Hi Guys,
It's probably been asked a million times before,
What are the best ways to go about getting hours/certifications towards being a Crewman?
What are the best certifications to do?
What are reputable schools to gain these through?
How does a young person go about getting experience?
I am looking anywhere from Newcastle to Sydney but I am willing to travel wherever I need to.
Any help would be great,
Cheers
Tips to becoming a Crewie
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- New Member
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- 2nd Dan
- Posts: 324
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
I don't personally know any of the crews in those areas, but I would bet that if you made an appointment & asked to discuss the career path with any of them they would be more than willing to help. We're all aviators after all, my brothers keeper.
They are the people who are doing the hiring so their recommended training path is what will give you the best chance at getting a start.
They are the people who are doing the hiring so their recommended training path is what will give you the best chance at getting a start.
"Plan twice...Fly once"
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- Gold Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Heliduck wrote:I don't personally know any of the crews in those areas, but I would bet that if you made an appointment & asked to discuss the career path with any of them they would be more than willing to help. We're all aviators after all, my brothers keeper.
They are the people who are doing the hiring so their recommended training path is what will give you the best chance at getting a start.
This.
When I first started I really wanted a job with CHC (as they had most of the presence in Victoria, where I’m from. So I went online and found a job ad for CHC, and proceeded to tick off their prerequisites one by one. I figured If I met all the hiring prereq’s that’d be a good place to start. Similar to what ‘duck is saying above, go down the pathway that ends where you want to be.
Good luck.
Edit, if you search through my post history you might find some of the earlier threads I made here, it worked for me.
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- Silver Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Hi Jenpen
I live and work as a crewie in the area your looking at, PM me and I can help
Regards
I live and work as a crewie in the area your looking at, PM me and I can help
Regards
- havick
- 4th Dan
- Posts: 1300
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Jenpen wrote:Hi Guys,
It's probably been asked a million times before,
What are the best ways to go about getting hours/certifications towards being a Crewman?
What are the best certifications to do?
What are reputable schools to gain these through?
How does a young person go about getting experience?
I am looking anywhere from Newcastle to Sydney but I am willing to travel wherever I need to.
Any help would be great,
Cheers
The majority of crewies are ex army/navy. There are some avenues in the civilian sector to start from scratch but they are very limited and getting more scarce as there is a steady supply of military guys that are walk up starters.
It’s very competitive in the civilian world for crewies almost if not just as competitive for the pilot jobs.
That being said there have been guys that went through CHC, DEPI or DELWP in Vic whatever they call themselves now, parks nsw that have led successful careers.
"You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel."
- sam 34
- Silver Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
I would recommend surf lifesaving, & doing triathlons as the fitness test is a bit full on if your not 100% fit. Then as much training/ certification as you can get
Huet
Aircraft radio licence
Marine radio licence
CASA medical
Bronze medallion
Advanced Resuscitation & other medical training
Fly in the wire training
Swift water rescue training
CPL theory subjects & tests
CRM
ASIC
DG
& maybe if you have the cash, do the aircrew training available, although $15k+ is expensive
Huet
Aircraft radio licence
Marine radio licence
CASA medical
Bronze medallion
Advanced Resuscitation & other medical training
Fly in the wire training
Swift water rescue training
CPL theory subjects & tests
CRM
ASIC
DG
& maybe if you have the cash, do the aircrew training available, although $15k+ is expensive
- Leethallee
- Gold Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
All asumptions have been on the EMS side of crewing. Theres good coin in the lifting side for the right people.
Judge your success by what you have had to give up to get it.
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- Gold Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Leethallee wrote:All asumptions have been on the EMS side of crewing. Theres good coin in the lifting side for the right people.
Would love to know of an operator between Newcastle and Sydney that would hire a non-ex-mil loadmaster for lift work? I’ve never even heard of an Australian based company that hires an aircrewman that doesn’t operate a hoist, there’s work as a ground based rigger, maybe with a helicopter company, an operator that requires the crewman to remain on board the aircraft during that lift operation as an essential personnel would be few and far between.
The EMS guys have been the ones that have responded so far and that’s certainly where the majority of the civvy crewies work, but maybe you’re right and we’ve all misinterpreted the request.
Always learning
- FerrariFlyer
- 4th Dan
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Sam34 gave some very good advice. Spot on.
Work towards all the basic qualifications and you stand a good chance of a start. The CPL subjects probably isn’t all that necessary and it would be expensive to achieve however it does show a high level of motivation to gain a thorough understanding of helicopters and their basic operating principles.
I got a start many years ago with the old HeliAust (worked with Leehalllee there) working on fires before also working casually on the National Parks and Wildlife Services helicopters. After a short hiatus I gained a full time gig on the Coastwatch program on Horn Island which was a very good crewmans job. The point to this is having to move around and being patient. Persistence is also a great virtue to have.
You may very well have to consider moving beyond your local area for work else you’ll likely be limiting yourself to some great opportunities. CHC and other organisations have rescue crewman/down the wire positions and progress people through to aircrewman after a few years. There is a base at Williamtown but I think every man and his dog would be after a spot there.
Not sure if the local Newcastle Westpac Lifesaver still take rescue crewman however it had traditionally been a very competitive place to get a start. The traditional EMS aircrewman roll has also evolved quite a bit over the years and is not a place for someone without a good foundation of experience.
Work hard, be persistent, network all the time and be persistent.
Work towards all the basic qualifications and you stand a good chance of a start. The CPL subjects probably isn’t all that necessary and it would be expensive to achieve however it does show a high level of motivation to gain a thorough understanding of helicopters and their basic operating principles.
I got a start many years ago with the old HeliAust (worked with Leehalllee there) working on fires before also working casually on the National Parks and Wildlife Services helicopters. After a short hiatus I gained a full time gig on the Coastwatch program on Horn Island which was a very good crewmans job. The point to this is having to move around and being patient. Persistence is also a great virtue to have.
You may very well have to consider moving beyond your local area for work else you’ll likely be limiting yourself to some great opportunities. CHC and other organisations have rescue crewman/down the wire positions and progress people through to aircrewman after a few years. There is a base at Williamtown but I think every man and his dog would be after a spot there.
Not sure if the local Newcastle Westpac Lifesaver still take rescue crewman however it had traditionally been a very competitive place to get a start. The traditional EMS aircrewman roll has also evolved quite a bit over the years and is not a place for someone without a good foundation of experience.
Work hard, be persistent, network all the time and be persistent.
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
Hi Jenpen,
Not much to add to the other comments, they pictured the environment quite well. If you're after training and qualifications as Rescue Crewman or Aircrewman, go there: www.acetrainingcente.com.au . You won't find better in Australia.
Not much to add to the other comments, they pictured the environment quite well. If you're after training and qualifications as Rescue Crewman or Aircrewman, go there: www.acetrainingcente.com.au . You won't find better in Australia.
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- Gold Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
CLY wrote: If you're after training and qualifications as Rescue Crewman or Aircrewman, go there: http://www.acetrainingcente.com.au . You won't find better in Australia.
Pretty big call considering the paint is still wet....
- FerrariFlyer
- 4th Dan
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- Joined: Aug 2006
Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
The correct link for the website is:
http://www.acetrainingcentre.com.au/about-us/
Some might say it’s a hefty claim as regards the ‘won’t find better in Australia’ statement however a review of the facilities and staff behind the training would go a long way to assuring anyone training there that it’s all to a very high standard. There is a lot of experience being drawn upon in the line up with a hefty mix of military and civilian exposure. Great to see a solid investment in training.
http://www.acetrainingcentre.com.au/about-us/
Some might say it’s a hefty claim as regards the ‘won’t find better in Australia’ statement however a review of the facilities and staff behind the training would go a long way to assuring anyone training there that it’s all to a very high standard. There is a lot of experience being drawn upon in the line up with a hefty mix of military and civilian exposure. Great to see a solid investment in training.
- havick
- 4th Dan
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- Joined: Jun 2007
Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
robaussie99 wrote:CLY wrote: If you're after training and qualifications as Rescue Crewman or Aircrewman, go there: http://www.acetrainingcente.com.au . You won't find better in Australia.
Pretty big call considering the paint is still wet....
In their defense they put their money where their mouth is and stumped up for a nice facility and have good instructors where no other company has to date.
"You'll have to speak up, I'm wearing a towel."
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- Gold Wings
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Re: Tips to becoming a Crewie
havick wrote:robaussie99 wrote:CLY wrote: If you're after training and qualifications as Rescue Crewman or Aircrewman, go there: http://www.acetrainingcente.com.au . You won't find better in Australia.
Pretty big call considering the paint is still wet....
In their defense they put their money where their mouth is and stumped up for a nice facility and have good instructors where no other company has to date.
100% agree to both comments, all signs point to it being excellent, no doubt some of the most qualified instructors in the country, working in by far the best facility in the country, I just wouldn’t sign up with my personal credit card to be be the first guy through and guinea pig the program like the OP is asking about. Give it some time and we’ll no doubt have a very different conversation.
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