Dave commenced fixed wing training in 1986 having won full PPL scholarship with Southland Aero Club. By 1989 he was a fully fledged commercial pilot flying fishermen and hunters around the southern coast and Stewart Island with Preservation Air Ltd.
Flying helicopters was the next goal and Dave started training at Canterbury Helicopters Ltd with instructor Simon Spencer-Bower. By 1992 Dave had his Commercial helicopter Licence and had also completed various Safety Seminars and Courses. Ongoing training, especially in Safety issues, is crucial to a helicopter pilot’s survival and Dave continues to attend Safety Seminars and training courses on a regular basis.
Dave credits Simon Spencer-Bower (now Wanaka Helicopters) for providing excellent training which has stood him in good stead over the years.
Geoff Kitto, a well known NZ Ag pilot, was also instrumental in giving Dave a start in the Agricultural Aviation industry.
In 2003 Dave was approached by Heli-Highland Ltd in Scotland to work as a Contract Pilot on specialist spray ops in Scotland.
This lead to the formation of Flying Horse Ltd and was the beginning of a successful partnership. Click on Bracken spraying for more details.
In 2007 Flying Horse Ltd worked in Australia flying B204/205 on lifting and spraying ops and firefighting.
2008 saw us in New Caledonia flying B407 on lifting ops, Australia for spraying & firefighting, plus Scotland and Ireland on spraying and lifting contracts.
In 2009 Dave was working on the devastating Australian bushfires as well as the usual lifting and spraying work. We also went to Group 3 Aviation in Los Angeles where Dave passed his FAA licence, enabling him to fly American registered machines anywhere in the world.
2010 saw bushfires again in Southern Australia and lots of Mosquito spraying in Queensland.
