Success Stories

Clark Priestley

Line Pilot (HEMS and Utility)
Cumbernauld, Scotland

Clark had his first 'break' as a pilot and instructor with Helicentre, and has now gone on to achieve his dream job flying a range of exciting HEMS missions for PDG.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO FLY HELICOPTERS IN THE FIRST PLACE?

It had always been in my mind to fly, so I had a trial lesson. After an hour I knew that was the job for me and I never looked back!

HOW MUCH OF A CHALLENGE DID YOU FIND THE TRAINING AND GROUND SCHOOL?

If I said that I enjoyed every single minute of my training and studying I would be lying! It can be hard work at times and the financial implications of what I had undertaken were an all too present pressure throughout. However, the hour building was without a doubt the most fun bit, and I was lucky enough to be on the Helicentre pioneering trips to Majorca, Ireland and Chamonix. A personal favourite of mine would have to be flying an R22 into the Chamonix valley. All of the trips provided a wealth of experience and stories though.

HOW DID YOU GET YOUR FIRST 'BREAK' INTO THE INDUSTRY?

I started working for Helicentre as ground crew / hanger rat whilst still training. I also got to do quite a few positioning flights, but the first flying work came once I had completed my CPL and my FI rating. Chris Line took me on the day after my FI test and that was it, I was a working Pilot! During my time at Helicentre as both a student and employee I was able to gain some invaluable experience that helped me get to were I am today.



WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY IN YOUR FLYING ROLE INVOLVE?

The flying can be quite varied. PDG pretty much cover the whole of the UK and Ireland but predominantly the north of England and Scotland. A lot of what we do is very specialised and involves a raft of paperwork from the CAA to be able to do it, meaning we often have all sorts of weird and wonderful bits of kit attached to the aircraft. I have flown Powerline patrols ranging from wooden pole lines flying down to 30ft, up to 250ft tower lines and the use of thermal imaging cameras. I’ve also flown filming and photo sorties, radar equipment trials, passenger transport, pipeline patrols and deer counts. Six months ago I was also given the opportunity to fly for the Great North Air Ambulance which covers Cumbria and Northumbria.

OUT OF ALL THE FLYING, WHICH TYPE OF MISSION PROVIDES THE GREATEST CHALLENGE?

All the roles I undertake can be challenging for different reasons; the weather, remote locations, lack of available fuel, communications, off-airfield landings and pressure perceived or otherwise, which makes it sound hard - it’s actually what makes the job so great!

WHICH HELICOPTER TYPES DO YOU FLY AT THE MOMENT?

I'm currently flying the AS350 B2, AS355F1 and F2 Squirrels, and the Bolkow Bo105DB HEMS aircraft.

WHAT'S IT LIKE BEING AN AIR AMBULANCE (HEMS) PILOT?

Flying HEMS was one of my ambitions and so far it hasn’t disappointed. You get a certain amount of job satisfaction from it, there’s a good team spirit and if you don’t mind a challenge it can be extremely rewarding. Plus you get to land in some very cool places!



DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR NEWLY QUALIFIED PILOTS?

Have an open mind. The best thing about flying Helicopters is the variety they can provide. Try not to get into a niche too soon, fly as much and often as you can. Make your flying as varied as possible and don’t be afraid to push your boundaries every now and then, just be sensible.