Pilots
The pilot's primary responsibility is to ensure the medical team can reach the patient safely and quickly. This often involves the navigation of diverse terrain and keeping the helicopter steady when patients are winched from areas where the helicopter is unable to land.
Snowy Hydro SouthCare has 4 full-time pilots:
- Captain Andy Dixon
- Captain Brad Hanley
- Captain Simon Lovell
- Captain Craig Thomas (Base Manager)
Pilot Profile: Simon Lovell
Have you always been a pilot?
I started flying from an early age, but I had a break in my aviation career for six years after leaving the Air Force to work in research at the University of NSW. I've been with Snowy Hydro SouthCare since its beginning in 1998.
What was the beginning of the service like?
Initially the mission tasking rate was low. But after the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race we got a lot of positive publicity. It was the first operational winch that the paramedics had done - a baptism of fire for them considering they had only done their water training at Lake Burley Griffin. We were based out at the airport for a couple of years in demountable huts with the aircraft outside which at times was a real pain. In winter, frost would form over the helicopter and you couldn't fly with the blades iced up, so you had to put these cumbersome covers over the rotor blades.
What do you have to think about when you fly into a mission?
Even though there might be someone in a critical condition, it doesn't mean that you take unnecessary risks to get the job done. The whole idea is to be able to do these operations within certain safety parameters. You have crews with families and safety is paramount.
What do you like most about your job?
I like flying - it is different. I like the fact that it's not a desk job and I like being able to use my skills in a job which has a community aspect to it. There is a significant purpose to the job which is quite satisfying. You do see people who are in quite dire situations. It might be a car accident where someone was driving along minding their own business and someone else hit them. It shows you how much luck has to do with life sometimes. You really appreciate your own circumstances. I also like landing at schools for school visits, talking to the kids and seeing their interest in the service.
What do you like least about your job?
Getting up in the middle of the night and leaving a warm bed, especially in winter. It is also difficult to balance shift work with a family and a social life. Aviation is not the most family-friendly of industries and this job is as family-friendly as it gets. I purposely sought this type of work to facilitate a bit of a family life.
What is it like to fly a helicopter?
It is completely hands on. You're often flying at low level so you get to see the countryside at close quarters. It is a totally different kind of flying to that in the airline industry and requires a high level of coordination. Also, it is loads of fun.
