Helicopter Pilot/Station Hand

[KOALA]

Helicopter Pilot/Station Hand
Hancock Agriculture is a world-class agribusiness with 29 properties across Australia. It is one of the country’s largest producers of beef with a herd of 320,000 head.

We have two opportunities for experienced Helicopter Pilot/Station Hands to join our operations at Inverway and Riveren Stations in the Northern Territory.

Reporting to the Station Manager, your main responsibilities will include aerial stock mustering, checking of stock and facilities and flying company staff between properties. You will at all times adhere to regulatory requirements and the company’s safety and operational standards.

When not engaged in aerial operations, the successful applicant will be required to work as a Station Hand and assist with general day to day station activities including working with livestock.

Minimum Requirements:

CASA Commercial Pilot Licence Helicopter - CPL (H)
Aircraft class rating for Single-engine Helicopter (SEH)
R22 endorsement
Low-level rating with an Aerial Mustering endorsement
500 hours of aerial mustering experience
Current Class 1 medical certificate
Current Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC)
Valid and current Class C Motor Vehicle Drivers Licence or higher
Located in Australia with the legal right to work here.
Desirable Experience:

R44 endorsement
On-ground mustering and livestock handling skills
Heavy Vehicle licence
Experience riding motorbikes.

If you meet the minimum requirements, have an excellent attitude, work and safety history, and would like to enjoy the lifestyle of the Great Australian Outback, please email a cover letter and CV with referees to hr at hancockagriculture.com.au.

For further information, please contact Alex Michell on Zero438 112 746.

Please note: You must have the right to live and work in Australia to apply for these positions.

[Icefather]

Would love to do it. Just don’t have a mustering endorsement or a 22 rating. Until next time

[averagejoe]

If someone has a CPL and 500 hours mustering, surely they’re going to be wanting to fly for a commercial company, rather than be a ringer doing s#!t jobs when not flying. I thought avoiding the dust and flies was the reason most blokes from stations got their licence! They’d want to be paying well!!

[helip]

averagejoe, my thoughts exactly !

[Bedouin Prince]

If someone has a CPL and 500 hours mustering, surely they’re going to be wanting to fly for a commercial company, rather than be a ringer doing s#!t jobs when not flying. I thought avoiding the dust and flies was the reason most blokes from stations got their licence! They’d want to be paying well!!

500 hours mustering isn't all that much for a mustering pilot.
Sounds like a great job to me. Ten years ago this would have been right up my ally. The old body has a bit much mileage to handle ringer work these days but I used to love it. Also a well paid flying job in the city has its perks but I do remember my roots fondly. Like I said, these looks like a cool job.

[rex bivouac]

If someone has a CPL and 500 hours mustering, surely they’re going to be wanting to fly for a commercial company, rather than be a ringer doing s#!t jobs when not flying. I thought avoiding the dust and flies was the reason most blokes from stations got their licence! They’d want to be paying well!!

Maybe some guys like doing Stock work. Perfect to combine the both.

Its not all about sitting in a machine for 10 hours a day for some people.

[godfather007]

I’m an off set city man. That now relays on the City for pay.
Country people are some of the best I have met, worked and lived with.
Honest, humble and generous folk.
Pay is not the center of life for some humans.
Life experience and how you enjoy the ride is sometimes better than trying to keep up to the bank and the Jones next door. (Best car, best home etc..) Boom!! bankrupt is knocking on the door.
I think this job is a great opportunity for the right driver and experienced person, (girl or guy)
They will agree on the pay if it sounds fair.
Best to be positive, rather than expectant in this industry.
GF.

[hand in pants]

averagejoe, helip, don't want the job, don't apply.

Do you really need to slag it off because you're too good for it?

[averagejoe]

Apologies for coming across all Negative Nellie everyone, it will be a good job for someone and I shouldn’t have just attacked it on its own, I should have explained myself a bit better; these ads and jobs just seem to continue a trend across the Top End of the devaluing of aerial stockman from professional pilots to just another ringer that happens to have his/her licence, getting paid not much more than ringers wages. All this seems to do if the wrong guy is in the pilot seat is erode professionalism and good safe practices as they consider themselves a ringer and don’t have a robust framework of senior pilots around them knocking them on the head when they get too big for their boots or unknowingly pick up bad habits. As a result this just feeds the stereotype of cowboy, unsafe mustering pilots.
Don’t get me wrong, been plenty of these cowboys in the commercial companies as well, but I feel a company has a slightly better chance of developing and maintaining the habits and culture of a safe, professional pilot, particularly as mustering is a lot of pilots first job and they’re still learning these habits.