Flying high times for Fortescue
Host: Fortescue Helicopters
Written by Weldon Percy – Owner & Chief Pilot, Fortescue Helicopters.
G’day and welcome back to Fortescue Helicopters week for hosting Central Station. 2016 has been a challenging and rewarding year for us and our team and we will share more with you throughout our posts this week.
The Pilbara and north west of WA has been subjected to some very unseasonal weather patterns this year with some of our customers having close to their best rainfall on record and yet others only a few kilometres away having their driest season in 20 years. We wish all whom are faced with tough environmental conditions across the industry luck that the season will break soon for them.
Photo By: Izo Photography.
The biggest change this year for Fortescue has been Lisa Jeffery, my much better (looking and otherwise) half, taking on the role of full time office/hangar manager. Having her taking the phone calls and keeping things rolling while I’m working away has been an exceptional assistance to keeping the business working smoothly.
On the 11th of June this year Lisa also agreed to marry me, so I’m very proud to announce in addition to joining forces with me in the day to day operations of the business, she is also now my fiancé. You will hear more from Lisa later this week.
Celebrating the exciting news.
We have a new operating base at Juna Downs Station. Lisa and I have moved to the Juna Downs homestead which is located about 150km North West of Newman and is owned by Rio Tinto. Juna is arguably the most geographically central station in the Pilbara region which suits having our mustering operations based from there perfectly.
We also have a new company mascot, Rufus. A Staffy x Ridgeback pup with more character than a Disney movie. Rufus can often be found eating . . . or looking for food.
Rufus.
As we are often reminded, Aviation and Aerial Mustering safety is paramount in its importance for the well-being of our staff and families, and for the future prosperity of our great industry. The aerial mustering industry has in the past lacked unity in approaching safety to ensure we reduce each other’s accident rate. In February, one of our corporate clients raised the idea of forming an Australia wide Aerial Mustering Safety Committee . . . I’ll speak to this more in our posts this week.
In July, I was honoured to be selected as the WA State Finalist for the Cattle Council of Australia’s Rising Champions Initiative. This entailed a trip to Canberra to learn more about the corporate and political aspects of the Beef Industry.
Weldon with the other finalists.
Be sure to check in again on Central Station later this week for more stories from Fortescue Helicopters.
Photo By: Izo Photography