Group Chief Pilot; Approved Testing Officer
Ian began his career in aviation in 1969 as a military pilot with the Australian Army Aviation Corps . He qualified as a Flight Instructor and Instrument Rating Examiner in 1973 . During his time in the army, Ian served in several locations including Papua New Guinea and the USA. His final posting was as Senior Rotary Wing Flying Instructor at the School of Army Aviation at Oakey. After leaving the army, he was employed as a Sales and Training Manager with Rex Aviation in Sydney. He then worked as an EMS pilot with the Westpac Rescue Service prior to joining the Department of Aviation as an Examiner of Airmen. Ian served with the Department and CASA for 10 years before joining Chopperline in 1997. He also manages his own consultancy company; Aviation Solutions (Qld) Pty Ltd.
Ian currently holds the position of Group Chief Pilot of the Curry Kenny Aviation Group. Ian was winner of the Chief Flight Instructor of the Year Award in 2004. He is also a current CASA Approved Test Officer, holds an ATPL(H) and a CPL(A) and has flying experience in excess of 11,700 hours. Ian is endorsed on almost all helicopter types in service in Australia and a wide variety of aeroplanes including high performance turbo-props. Ian is a former Vice-President of the Helicopter Association of Australasia (HAA) and is also a member of the Aviation Safety Foundation Australia.
Chief Flying Instructor: Rotary Wing; Approved Testing Officer
Tub has held a civil flight crew licence since 1962. Prior to joining Chopperline in 1990, Tub was the Commanding Officer and Chief Instructor at the School of Army Aviation at Oakey. He has extensive experience in Australia, Papua New Guinea and with the US army. He flew reconnaissance helicopters in Vietnam.
In 1970, Tub trained to become a helicopter instructor at the Royal Air Force Central Flying School . Twelve years later he underwent Instructor Pilot training with the US Army Aviation Centre at Fort Rucker. As a result, he has vast experience and a comprehensive knowledge of flying instruction. Tub holds instrument and instructor ratings on both aeroplanes and helicopters.
Ken Amess
Grade 1 Helicopter Instructor
Licensed in 1980, Ken has 13 years experience in aerial stock mustering in North Queensland and was the Operations Manager of Chopperline for many years. Ken obtained his Instructor Rating in 1994 and is endorsed on many aircraft including 12E2, 12E4, 12E7, B47 and B206L.
Ken brings years of experience to Chopperline and specialises in training the new mustering pilots who enrol each year.
Yasushi Arakawa
Grade 1 Helicopter Instructor
Yasushi (Harry) graduated from Nipponbunri University in Japan with a Bachelor of Science (Aeronautics) and obtained his helicopter licence in Australia in 1989. He has experience with aerial sheep mustering, general charter work and traffic reports in Victoria.
Most of his flying experience has been gained in R22, R44 and Bell 47.
Kurt Brumley
Grade 1 Helicopter Instructor
Kurt served for ten years with the Australian Army from 1995 to 2005. During his military career he served on active duty in the Middle East.
Kurt obtained his CPL(H) in 2000 and worked in the Northern Territory as a charter pilot; conducting scenic flights, working with National Parks and Wildlife, piloting for film work for “The Great Outdoors” and various other photographic jobs. Kurt commenced as an instructor at Chopperline in 1997.
Kurt is endorsed on R22, R44, Bell 47, H269 and Bell 206.
Alex Poole
Grade 2 Helicopter Instructor
Alex gained is commercial helicopter licence with Chopperline in 2004. He worked as a charter pilot for 12 Apostles Helicopters in Victoria for three and a half years, gaining experience in both the Bell 206 and the Eurocopter EC120 aircraft.
Alex commenced instructing and carrying out charter operations with Chopperline in mid 2008.
