Experts

Tell us about your role and what you enjoy most about working at Heli-One?
I joined Heli-One straight after high school as part of the two-year apprenticeship program. I finished my education two years ago and started working here full time. For the first year I was a ‘Skilled Worker’ and now I’m an Avionics Technician. 

The complexity of our work here is what I enjoy most. Whether that’s being a part of test flights, working with the modifications team or supporting the design department, as well as carrying out maintenance. It’s a complex firm, so we get a lot of variety. 

What is a typical day for you?
Every day starts the same – I arrive at 6:30am and set up for the day by counting out the tool sets ready for work. Once we are set up, I start the scheduled maintenance programmes – we work mostly on third party aircraft but also do a lot on Super Pumas AS332L1 for CHC’s fleet. 

We are very collaborative, and each day can bring some sort of variety, as the technicians support other parts of the team here in our Norway facility. I particularly enjoy working with the design team, who are responsible for designing and modifications. We have done some interesting projects here for search and rescue aircraft and for government clients like police forces and border agencies.  

There are often meetings during the day with planners, project managers and engineers to make sure everything is running to schedule and the customers are happy, and then the end of the day is always the same – counting in tools to be sure that nothing is left in the helicopter! 

What advice would you give to someone thinking of joining an apprenticeship, particularly in Heli-One or aviation?
I would say work hard, be interested, and ask questions. If you know anyone working in the industry, ask them about everything you want to know. 

Tell us about your role and what you enjoy most about working at Heli-One?
I have been in the design department at Heli-One for six years. We help adapt aircraft for our customers’ needs.  

One of my favourite projects was a world first – installing wall mounted seats in a civilian aircraft. Typically, wall mounted seats are installed in military aircraft that are rated for lower loads. This process had not been tried on a civilian aircraft before, and coupled with the higher safety requirements, it made for an interesting challenge.   

Given the complexity of the project, we worked with EASA, the European Authority for aviation safety, to come up with strategies for certifying it in a civilian aircraft. I was involved in the whole process from talking the customer through the plan, helping with the design stage and conducting structural analysis for certification at the end. It was amazing to see it all come together as it involved quite high loads on the aircraft. 

Can you describe a typical day for you at work?
Everyday feels like I am doing something new, depending on where we are with the design process, and that keeps it interesting.  

At the beginning of a project, there’s a lot of talking with customers and developing solutions, making 3D models, doing preliminary analysis, and figuring out certification needs. Then we move on to the detailed design stage with drawings, finalizing 3D models, getting customer approvals, and ensuring everything is certified as per the regulations. Finally, we work all the way through to manufacturing, production, installation, and testing – ground and flight testing.  

So, my days can look very different depending on what we’re working on and where we’re at in the process! 

What advice would you give someone looking to get into aviation?
Do it – it’s super cool. 

Tell us about your role and what you enjoy most about working at Heli-One?
I started working at Heli-One in 1983 as an Apprentice, and now I’m a Certifying Technician here in the base maintenance team in Norway. 

I like that each day is very different – I don’t know what each day will bring before I start. And the colleagues are nice – it’s a great place to work with great people. 

How has the work changed over your career?
In the beginning, we would mainly just do maintenance and inspections on helicopters from the North Sea. Later, we had customers from all over Europe and the world needing modifications and bigger jobs, so that was a big change. Modifications can be very challenging but also very good, bigger and interesting jobs. 

The technology, especially for avionics, has seen a lot of changes in the instruments and electronics used on the helicopters. The mechanical element has changed less over the years, with similar processes but more modern designs. 

What advice would you give someone looking to join an aviation apprenticeship?
Heli-One has been a great place to work all these years. The work is very varied, with many types of helicopters and different tasks. If you like variety, it’s a great place because there is no repetitive work. The team are also really nice and good to work with. 

If you like doing technical stuff, being precise, and having systems for everything, then aviation is a great career. 

Tell us about your role and what you enjoy most about working at Heli-One?
I’ve been at Heli-One for 17 years. I work in the hydraulic workshop, where we handle all kinds of hydraulic, fuel, and air components, mostly for the Super Puma and S-92 models. 

Can you describe a typical day for you?
A typical day for me could involve disassembling components, cleaning parts, inspecting them, and consulting with co-workers if I have questions about inspections. I keep track of everything on the computer and document everything properly. 

The most fun part is assembling and testing because then you get to see the finished product of what you’ve done, which is rewarding. Sometimes there are snags you have to fix, which I also enjoy. 

What is the most challenging part?
The most challenging would be when you find faults you haven’t seen before, or wear and tear that you have to evaluate against maintenance manuals. Sometimes you have to consult colleagues to make a decision on whether a component is serviceable or not. 

What would you say to someone considering joining this industry?
I’ve been in aviation my whole career – it’s a really interesting industry. At Heli-One, we have good colleagues and nice working conditions – it’s a top job and you should get in touch if interested!