination systems.
The group says the helicopter industry is six times larger than when the HAA was founded in 1984 and is growing at 9% per year. 1,950 helicopters are registered in Australia. (UK has 1,299 and USA 10,100).
Due to the enormous growth of the mining and off shore energy exploration activities caused by the huge demand from Asia, the multiengine fleet is expected to grow from 211 to 544 over the next five years.
The question being asked: “Do we have sufficient training resources to handle expansion of the industry and also establish a civilian organisation to train Army and Navy helicopter pilots.
Let the headache begin!
Last edited by robsrich; 24th May 2012 at 20:24.