Australian aeromedical organisation LifeFlight is embarking on a recruitment drive as it seeks to boost its engineering workforce to meet demand and service new helicopters.

LifeFlight is seeking six new Licensed Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (LAMEs) qualified to work on its fleet of AW139s, which are the most advanced aeromedical helicopters worldwide. They will join a 60-strong engineering workforce made up of 50 licensed engineers and 10 apprentices with the majority based at the LifeFlight Clive Berghofer Maintenance Centre at Archerfield Airport in Brisbane.

In August LifeFlight opened its new maintenance facility at Archerfield Airport spanning 5,000 sqm with the capacity to accommodate up to nine helicopters and one jet. The centre services LifeFlight's fleet of 19 rotary wing helicopters and four fixed wing Challenger 604 aircraft, with the organisation facing unprecedented demand with more than 8,000 people helped in the 2024 financial year, up more than 11 per cent on the previous year.

LifeFlight chief operating officer Lee Schofield says LifeFlight was not just investing in new engineers but additional doctors, pilots, aircrew and an expanded aeromedical fleet to keep pace with demand. “We're fully vertically integrated from our critical care doctors on board our community helicopters right through to the engineers who work tirelessly to ensure our fleet is primed and ready to go,” he says. “This improves our efficiency because we're not relying on external contractors when we need work done.”

LifeFlight engineering operations manager Michael Dopking, said the engineering team formed a critical part of the LifeFlight organisation. “Helicopters need to be in ideal operating order for every mission with five hours of maintenance required per flight hour, so it makes sense that we grow our workforce to handle this workload,” Dopking remarks. “We do more than 41,000 hours of maintenance on our helicopters and jets each year, and that figure continues to climb.”

Engineers are charged with a number of tasks including executing maintenance and repairs, diagnosing and troubleshooting mechanical, electrical and avionics issues, and collaborating with other maintenance personnel, pilots and regulatory authorities.

Dopking goes on to say that the LifeFlight engineering team has an enviable reputation within the aviation industry. “The great appeal of LifeFlight is you're working in a critical part of an organisation that helps people around Queensland every day. In 2023 we were granted CASA Part 145 approval, which means we operate to internationally recognised aviation regulations. We are continually setting new benchmarks and have nearly reached 24,000 flight hours for our AW139s.”

Mr Dopking said LifeFlight's engineers were often rotated through its bases in Roma, Toowoomba, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Bundaberg, Townsville and Mount Isa. “Archerfield is the hub where the major maintenance work is undertaken. However, there is a lot of day-to-day work that takes place in the regions where our bases are located.”

LifeFlight apprentice engineer Vasco Luppi said the past 18 months at LifeFlight were a steep learning curve and a great opportunity to be trained by the best in the business. “The opportunity to receive guidance and support from LifeFlight engineers has been a terrific experience,” he said. “Every day I get to soak up knowledge from very experienced engineers, and it's good to know there are so many career pathways available once I'm licensed.”