Page 26 - AA 2018_09

Inside corporate flying

PINSTRIPE
KIRSTY FERGUSON
A candid interview with Navair pilot Rhys McClintock

very pilot aspires to an airline Didn’t I read that you had make the most of their time and
role – right? Maybe, or…maybe helicopters as well? to improve the business somehow.
it is simply that they have not That’s in our hangar but not on
Eexplored different career options our AOC, we can use it to link up How did you get into GA? Did it just happen
or have been put off by widespread other services. or did you say I want to stay in GA?
industry chatter that seems to I didn’t really know where I wanted to
disregard anything other than big jet What do you like most about your Chief go at first.
RPT operations. I put it to you that Pilot role? I knew I wanted to fly, but I didn’t
the big jets are not for everyone or It’s good being your own boss, that’s know what avenue to go down, or even
indeed RPT is not for everyone. I have for sure. It’s also nice to be able to that there was a corporate aviation side
even been known to advise some of shape the way your pilots are flying of flying when I first started. It wasn’t
my candidates that the airline culture and to set the level of professionalism until I had been in my first flying job
might not suit them. in the operation. a little while, (flying skydivers) that I
Perhaps you have had a go at an was exposed to corporate flying; I got
airline career and it just didn’t happen, How many pilots do you have in the stable a little bit involved in that world and
for whatever reason. Well, one of at the moment? chose to stay.
those reasons might be that you are We have three pilots at the moment,
more suited to another style of flying and we use contract or casual pilots Everyone focuses on airline careers, what
career. Indeed some pilots prefer an a fair bit. We are lucky that we have are the benefits of this type of flying or
environment where they can use a pretty common aircraft types, so we career that aspiring pilots might not be
broad range of their skills, participate can grab casual type rated pilots aware of?
in other areas of the business and relatively easily. There are lots of benefits. The variety
become a pivotal part of a small to in the flying is something that you
medium operation. There is no right Is part of your role as Chief Pilot to put new don’t get with airlines. We could
or wrong here, more so a question, systems in and build the operation? literally have a call say – right now,
could corporate or general aviation Well, I make up most of the flight and you are heading off to a place
flying be a better fit? operations team so it’s down to me to that you have never been to before.
Someone who might shed some seek new aircraft types and actively You start a flightplan and from there
light on this is Rhys McClintock, the push the business further. I write all its up to you to a) work out if you can
chief pilot at Navair Jet Services. By the manuals myself, and we have a go there; and b) what to do when you
aviation standards, Rhys is pretty couple of new types we are working on get there.
young to hold this position and I took at the moment; so I am writing those You just don’t know what’s around
the opportunity to ask him how he currently. the corner which is really exciting for
came to this role, what the benefits of some people. At the same time, some
GA are and what he is doing to give What made you decide to take on this role? people could not deal with that. So it
corporate flying a bit of a makeover in Once you get into corporate flying, has to suit your personality.
the eyes of his flightdeck colleagues. management is just one of the ways
you can go. You can also decide What are a couple of exciting places you
What does your role at Navair consist of? to simply be a pilot if you prefer. have flown to?
My title is chief pilot and that is my Management was something I decided We spent last week out at Uluru
key role, there is also marketing, well, I wanted to do, so I just went for it and and Alice Springs. That was a really
actually what I do is really varied made it happen, I set specific goals. interesting place to hang out for three
and depends on how much flying is days – bushwalking and rock climbing.
booked for that week. Do you divvy up some of the projects to
other pilots in the team or do you just keep So if your clients are doing it you
How many flying hours are we usually them flying? are doing it?
talking? You have to delegate as in any They take us to these places and pay
A slow week means no flying at all, business. You cannot do everything for us to be there, so yep!
‘I knew I and a full-on week I will be maxed yourself, or you end up not flying Do you do any international flying or is it
at all. I just pick who is good at a
out with charters and might fly six
wanted to fly, days straight. It is really flexible and particular task, so if someone can mainly just within Australia?
changes throughout the year. Busy
write really well I will get them to do
We are approved to go overseas but
but I didn’t periods are over holidays, and slow the proofreading on manual sections, we haven’t done any yet. Our aircraft
or if someone is really personable
periods over EOFY as businesses are
aren’t really big enough. We can
know what all concentrating on other stuff. and great with clients, you send do NZ in the King Air, but we just
them flying.
haven’t had the request to do it. It’s in
avenue to go Do you fly more than one pilots is that they don’t just want to the business plan though. With the
A must-have quality of all of our
aircraft type at Navair?
bigger aircraft that we are working
down.’ I fly the Citation Mustang and the fly; they are happy to try something on obtaining; NZ and the Pacific Rim
else and do things outside of flying to
will easily be in range.
Beechcraft King Air.
26 AUSTRALIAN AVIATION