Our Service and Capabilities
Capability and Services
One of the most capable and diverse helicopter fleets in the Southern Hemisphere
McDermott Aviation delivers multi-role helicopter capability built for high-pressure, high-demand environments. From remote terrain and offshore locations to dense urban infrastructure and emergency response, our crews and aircraft operate with precision, discipline and a safety-first approach. Every mission is underpinned by in-house engineering, real-time operational oversight and more than 40 years of frontline experience.
McDermott Aviation operates one of the most capable and diverse helicopter fleets in the Southern Hemisphere, ranging from agile light utility aircraft to the world’s largest fleet of McDermott 214 series heavy-lift helicopters. This breadth of capability enables us to support operations of any scale, across varied environments and complex conditions.
Our people are central to our performance. With specialist pilots, in-house engineers, experienced aircrew, ground crews and dedicated operational support teams, we bring deep technical expertise and disciplined execution to every project. This integrated capability ensures rapid mobilisation, consistent standards, and safe, reliable delivery.
Ground Crew
McDermott Aviation’s ground crew and loadmasters play a critical role in the success and safety of every operation. Operating across refuelling, chemical loading, load rigging, underslung operations and on-site logistics, they bring deep technical expertise and disciplined execution to high-workload environments.
All ground crew are trained in helicopter loading procedures, refuelling protocols, chemical handling, and the rigging and placement of underslung loads. Their qualifications typically include:
- Dangerous Goods Licence (Transport by Road)
- Aerial AG. Assoc. of Australia’s Operation Spray Safe mixer/loaders’ chemical handling accreditation
- High Risk Work Licence (Dogging/Rigging)
- Construction Industry Safety Card
- ASIC clearance
- Senior First Aid Certification.
In addition to formal qualifications, our loadmasters undergo extensive in-house training that reflects the complexity of our operations. This training - developed from decades of frontline experience - is not available through standard training organisations and can take several years to complete. It ensures our crews operate to the highest standards of safety, accuracy and operational readiness.{readless}
Engineering
McDermott Aviation’s engineering team is central to our operational strength and safety performance. We employ a large workforce of licensed aircraft maintenance engineers and specialist field engineers who deploy with our aircraft to provide on-site servicing and technical support — ensuring operational readiness in even the most remote or demanding environments.
We operate fully accredited maintenance facilities with approvals from CASA (Australia), and the FAA (United States). Our primary engineering base is located in Cooroy, supported by additional hangars in Maroochydore, Bankstown, Jandakot, Alabama (US), and Oliver (Canada). This network enables us to maintain high availability across our fleet, no matter where the aircraft are operating.{readmore}
The wide range of maintenance, overhaul and component servicing is carried out in-house, supported by an extensive inventory of critical parts — including rotor blades, transmissions, gearboxes and serviceable engines. This level of coverage reduces dependence on third-party providers and ensures rapid turnaround times, enhanced safety oversight and consistent adherence to our engineering standards.
Every aircraft in our fleet is maintained to strict regulatory requirements and manufacturer specifications. Our engineers work closely with CASA, FAA, and external auditors, ensuring our safety systems and practices remain aligned with the highest industry benchmarks. Whether scheduled or unscheduled, our engineering teams can repair, replace and/or certify components quickly, keeping aircraft serviceable and reducing operational downtime.{readless}
Air Crew
McDermott Aviation’s aircrew are trained to operate across the full spectrum of our mission profiles, supporting everything from winching and rescue operations to technical surveillance, mapping and night operations. Each crew member holds qualifications that exceed standard regulatory requirements, ensuring capability and confidence in high-risk environments.
All aircrew maintain valid Aviation Medical Certificates, First Aid training, and role-specific competencies delivered through our CASA-accredited Training and Checking Organisation. This ensures ongoing proficiency in emergency procedures, operational discipline and technical systems.{readmore}
Our aircrew capability includes:
- Hoist operators for winching and personnel extraction
- Rescue crew for down-the-wire operations
- Systems operators trained in FLIR, thermal imaging, Night Sun searchlight systems and directional finders
- Technical crew for mapping, survey and data capture missions
Their specialised training and operational exposure ensure safe, efficient and precise support for every mission.{readless}
Support Staff
Our operational success is underpinned by a highly skilled support workforce operating across planning, logistics, administration, engineering support, component overhaul, avionics, electrical systems, paint, stores, spare parts, maintenance planning and fleet management.
These teams ensure our aircraft, crews and operational units remain ready, compliant and supported - enabling McDermott Aviation to maintain the scale, responsiveness and reliability expected of Australia’s largest privately owned helicopter operator. Their contribution is fundamental to our ability to operate safely and consistently across multiple locations and mission types.
Support Vehicles
McDermott Aviation operates a fleet of specialised support vehicles, including fuel trucks, engineering vans, engineering crane trucks, engineering utes and engineering workshop trailers each designed to enhance operational efficiency and reduce onsite setup times.
Our fuel trucks, with capacities up to 18,000 litres, support firefighting and disaster response missions, enabling rapid turnaround during high-tempo operations. Purpose-built nurse trucks with integrated heli-decks allow safe refuelling and loading during aerial application work, while engineering support vehicles carry critical tools and spare parts to maintain aircraft serviceability during remote deployments.
This fleet ensures our operations remain self-sufficient, mobile and responsive across diverse operational environments.