Start Your Journey

Becoming a pilot is an incredible journey, one that takes a lot of time, commitment, determination, money and skills. To me becoming a pilot has been the most rewarding experience and has taught me a lot about myself. Aviation teaches you life skills and exposes you to a variety of experiences.

Becoming a pilot and learning to fly is meant to be fun and if at any point it stops being fun and you lose sight of why you began this journey it’s important to reevaluate. If you don’t like your instructor, find a new one that fits your personality and learning style. Continue to push yourself to find where your true passion for flying lies. Never take for granted this journey you have begun as it is a privilege not a right. Embrace all aspects of becoming a pilot and expand your knowledge base by talking to new people, learning about aircraft maintenance and continue striving for more skills. Always remember to evaluate and praise yourself for taking a risk on yourself and embarking on this incredible journey. Be proud of where you are right now and don’t be in a hurry to get to the next thing. Progression is natural so smile and appreciate every moment of your journey.

The road ahead is going to have twists and turns in it and take you places you wouldn’t think you’d go, doing things you didn’t think you would do but take every opportunity that comes your way. No hour in the sky is ever wasted. Each opportunity can grow you, teach you and be valuable to you if you let it. Aviation is not a job, it’s a great adventure.

Although you will be surrounded by support and advise, your journey is yours and yours alone, you can not measure your progress on other peoples scales.

Enjoy the learning process and take every single opportunity that comes your way! 

Breathe. You got this girl! Don't be nervous. You have a trained instructor right next to you with controls.

​The very first time I was introduced to helicopter was when I was a teenager mustering on our family property. I just thought  to myself "WOW! t]That would be amazing to be up in the air like a bird, getting to see everything from above." Any opportunity to go up in a helicopter, I would jump at, I just absolutely loved it. Then, over time working with helicopters while I was on the ground mustering, made me more and more intrigued about the aviation industry. It was only just a dream, until I was a little older and I thought "I so can do this," so I started talking to some friends that were in the aviation industry and turned my dream into a goal... Off to Townsville Helicopters I went!

I spent 5 months with the team at Tsv Heli + Aviatrix team and it was a great time. I was given the opportunity to work with some exceptional pilots, who were able to teach me lifelong tools for the industry. I also made some lifetime friends with the team members and other students that were studying.

Friday afternoon helicopter wash time were some of my best memories made. Each Friday we would get all the R22 Helicopters out and wash them as a team, once they were all cleaned, dried, and put to bed, we would all sit down for a cold drink and talk about our week, what we learnt, anything funny that happened and just a good old chat session. 

I found the team at TSV very helpful with my study, as it had been quite a while since I had done full time study, I struggled with the theory side of things, but each instructor would take the time to talk me through the problem until I was able to fully understand it. I felt extremely welcome and apart of the Aviatrix and Tsv Heli team while training and even now 3 years later.

My interest in becoming a pilot started when I was still in school, but back then it didn’t seem achievable for a number of reasons including that in my generation ‘it wasn’t a suitable career for a women’. Once I was able to follow my dream, my training was fractured by COVID which added an extra layer of difficulty. When I arrived at Townsville Helicopters and into the Aviatrix community I felt very welcomed. The training at Tsv Heli was intense and I felt very behind the other students, as I had not been there from the start with them and built repour and also due to the long gap in between due to lock downs. All of the staff and students were supportive and helped me any way they could.

I am very proud to be an Aviatrix and advocate and support females, it's not something that I felt would be needed in this day and age but it makes an immense difference in such a male dominated industry. During my training, when I was struggling and just over it I knew I had the ‘girls’ there by my side to help, even if it was just a message from someone I had never met half way across the country.

I finished my licence in Townsville last June (2021) and I am currently doing private charter and ferry work around the NT. I am very fortunate to be able to work on a casual and short contract basis that allows me to still be involved in the outdoor education industry, travel Australia and fly at the same time. I am looking forward to increasing my skills and my goal is to become a flight instructor, so that I can help other women to follow what ever path they choose.

I always considered becoming a pilot as a teenager, life took me in other directions for a while working in the animal industry as a zookeeper and a vet nurse. I decided to take the opportunity to do my Commercial Helicopter License while I lived here in Townsville with the resource of Townsville Helicopters at my fingertips. I had a great time studying at Tsv Heli, I met many wonderful people who I will keep as friends for life and I felt so welcomed as an Aviatrix. I feel proud to be one of few women in the aviation industry, and I get super excited when meeting others! I really hope the number of women choosing to become apart of this community grows as I am really passionate about seeing the people around me succeeding.

During my time study with Tsv Heli & Aviatrix Australia I was able to enjoy a few early morning coffee catch ups and was privileged enough to be taken to an amazing International Women’s day lunch with the crew. I Loved a good afternoon heli wash with all my friends and believe that men or women regardless, all need to be there to cheer each other on.

I have recently started work for Nautilus Aviation as a Reservations/Ground crew/ Junior Pilot. I feel really lucky to have been offered a position only a few months after completing my license. It’s still early days but I’m really enjoying it so far.

I first got the urge to fly when I was in the Gulf of Carpentiera in the Northern Territory working at Lorella Springs Wilderness Park. There was one R44 offering scenic flights to the most remote, picturesque and magical places. The sound of the machine starting, taking off and flying over was music to my ears. Every time I heard it, my interest grew. I had several opportunities to go on these scenic flights as a passenger. I was also lucky enough that the pilot was very open to answering all of my helicopter related questions. That year I applied for my ARN and began researching different flight schools, where I ended up in Townsville a couple of years later. I loved training there, for a few reasons. It is Class C, so radio calls became second nature. The training grounds are beautiful and very diverse, and all types of weather occur in the area. 

Throughout my training at Townsville Helicopters, I got to know Aviatrix and what it was all about. To know that by completing my Commercial Pilot Licence, I was assisting in increasing the percentage of women in aviation. When I started, it was at 8%. Now it is at 9% and growing! Through Aviatrix, I have connected with other women in aviation. I love speaking with other axiatrix's, empowering them when the industry is tough, helping them through obstacles and hurdles along the way and praising them for their success - what more could you possibly want out of a community?! 

Since completing my Commercial Pilot Licence, I have had the opportunity to be an Operations Officer and Junior Pilot in the Pilbara and now a Line Pilot in the Whitsundays, Qld. It definitely isn't an easy industry to find full time and secure employment in, but at the end of the day it has all been worth it!