About
Proudly sponsored by

Aircrewmen

The aircrewman is responsible for operating the winch in rescue situations and assisting the pilot with navigation and communications while the helicopter is operational. He is also responsible for the safety of any passengers on board the aircraft and securing the aircraft and equipment.

Snowy Hydro SouthCare has three full-time aircrewmen: 

  • Steve Akers
  • Brad Nagy
  • Tommy Willison

 

 

 

AIRCREWMAN PROFILE: GLENN COLUMBINE

How long have you been an aircrewman for?

I joined the Army in 1995 and started flying on Blackhawks in 1999 at 5 aviation Regt.  In that time I served overseas in East Timor and instructed aircrew on Blackhawk and Iroquios helicopters at the Army Aviation Training Centre in Oakey Qld. I completed an exchange program to the UK Army flying on Lynx helicopters in 2006 as well as filling casual roles as an aircrewman in Adelaide for CHC Helicopters. In 2007 I left the Army to join Snowy Hydro Southcare as a fulltime aircrewman.

What is your role with Snowy Hydro SouthCare?

My role at Snowy Hydro SouthCare Southcare has a fairly wide scope, but my primary responsibility is to work with the pilot to safely deliver expert medical services via the winch to persons in distress who are often in very dangerous situations. It requires very high crew coordination skills between all four members of the crew (2 flight crew/ 2 medical crew) to conduct this task safely in a environment that often is not.

What do you like about your job?

I enjoy the unstructured nature of EMS work where you never really know what you might be doing when you get to work on a given day. There are many days where you are not required to do tasks that are very demanding, but as is the nature of EMS work there is always the thought in the back of the mind that you need to be prepared for the difficult tasks. Some people may not feel comfortable with this playing on their minds, but for those that do its a very interesting and rewarding job. In addition to the challenges that being an EMS aircrewman provides the greatest rewards are knowing that you have made a difference to someones life and are contributing positively to the community.