Press Release - Paul Lucas

February 7, 2002

BECKER HELICOPTERS AIM SKY-HIGH

Minister for Innovation and Information Economy, Paul Lucas, touched down on the Sunshine Coast today to visit commercial pilot training facility, Becker Helicopters.

The company has begun training five cadet pilots from Hong Kong after signing a lucrative contract that Mr Lucas personally witnessed during a trade delegation to China last year.

“I was in Hong Kong in October when this contract was signed, and it’s great today to be on the Sunshine Coast to see it in action,” Mr Lucas said.

“This contract was no mean feat for Becker Helicopters, they took on seven companies in Canada and the United States and came out winners.”

The contract provides commercial helicopter training for five cadet pilots from East Asia Airlines and Helicopters Hong Kong, who will live in Becker’s world-class facilities on the Sunshine Coast.

Today, Mr Lucas was shown the tailor-made program that Becker Helicopters is running, which includes up to 150 hours of flight time and more than 800 hours of ground schooling.

“I congratulate East Asia Airlines, Helicopters Hong Kong and Becker Helicopters on their partnership, and I hope this is the beginning of a long and mutually beneficial relationship,” Mr Lucas said.

Mr Lucas praised the company as an innovative Smart State success story.

“Becker Helicopters started up just over five years ago, and they’re reaching for the sky with their plans for the future,” Mr Lucas said.

Becker Helicopters trains students from all over the world including Canada, Japan, Denmark, South Africa, Netherlands, UK and New Zealand, with 85% of its students from abroad.

Captain Jan Becker said the company’s focus was now on becoming the “centre of choice” for helicopter training in the Southern Hemisphere.

“This year we hope to establish an Airline Transport Pilots’ License training system, with instrument flying training and a helicopter simulator,” Captain Becker said.

“We’re building new training facilities including a new hangar and classrooms, and we hope to become the first in the southern hemisphere to provide off-shore survival course training, for ship-to-shore rescues,” she said.

Mr Lucas is currently visiting the Sunshine Coast region and looking at examples of innovation in the region.