Osborne Aviation Services is a Tasmanian and Victorian based company specialising in forestry, precision long line operations and powerline inspection.
We are accepting applications from pilots for power line inspection projects starting in February and March of 2023. Pilots may be assessed for ongoing positions within the company at the conclusion of the project.
Minimum requirements
1500hrs PIC
200hrs turbine
100hrs Bell 206/206L
Powerline inspection/Low Level Experience
Right to work in Australia
Interested pilots are requested to submit their resumes, including a detailed breakdown of flight hours by type and activity, to the chief pilot at admin@osborneaviation.com.
Powerline Pilots required
- OAS
- Silver Wings
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Apr 2013
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- Gold Wings
- Posts: 195
- Joined: May 2020
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Legitimate question: why are you using 206s when most power line operators are using MD500/530s or 520Ns where noise is a bigger issue?
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- Silver Wings
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Dec 2020
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Wannabe60Driver wrote:Legitimate question: why are you using 206s when most power line operators are using MD500/530s or 520Ns where noise is a bigger issue?
Probably cheap, 500's are pretty maintenance hungry. Still give me a woody though
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- Silver Wings
- Posts: 40
- Joined: May 2012
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Wannabe60Driver wrote:Legitimate question: why are you using 206s when most power line operators are using MD500/530s or 520Ns where noise is a bigger issue?
I agree with Cupid, but there is also a bit of a difference between doing patrols and inspections on transmission lines that can be fairly intense which not many operators do, and doing patrols on distribution lines that a lot more operators conduct which a 206L is very capable of

- Jabberwocky
- 2nd Dan
- Posts: 498
- Joined: Dec 2007
Re: Powerline Pilots required
New technologies allow the camera to do the work instead of the helicopter. As a result, you don't have to fly every line and you can fly from a greater height above the ground. Add in what Cupid said around maintenance and a 206 is also much easier to wheel in to a shed at the end of the day (or at least find space to do so). Drones are also being utilised in those areas around urban fringes where you are more likely to get complaints.
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- Silver Wings
- Posts: 40
- Joined: May 2012
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Jabberwocky wrote:New technologies allow the camera to do the work instead of the helicopter. As a result, you don't have to fly every line and you can fly from a greater height above the ground. Add in what Cupid said around maintenance and a 206 is also much easier to wheel in to a shed at the end of the day (or at least find space to do so). Drones are also being utilised in those areas around urban fringes where you are more likely to get complaints.
Again I don’t disagree with anything you said, but….. flying higher even with new tech cameras does not give the same level of detail, just one example is it won’t show you the missing split pins that should be in the nuts. But everything has its place, it’s a case of the right tool for each job

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- 2nd Dan
- Posts: 410
- Joined: Jun 2006
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Or, perhaps, the program in question does not require the need for inspection of missing split pins.
In regards to new high tech cameras, have you seen the gear the Police or even Firebird Intel machines use these days?
Not every contract is the same.
Could you elaborate on what you would use, DSLR?
In regards to new high tech cameras, have you seen the gear the Police or even Firebird Intel machines use these days?
Not every contract is the same.
Could you elaborate on what you would use, DSLR?
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- Silver Wings
- Posts: 40
- Joined: May 2012
Re: Powerline Pilots required
NZHelo wrote:Or, perhaps, the program in question does not require the need for inspection of missing split pins.
In regards to new high tech cameras, have you seen the gear the Police or even Firebird Intel machines use these days?
Not every contract is the same.
Could you elaborate on what you would use, DSLR?
Exactly, each job, client requirements, type of work and equipment required is all different, including same job but for different clients wants/needs and they way they want the job done is different.
Ive spent some time with the cameras 6/7 years ago that the police/fire use and it was amazing what they could do back then, I can only imagine as tech and software evolves what they are capable of these days.
As for image capture Ive seen everything from DSLR thats connected to tablets with custom mapping software to DSLR's that that need to be uploaded at the end of each day using laptops and excel spread sheets to paper maps of the lines and notes taken on notepads. It all depends on the client and the specific things they want to achieve. But a good set of image stabilising binoculars is a very handy tool, just watch out for people using them that is not use to them in an AC

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- 1st Dan
- Posts: 255
- Joined: Mar 2006
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Wannabe60Driver wrote:Legitimate question: why are you using 206s when most power line operators are using MD500/530s or 520Ns where noise is a bigger issue?
Um, what is "most power line operators"? unless things have changed recently almost every inch of power line in SA must be inspected every year prior to fire season and a very large percentage of it is done with Jetrangers. Aside from Aeropower who else uses MD machines commercially in Aus?
The voices in my head are debating the lyrics to "Hotel California"
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- Gold Wings
- Posts: 195
- Joined: May 2020
Re: Powerline Pilots required
helicopspeeder wrote:Wannabe60Driver wrote:Legitimate question: why are you using 206s when most power line operators are using MD500/530s or 520Ns where noise is a bigger issue?
Um, what is "most power line operators"? unless things have changed recently almost every inch of power line in SA must be inspected every year prior to fire season and a very large percentage of it is done with Jetrangers. Aside from Aeropower who else uses MD machines commercially in Aus?
Other than Aeropower I’d only seen Hawcs in action and assumed much of the Aussie industry used MDs like the Yanks do for the up close work like pressure washing and carrying linemen?
Genuinely interested in hearing why any operators aren’t using MD for power line work.
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- Silver Wings
- Posts: 64
- Joined: Dec 2020
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Jetty is nice and stable and predictable, even if it's not so good out of wind as the 5 million. Squirrel would be awesome but too expensive to run for the most part compared to the MD and the Jet Danger. That said getting away from the population centres there are some being operated. There are many more operators doing this kind of work around the country than those mentioned.
I'd walk past everything else in my logbook for a squirrel any day, the Swiss army knife of helicopters, B2 and above especially.
I'd walk past everything else in my logbook for a squirrel any day, the Swiss army knife of helicopters, B2 and above especially.
- aaron
- 1st Dan
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Feb 2010
Re: Powerline Pilots required
Some operators are even using twins, like; BO105 and EC135.
But a lot are still using the jet box and longie and some 500,s
But a lot are still using the jet box and longie and some 500,s
- Twistgrip
- 4th Dan
- Posts: 1163
- Joined: Sep 2006
Re: Powerline Pilots required
In a former life I did powerline survey for around 10 years starting in the early 2000’s. We used the Jetty for most operations except washing and live line. I introduced the clients to the B2 Squirrel mid 2000’s and they loved it (so did I !) such a great platform and a bit more grunt was nice at higher DA’s.
Back in the 90’s the electricity commission of NSW had their own A109c flown by the legendary Chick (Charles) Barron.
But I’ve been out of that side of the industry for awhile and as mentioned above clients have moved onto other machines like the 135 in certain applications.
Back in the 90’s the electricity commission of NSW had their own A109c flown by the legendary Chick (Charles) Barron.
But I’ve been out of that side of the industry for awhile and as mentioned above clients have moved onto other machines like the 135 in certain applications.
"You can watch things happen, you can make things happen or you can wonder what happened"
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