Above: VH-DGL and a circular rainbow
Melbourne Heli delivers for Aberfeldie Primary School
Aberfeldie Primary School celebrated their 100 year anniversary on 17 September. Luckily for the school, two of their students were able to ask their dad – who just happens to be our Chief Instructor – if he could help get this awesome photo.
ASRC Auction and AWELC Winter Warmer raffle
Congratulations to the winners of the respective Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and Airport West Early Learning Cooperative auctions who successfully bid for helicopter flights with us. Melbourne Heli is proud to support both organisations and look forward to meeting and flying with the winners.
Student News
A huge congratulations to Felix on passing his PPL-H. Earning your licence is a massive achievement and opens the door to a whole new world of flying adventures ahead. Congratulations from the whole team at Melbourne Heli!
Above: A happy Felix during an earlier solo flight.
A big congratulations to Angus and Dylan who both flew solo down at Moorabbin for the first time. Every pilot remembers their first time in the air alone, and it’s an exciting milestone and right of passage for all of us.
Above: Thumbs up from Angus after his first solo flight.
Below: And a thumbs up from Dylan after his first solo.
Staff and Graduate News
Melbourne Heli was lucky to have Tyler along recently, who completed a week of work experience with us after an initial rescheduling of dates. Tyler’s aviation pedigree and enthusiasm was evident to the team here, and he eagerly took on a range of tasks, from customer service and reception duties to role playing as a passenger for one of our commercial students. He also joined two training flights during the week and showed great progress — by the end of the second, he was already hovering quite well! From everyone here at Melbourne Heli, thanks Tyler for all of your hard work.
CASR Part 133 Plain English Guide
For those pilots who haven’t seen it, CASA have released a plain English guide to better understand the Part 133 regulations that apply to Australian air transport operations for helicopters. It contains exemptions, relevant guidance and advisory material. You can find it here.
Wire Strike Awareness
Wire strikes continue to pose a serious hazard to helicopter operations. Over a ten-year period, investigators identified 180 wire-strike events, and in many of these the line was already known to the pilot beforehand. While the statistics often reference specific industries, the lessons are broadly applicable to all helicopter pilots flying low-level operations.
One striking insight is that in a majority of wire-strike events, the pilot was aware of the wire’s general location before impact, yet the strike still occurred. This shows that awareness alone is not enough — distraction, changes in plan, or complacency can erode safety margins. The risk also rises significantly when pilots alter their flight plan from what was originally briefed or expected, making it easier to misjudge or overlook known hazards.
The most effective defence is disciplined planning and preparation. That means thorough route study, reconnaissance where possible, and entering every flight with a clear plan for obstacle management. If changes are needed en route, pilots must consciously pause to reassess the environment for new hazards rather than relying on memory or assumption.
Equally important is the need to manage distraction and maintain a deliberate scanning technique for wires and obstacles. Fatigue, pressure to complete a task, or the belief that “I’ll see it in time” can all weaken defences. In many cases, the safest option is to delay, divert, or abort if conditions no longer allow for safe obstacle clearance.
There are many excellent resources out there for pilots, and we encourage everyone to take the issue of wire awareness and avoidance seriously. If you’re seeking to engage in low level work amongst the wire environment, please talk to our instructional team about how we can help you fly safer.
Summer is Coming
With the warmer weather already starting to make an appearance, we’d like to remind pilots about the importance of hydrating and being fit and able to operate an aircraft in whatever climate you intend to fly. Without the benefit of air conditioning in some aircraft, staying cool and comfortable is an important part of our safety obligations.
A good pair of non-polarised sunglasses, and comfortable lightly coloured and loosely fitting clothing will aid you in managing the heat. Remember also that iPads and other electronics are more susceptible to overheating in summer, and pilots need to ensure they have planned redundant systems in the event of an EFB failure for whatever reason.
The warmer weather also highlights the importance of accurate density altitude calculations, as air density changes with altitude above mean sea level, so too it changes with temperature – hot air is less dense than cool air which reduces aircraft performance. Ensure you correctly calculate density altitude by correcting the take off or landing area elevation for pressure altitude and outside air temperature. In many cases, helicopter performance charts provide this information, but if you’re unsure be sure to speak with one of our instructors for assistance.
Are helicopters harder to fly than aeroplanes?
This is a question that’s often asked by passengers or prospective students. Flying a helicopter is often considered more challenging than flying an aeroplane — and for good reason. While fixed-wing pilots can rely on stability once airborne, helicopter pilots are constantly balancing a delicate dance of controls, with each input affecting several others. Managing the collective, cyclic, and anti-torque pedals simultaneously takes coordination that can feel like patting your head, rubbing your stomach, and juggling — all while balancing on a beach ball.
Aeroplanes, on the other hand, are comparatively forgiving. Once you’re trimmed and cruising, you could almost take your hands off the controls and enjoy the view.
As we like to joke with our fixed-wing friends: wings are for fairies, and…
Fly safe!