It’s quite the transition going from the meticulous world of banking as an agribusiness bank manager to running an aviation business alongside your brother.
The leap from number crunching to soaring through the skies may seem like a stark contrast, but Georgie Chisholm embraces the challenge of cultivating and nurturing a vibrant aviation safety culture with unwavering enthusiasm.
Georgie, co-owner and safety manager of Heli-Muster NT, recently received one of our inaugural CASA safety manager scholarships.
Like many operators of smaller aviation companies, Georgie’s role is multi-faceted but it’s her focus on safety culture that has earned her a CASA safety manager scholarship.
‘There’s no such thing as a typical day which is one of the joys of my job in the aviation industry,’ Georgie says.
‘I could start my day invoicing, then spend time updating our drug and alcohol management plan manual and then review recent safety reports or work on our quarterly safety newsletter.’
Based in the Victoria River district of the Northern Territory, Georgie says the aviation industry is constantly evolving which means continuous learning is essential.
She’s taken a proactive approach to her role of managing safety for Heli-Muster.
‘The aviation sector is a great industry if you want continual learning and development,’ she explains.
‘It is always changing and there is rarely a “standard” approach to a problem; it is often organisation or situation specific, so you really need to be dynamic in the way you think and act.’
This proactive approach to learning and development is evident in her completion of the aviation safety management course, which was the first of several courses she has identified as crucial to her role in the company.
Georgie intends to use the $5,000 scholarship funding to take 2 additional courses for both her personal and professional growth, and ultimately for the advancement of the business.
‘The safety audit course and aviation leadership are likely the next courses I will do,’ she says.
‘These courses will not only enhance my own skills but it’s also indirectly reinvesting in the company by improving the overall safety and management of Heli-Muster.
‘Audit in particularly will better enable us to pick up on areas we may be falling behind in so that we are on the continual path to improvement.’
While Georgie acknowledges the aviation industry is heavily regulated, she recognises that structure makes things easier in terms of knowing the expected standards of safety.
‘There is a lot of regulation, but in reality, that probably makes things easier,’ she says.
‘Because you know where you stand. By adhering to regulations, we’re making sure we do everything we can so that we are operating at the highest level of safety and efficiency.’
Georgie says a career in aviation safety management is incredibly rewarding for people who like variety in their working day.
‘I think you can really make a big difference to a lot of organisations around the practical aspects of safety in the aviation industry and also the overall safety culture of our industry,’ Georgie adds.
‘There’s a lot of passion for what we do in aviation and the best part is you can really see the results of your work even through the small improvements made in the business.’
Heli-Muster actively engages in a wide range of operations, including aerial stock mustering, charter, aerial survey, fire operations, pest control and aerial crane services.
The fleet of Heli-Muster comprises both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, including the Robinson R22, R44, AS 350 B3 Squirrel, Bell 206L Longranger, Cessna 206H Stationair, and will soon see the addition of the Beechcraft G58 Baron.
