COMMANDO News Magazine Edition 2 2020

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“Being a pilot, I’ve found, is the closest thing to the militaryregarding having the sense of accomplishment in your everydaywork life.” says Townsville Helicopters Line Pilot & Instructor MickEden. “Jumping in a helicopter, whether it’s instructing a student,slinging loads, or transporting passengers, the results aretangible, and it makes you feel great about what you’ve achievedto get to that point. It’s what I was looking for in a job after mycareer in the Defence Force.”Mick was recruited into the ADF in 2006, working under theRoyal Australian Engineers and posted to Darwin in the 1 stCombat Engineer Regiment. In 2008, he was deployed toAfghanistan under the Mentoring and Reconstruction Task Force1, and in late 2009 to Sumatra as Disaster Relief after a 7.6magnitude earthquake struck the western coast. In late 2010,Mick transitioned back into civilian life working for his father’sfarming business, and spent 4 years in Civil Construction.In early 2017, Mick joined up for a Commercial Pilot Licencecourse with Townsville Helicopters. “It’s very hard to adjust tocivilian work when your mindset in the military is very strict, withno room for error. It took me a while to find a career in which Iwas challenged and gave me a sense of belonging, selfgratitude,and where I could utilise the military mindset to myadvantage. Due to my rural background, many of my family andfriends could only recommend one person to conduct mytraining, which was Richard Arnold at Townsville Helicopters.”After gaining his licence, Mick was taken on board as atheory instructor with the company, taking both private CPLstudents, and those studying the AVI50319 Diploma of Aviationthrough Tafe Queensland (for whom Townsville Helicopters is athird-party provider) through the intensive theory work neededfor their licence. “About half of your training to become aCommercial Pilot is gaining an understanding of the theoryunderpinning your flying, and getting through the exams. Theconfidence I gained in the military was a great foundation forconfidently teaching students in a completely different dis -cipline”. In between teaching theory classes, Mick built his flyinghours piloting the company’s scenic tours in and around Towns -ville. “We’ve got some beautiful spots here in Townsville. Takingin Magnetic Island from the air, or landing on a sand cay out inthe Great Barrier Reef, it’s pretty exceptional flying recce’saround here”.Gaining his Instructor rating through the company in 2019,Mick splits his work days between instructing future pilots, andconducting a variety of aerial work operations all over the region.“I didn’t realise that variety of works of which I would beundertaking as a Commercial pilot. In one day I could be out onthe reef looking for a sunken boat, chartering a VIP, conductinga low-level survey and training students from a wide range ofbackgrounds”.Mick’s other love is fishing. This enthusiasm has led to himrunning Townsville Helicopters Fishing Experiences, takingequally passionate anglers on unforgettable fishing trips. “Youcan see so much more from a helicopter which makes findingthose exclusive fishing spots relatively easy. The dynamics of thesurrounding areas of Townsville produce an unbeatableexperience and to be honest, it doesn’t really feel like work”.His work as a pilot has really allowed Mick to play to hisstrengths - his agricultural background, and experience inconstruction inform his work in teaching rural helicopteroperations and conducting aerial work in support of theconstruction industry. His love of fishing makes him the perfectguide. And his life in the military has provided a foundation onwhich to build his career. “The discipline you learn in the Defenceforce really sets you up as Pilot in Command, you have to havethe military bred assertiveness to make quick decisions andkeep a cool head in extreme conditions”.“There’s a lot of cross over between working in the Defenceforce and working as a pilot. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”6 COMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 2 I 2020
A WORD FROM THE EDITORG’day all and welcome to Edition #002 ofCOMMANDO – The Magazine of theAust ralian Commando Association.We have some excellent articles in this edition andI thank all those who have submitted articles for themagazine, please keep them coming so we can sharethese stories whether they are recent or from yearsago. Please note that when you send your articles inplease have them sent as a Word Document and if youhave any images attached please have them as HiResolution as this aids in the final quality of the imageboth electronically and as a hard copy format.We will be selling hard copies of the magazineincluding limited past copies on both our web pageand Facebook page so if you would like a copy first infirst served. All funds raised from the sale of theMagazine will be going to the ACA Welfare Fund.We hope you enjoy the new look magazine and ifyou have any ideas for improvement and or articlesthat you wish to be published please do not hesitate toemail me anytime and for those of you who are downrange, keep your sights straight and your powder dry!Commando 4 LifeNick HillEditor - Commando MagazineE: editor_commandomag@commando.org.auW: www.commando.org.auAustralian CommandoAssociation IncCOMMANDO ~ The Magazine of the Australian Commando Association ~ Edition 2 I 2020 7
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Page 52 and 53: FROM COMMANDO TO SKYDIVING LEGENDCl
Page 54: U.S. Marines on rotation in Darwin

COMMANDO News Magazine Edition 2 2020

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