Chopper Crash Cairns
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,092
Likes: 278
From: Melbourne, Victoria
For now...They'll discontinue it in a month or two. No reason to waste resources when there's no tangible safety benefit.
Seems the pilot did have a CPL(H) from EnZed but hadn't converted it to CAsA and was working for Nautilus as groundcrew, reportedly having a farewell party that night.
Seems the pilot did have a CPL(H) from EnZed but hadn't converted it to CAsA and was working for Nautilus as groundcrew, reportedly having a farewell party that night.
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,706
Likes: 309
From: Australia
Let’s sit on our hands with this one and let the authorities do their jobs, and more importantly let the company deal with the challenges associated with this accident.
Quite a few people are going through a very difficult time at the moment.
Quite a few people are going through a very difficult time at the moment.
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 34
Likes: 9
From: Victoria
For those who didn't see the Webtrak track (it was still up earlyish 12 Aug, but as people have mentioned, taken down some time afterwards), it commenced around 0150 from Cairns airport northern helicopter parking area, tracked over the city at a couple of hundred feet, did a couple of orbits between about 200 and 500 ft in the esplanade vicinity over the built-up area, went back over the aerodrome briefly, then to the pier, then back to the city where it concluded. That's from memory so probably not exact, but close.
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 34
Likes: 9
From: Victoria
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 1,153
Likes: 889
From: Oz
We will likely never know why this young man decided to take this path.
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 642
Likes: 203
From: Brisbane
So very sad in my opinion. The Industry killed this young bloke. Promotion to another ground position would be heartbreaking for a CPL(H). We should be nurturing young pilots, training and encouraging them to a commercial standard. This business of screwing them down, paying for courses etc is criminal and in the long run detrimental to the Industry.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 352
Likes: 424
From: The Bin
So very sad in my opinion. The Industry killed this young bloke. Promotion to another ground position would be heartbreaking for a CPL(H). We should be nurturing young pilots, training and encouraging them to a commercial standard. This business of screwing them down, paying for courses etc is criminal and in the long run detrimental to the Industry.
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 1,153
Likes: 889
From: Oz
Today is different. Training is expensive. Living is expensive. People lie to your face more than ever. Learning ground ops is a part I don’t have an issue with, as a former owner/operator, whilst we didn’t need to stick people on those ops, it was beneficial to learn the business basics by doing so, that was capped at no longer than 8-12 weeks however. We told any potential hires this before taking them on. It’s important to be upfront with people, many are not.
I know many would be pilots get taken for a ride on ground ops with promises attached. I’m not saying this operator is guilty of that, or this played any part at all, but I’ve hired too many people in the past who have been taken advantage off purely for business purposes.
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 793
Likes: 297
From: sierra village
If the move to another base was going to be so traumatic, why not just resign. Makes no sense to steal an aircraft. Even if he didn’t crash and managed to return it unscathed, he would have been found out and rendered himself totally unemployable anywhere.
Joined: May 2016
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
Posts: 1,539
Likes: 696
From: Sunshine Coast
bad idea + booze = great idea!!
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 34
Likes: 9
From: Victoria
So very sad in my opinion. The Industry killed this young bloke. Promotion to another ground position would be heartbreaking for a CPL(H). We should be nurturing young pilots, training and encouraging them to a commercial standard. This business of screwing them down, paying for courses etc is criminal and in the long run detrimental to the Industry.
If he really wanted to fly the aircraft, having an NZ CPL he surely knew he had to get a CASA conversion first. Anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong on this.
So, I don't see that Nautilus had any option but to use him in ground roles, regardless of their need.
Clearly his thinking was influenced, as taking an aircraft without permission and flying it in such a way in such a location would mean he would be unlikely to ever get a conversion approved by CASA surely.
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,415
Likes: 431
From: Cab of a Freight Train
So very sad in my opinion. The Industry killed this young bloke. Promotion to another ground position would be heartbreaking for a CPL(H). We should be nurturing young pilots, training and encouraging them to a commercial standard. This business of screwing them down, paying for courses etc is criminal and in the long run detrimental to the Industry.
No licence = no flying job, but a least he was employed by an operator with whom he might have been able to get a flying gig when he did validate his CPL...
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 71
From: Wanaka, NZ
I wonder if the accident pilot had applied for a CASA licence? No written exams or flight test to do, just fill in the form. Nautilus advertised for ground crew back in March on a salary of $50K (and again on SEEK only 4 days ago) - the timing seems to fit that they hired this pilot in response to that vacancy. I suspect the back-story here might have something to do with what happened and that alcohol was the catalyst.
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 71
From: Wanaka, NZ
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 2,697
Likes: 71
From: Wanaka, NZ
You may be mistaken on this point. CASA are obligated to grant a licence on application from the holder of a NZ licence. I don't think there is a "fit and proper person" test for that process (although you do have to declare a criminal conviction on the form). But having nicked a helicopter and earned a criminal conviction for it it becomes a moot point whatever licence you might have as no employer will hire you to fly its helicopter. It took a bit of skill to fly that helicopter low level over water at night, and a lot of luck. His luck eventually ran out, assuming he had no intention to kamikaze into the building.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,818
Likes: 64
From: these mist covered mountains are a home now for me.
And now they’re investigating the need for increased airport security, and questioning why groundcrew require access to aircraft.
Somebody in power must surely realise that this is not 100% preventable.
I don’t think any operators are ready to pay more dollars for increased layers of defence.
How about a holographic ASIC with a photo, biometric data, and 24/7 Armed Security at all gate points?
Somebody in power must surely realise that this is not 100% preventable.
I don’t think any operators are ready to pay more dollars for increased layers of defence.
How about a holographic ASIC with a photo, biometric data, and 24/7 Armed Security at all gate points?