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ON THE GROUND: Captain Aaron Hillier with the Becker Helicopter's first chopper to be based in Whyalla, a Bell 206 Jet Ranger.
Captain Aaron Hillier had just finished strapping himself in to the Bell 206 Jet Ranger chopper when he paused for moment, looked out through the windscreen and whispered … "have a look at that blue".
The ‘blue’ Aaron was so impressed with was the sky surrounding the Whyalla airport on a frosty winter’s morning. It’s a blue that stretches out for miles and represents the clear airspace around the Eyre Peninsula city that is soon to become the permanent home for Becker Helicopters.
Aaron was in the process of taking up a representative from the City of Whyalla for a bird’s-eye look around the city and the first thing he wanted to talk about was the ‘blue’ and what it means for Becker as it shifts its operation from the Sunshine Coast.
It means signficiant clear air space for the company that specialises in helicopter pilot training for students from throughout the world. It also opens up a range of opportunities for a company that also diversifies into industrial work, mine fly-overs, agricultural work, scenic flights, surveying and even helping out with the local fire-fighting authorities.
FROM THE SKY: The Whyalla skyline taken from the Becker Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter
After months of negotiations with the City of Whyalla and the South Australian Government, company owners and directors Mike and Jan Becker saw enough in the benefits of the ‘blue’, a motivated city, council and state government to make the big decision to move in January this year.
The company was feeling the squeeze on the Sunshine Coast with a new runway for the big jets at the Maroochydore Airport and the increasing competition for airspace.
The ‘blue’ looking out to the south, west and northwest of Whyalla is perfect for Becker as it trains up to 50 students each year from around the world.
Aaron is the first pilot on the ground for the company as he lays the foundations for its permanent move and he gets genuinely excited at the thought of taking students up from the Whyalla airport.
"Whyalla has everything we need, there’s not many other aircraft, everyone wants us here, the weather is generally good and with this airspace we can provide really good training here," Aaron said.
"In Whyalla we can get away from the runway much faster (than the Sunshine Coast) to get talking and training the students … it’s going to be a much-better product in Whyalla."
Along with the 50 students embarking on the 10-month training course, with up to another 50 spending six months learning English, Becker will eventually have nearly 80 staff on the ground and in the air in Whyalla.
Hoping to be fully operational in 12 to 24 months, Becker will have up to 35 pilot instructors, 20 engineering staff, four key staff (including Mike and Jan Becker), four operational ground staff, three simulator engineers and 12 administration staff to service its fleet of 17 helicopters and one fixed-wing aircraft. Each instructor has two students with many of those students coming complete with their families which all adds up to a welcome population influx for the city of Whyalla.
Becker trains pilots for state allied military forces in Middle East, USA and Australia with other domestic clients including the RACQ, KBR and Police Wing and local organisations like the Country Fire Service and government departments.
"I’m the first pilot to move down here and I feel pretty privileged," Aaron said.
"We’ll be bringing a large amount of people into Whyalla to work and learn and they are all going to need accommodation.
"For those people with us that can’t come down, we’re going to need staff here and hopefully as many of them as possible can be local people."
Over the past five years Becker has clocked up more than 30,000 hours of flight training, 4000 of this at night and 8000 in the simulator. This adds up to about 200 sorties a week and up to 10-hours a day flying for each helicopter.
GREAT DAY: Captain Jan Becker, Whyalla Mayor Lyn Breuer and Captain Mike Becker on the day the company's move to Whyalla was announced.
Added to this load, Becker will be looking to continue the services it provided on the Sunshine Coast such as charter work, VIP transport, fast freight, exploration, survey work, agricultural services and scenic flights which the company is already keen to do with Aaron ready to go as the first pilot in Whyalla.
It is a side of the business that Aaron is particularly fond of. Making the move from the Sunshine Coast with wife Sheree and then two-month-old baby Chloe, the Hilliers had no hesitation in putting their hand up to be the advance party for Becker in Whyalla.
Just like his love for the ‘blue’, Aaron gets a glint in his eye when he starts talking about the scenic, tourism side of the business.
He can already envisage sunrise and sunset flights around the Eyre Peninsula with custom-made adventures where people are flown out from Whyalla to a remote site for a picnic and then flow back home.
"We’re going to be a Whyalla company … everything new comes here and we’re pretty excited about that."
The company’s range is anywhere from Broken Hill to Woomera, the head of the Great Australian Bight, Kangaroo Island, Adelaide and out to sea. Aaron personally flew the Bell 206 from the Sunshine Coast to Whyalla with just three fuel stops in a trip he admitted tested out the core muscles in his back.
"Training is a big part of what we do but we’re also heavily involved in commercial work and tourism flights," Aaron said.
"That’s part of the reason I’m here now with my boots on the ground with a helicopter … we’re ready to turn blades.
"Mike and Jan have basically given me the keys and told me to blaze a trail.
"We’re ready to start work and we want to get involved in Whyalla and see what we can offer the city and help bring people here with tourism packages.
"We’re also keen to explore how we can help local industries like the mines with flyovers as well as getting involved with government departments, rescue services and agricultural activities."
Currently operating out of the only hangar at the Whyalla Airport with a single office, Becker will eventually build its own facility at the airport. It is expecting to add to its three-passenger Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter with a twin-engine Bell 427, capable of carrying seven passengers, in September.
The company will be completing its current training contracts on the Sunshine Coast with all new business expected to be signed-up to start in Whyalla. It is also currently in talks with the Council, State Government, TAFE and UniSA about utilising learning facilities in Whyalla.
"We’re here, we’re looking to get involved in the community, putting the building blocks in place and laying the future for the Becker Helicopter operation in Whyalla," Aaron said.
"We’re going to be a Whyalla company … everything new comes here and we’re pretty excited about that."
MORE STORIES ON BECKER HELICOPTERS
http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=730&c=55354
http://www.whyalla.sa.gov.au/page.aspx?u=730&c=55280
TAKING OFF: The Becker Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter at the Whyalla airport.