BRAD KING - AUSTRALIA

Dom Brachet is now working with me so we reflect on our Becker period frequently and how fortunate we were to find you. Ex -Becker Adam Smith has moved on from Skysafari and aviation in pursuit of love and money for the time being and I have since employed 2 more pilots.

It stands to reason, get trained by a bunch of Kiwi's and there's a good chance you're going to be surrounded by them through your career. In my latest campaign to find keen, fresh and passionate pilots I now find myself working with 3 kiwi's and a Pom (also trained by yourselves). Where have all the flying Aussies gone? Of course this is in gest but these are suprising stats for me.

I have been keeping you updated on my progress since I left Beckers and my gratitude to you is without limits. You know my story so far.

The amazing Captain King thing. On the 1st of August '06 it will be 2 years to the day since I started my first aviation job in Cairns and 2 years, 3 months since I completed my CPL with Beckers.

Presently I have 900 hours total time. I have gone from being a Cairns hangar rat and toilet cleaner to a tourism line pilot to the Port Douglas Base and Marketing Manager to the company Senior Rotary Pilot to Skysafari Queensland Operations Manager to recieving part ownership of the business then, of course all of the above. What's next??

We operate 5 Aircraft, 2 x R44's, 2 x R22's and one Cessna 310 aeroplane and cross hire anything else we need. We now have 8 staff and 2 bases, Port Douglas and Cairns. My friend, business partner and the Director of Skysafari, Mark Peart has decisively taken a step back from the operational side of the business and is now flying in 500 E model helicopters in Sumatra. 20 years in the industry and 20,000 + hours in the machine he's well entitled.

I now partly own and operate a successful, dynamic aviation business in one of the most scenically beautiful and environmentally diverse locations in Australia, if not the world.
Our focus on 'Personalised Air Touring' dominates our niche market. Daily, we may fly local scenic flights and enjoy landing on ocean catamarans, pontoons, and Great Barrier Reef Islands and sand cays to flying above the oldest rainforest on the planet and landing on waterfalls and mountain tops to hosting outback tours to Gold mines, cattle stations and visiting indigenous lands and people. I am about to embark on a 5 day return trip to the Cape York.
We are also picking up contracts for government departments ie National Parks, Mining and police and plenty of Photo work.

A measurement of success is certaintainly relative sometimes but I continually believe you better be careful what you ask for in this life.

This road continues to be challenging. The business runs 7 days a week and about 10% of the job is actually flying. Through these opportunities I have also managed unwittingly to project a personal high profile in the helicopter industry which has seen me offered work by much larger companies before my time, and has even given me the opportunity to spend a few weeks flying BK117's in PNG.

My 5 year plan is certainly outdoing itself and my beautiful girlfriend has now left her management position at a noted 5 star hotel to assist me and Skysafari in our sales and marketing push.

Something they don't teach you at flight school but ultimately becomes glaringly obvious is that the journey of a helicopter pilot is more about personal growth and adventure above everything else.

Thanks again for all your ongoing help. I'll stay in touch.
Bradley King