Microflite Aviation

What an opportunity! Last week I was given the opportunity to assist with fires on the west coast of Tasmania. After arriving in Hobart and a couple of days checking local fires, FB700 and myself deployed for an overnight trip to map the extent and strategic hotspots for the west coast complex. Protecting the areas affected by these fires is critical work, as it’s some of the most untouched areas of Australia. I’d like to thank the Tasmania Fire Service Aviation unit for their support along with the FB700 crew from Microflite Aviation! Top job fellas and great to see how your doing it. If your ever in the NT stop past Bushfires NT for a cuppa.

Happy International Women’s Day! 💜 Today, we celebrate the 19 incredible women who help Microflite fly higher. Your dedication, skill and passion drive us forward every day. This year’s theme, #AccelerateAction, is a call to acknowledge and support the progress that fuels women’s advancement. Here’s to the women who inspire, lead and make a difference in the world 💫

What an experience 🥹 It was so amazing to get up in the sky and shoot content for the Microflite Aviation x Jackalope Hotels partnership. I won’t lie, I was super nervous, but once you’re up there, it’s just incredible. Love that I can capture content like this in my 9-5 and the Microflite team are an absolute pleasure to work with. This is the perfect partnership for a luxury escape and a pristine journey to our beautiful property.

Bit of flying action - I haven’t posted much about this side of my career on here, about time… I’ve been busy doing some awesome work in Australia with Microflite Aviation. Covering Victoria and the East Coast, doing a wide variety of flying. Aerial Filming, Charters and Westpac Surf Lifesaver Patrols. Here are some shots of the boys and I out filming the Cadel Evans Road Race in Geelong, along with a few others—challenging flying, always plenty to learn, and enjoying the process!

The job to protect over 10,000km of NT coastline and 887 islands is no mean feat. Last week Australian Border Force, Australian Fisheries Management Authority and Northern Land Council representatives flew to Croker Island to talk with the local community about Operation LUNAR and how we can work together to combat illegal foreign fishing. It’s important for us to stay engaged with communities, who are experts on their Country and their local knowledge and observations are an invaluable contribution to the work being done.

On 29th January, the Australian Border Force (ABF) and federal Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke unveiled our Airbus H135 helicopter, the latest addition to the ABF’s arsenal, as part of ‘Operation Lunar’ in the NT. ‘Operation Lunar’ aims to reduce the number of illegal fishing vessels off the NT coast. With a fly range of 250 nautical miles, our H135 aircraft will play a crucial role in providing an advantage in surveillance, particularly in areas with dense mangroves where visibility is limited. Minister Burke emphasised our aircraft’s value in the operation, noting its ability to maintain a clear line of sight in challenging terrain.

The best way to beat the vast Australian Grand Prix crowds? Fly over them. The Australian Grand Prix is one of the biggest events on the F1 calendar, with over 400,000 fans descending on Melbourne. That means bustling roads, lively queues, and the anticipation of your journey building excitement even before you arrive! That’s why 47A® guests skip the gridlock entirely with complimentary helicopter transfers from Melbourne’s CBD into Albert Park each morning. A seamless arrival—No traffic, no delays, no stress. A breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the Albert Park Circuit before they even set foot inside. An experience before the experience, setting the tone for an unforgettable weekend. Our partner, Microflite Aviation, has been helping us make this possible for nearly eight years. Their Airbus EC-130 helicopters are some of the finest in the world, ensuring comfort, style, safety, and efficiency. In any high-performance environment, how you arrive matters and sets the stage for what comes next. Want to join us at the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix ? Send me a private message to arrange your experience.

Over the last week I had the opportunity to work with my fellow Air Operations comrades from Tasmania Fire Service. Firebird 700 is the Specialist Intelligence Gathering (SIG) helicopter providing mapping and other Intelligence to decision makers and is based at Cambridge aerodrome in Hobart. This aircraft is operated by Microflite Aviation and is crewed with one pilot, one camera operator and one fire agency crew. The aircraft is the only one of it’s kind in the state of Tasmania and available during the southern states bushfire season. With most of Tasmania’s land covered by National Parks and Tasmanian Wilderness World Hertiage Areas I did get to see some spectacular landscapes. On Monday, 3rd February dry lightening storms struck the west coast of Tasmania resulting in many new fire starts, mainly in the north west. We were responded along with Air Attack platforms, rotary and fixed wing bombing aircraft to provide Intelligence (live-streaming, mapping, imagery). A great experience to meet and work with aircrew and pilots for the first time but also to catch up with many familiar faces. The aerial firefighting family is a small and tightly connected community and I feel very privileged to be a part of it. #AerialFirefighting

Every year the aerial firefighting fleet plays a critical role in Victoria’s fire response. Actively helping to suppress fires and support our people working on the ground, the fleet also feeds critical intelligence and mapping information to our control centres to help tactical decision making. The fleet this year is made up of 54 aircraft, including a night-time firebombing helicopter, Large Air Tankers and observation aircrafts. Positioned across Victoria, they are ready to respond when needed. Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gjvnVhxA

Victoria’s aerial firefighting fleet of helicopters, air tankers and planes are ready for action! 🚁🔥 Minister for Emergency Services, Jaclyn Symes, officially launched the fleet at Avalon Airport last week. FRV attended the launch to stand alongside our partner agencies Victoria State Emergency Service, Country Fire Authority (CFA), Forest Fire Management Victoria (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action), Emergency Management Victoria, and others to protect Victorians this summer 👨🚒 As we saw this week, Victoria is facing one of the most high-risk fire seasons in recent years, so it is important we #WorkAsOne and stay prepared ❤️ 📍 Wadawurrung Country #WorkAsOne #Firefighting