Helicopter Pilot

It took a near-fatal accident for Matt Hollingdale to realise that life’s too short not to follow your dreams.

The helicopter pilot used to work in the earth moving industry before a motorcycle accident almost claimed his life.

“I decided I was going to do everything I wanted to do after my accident. As soon as I got better I started to learn how to fly,” he says.
Hollingdale says he had always wanted to be a pilot but, believing it would be too difficult to get into, he never explored his options.
Thirteen years on he is one of four pilots working for the National Parks and Wildlife Service division of the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation.

The 42-year-old has been flying for the NPWS for two-and-a-half years, but prior to this posting he worked as a contractor for different operators around NSW for more than 10 years.

Hollingdale says his job with National Parks is varied; one day he could be lifting construction material into parklands to build walking tracks and the next he could be interstate and working on feral animal control projects or surveying endangered species.

He says the best part of his job is travelling and getting involved with the research crews on expeditions.

“A lot of the stuff we do is remote,” he says. “We have national parks at Broken Hill, Tibooburra and White Cliffs.

“With all of that work every year, we camp out because it’s too far back to town each night and it’s economically and logistically impossible.”

The role isn’t limited to acting as a taxi service for the ground crew. On his interstate jobs Hollingdale works alongside the team of people on the ground.
“I love going away, getting out of the city and having a look around.

I like the bush work so I do the bulk of the away stuff,” he says. “A lot of the staff we have love their job as well, so it’s great working with people who like doing what they are doing. It makes a real difference.”

Passing a medical and completing the requirements at flight school are all it takes to become a helicopter pilot, according to Hollingdale. However he points out the tuition fees can cost up to $40,000, so can learning to fly can work out to be an expensive exercise.

It is worth every cent if you end up with a job like his, Hollingdale says.

“I actually learnt to fly quite late-a lot later than most people which was actually an advantage initially,” he says. “I seemed to get on better with people, being a little bit older.”

Hollingdale learnt to fly at Bankstown airport and needed to complete a minimum 105 hours of instruction for a commercial licence followed up with theory lessons and an exam.

He says it was difficult going back to school aged 28, but the experience paid off because it means he’s no longer working as an excavator.

“That was a good job, too, but you didn’t get to see too many places on an excavator,” he laughs.

How to be…
a helicopter pilot
You will need practical and theoretical training from flight training schools, also available at a certificate- and diploma-level through TAFE. Details from Australian Federation of Air Pilots on (03) 9699 4200 or at http://www.afap.org.au/