ABOUT AUSTRALIAN HELICOPTER ACADEMY
Australian Helicopter Academy, located in Kununurra, Western Australia, is a top helicopter flight training facility. Affiliated with HeliSpirit, the academy offers Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL) training. Here, students gain hands-on experience alongside the daily operations of one of Australia’s leading helicopter companies.
With brand-new facilities—including a dedicated study room and modern classroom overlooking HeliSpirit’s maintenance hub—the academy provides an ideal learning environment. The well-maintained fleet features the Robinson R22 and other top-quality training helicopters.
Located in the Kimberley, the academy benefits from diverse terrain and many nearby off-field landing sites. This unique setting is perfect for practical learning, just a short distance from the airport.
Instructors at Australian Helicopter Academy are experienced professionals. With thousands of flight hours, they bring valuable insights from various roles, including firefighting, search and rescue, survey, and tourism flights. They share their expertise in each lesson, ensuring students receive top-tier instruction.
HeliSpirit currently operates 25 helicopters, ranging from the Robinson R22 to the Airbus Helicopters AS350 Squirrel. Each tourist season, from March/April to September/October, HeliSpirit employs around 30 pilots. These pilots conduct scenic flights from nine remote bases across the Northern Territory and Western Australia, making HeliSpirit one of Australia’s largest employers of new pilots. For more information on their services and locations, visit helispirit.com.au.
HeliSpirit’s selection criteria focus on strong flying skills, positive attitude, professionalism, teamwork, and a high commitment to safety. Well-developed people skills and friendly customer service are also essential for HeliSpirit pilots. Through training with Australian Helicopter Academy, you’ll become a safe, skilled pilot in a rewarding environment.
Upon graduation, you’ll be fully prepared for employment, with a skill set that stands out to prospective employers. Additionally, our instructors have industry connections to help you explore other opportunities.
To date, 100% of students who completed their CPL at Australian Helicopter Academy and applied to HeliSpirit have secured employment.
POST TRAINING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
HeliSpirit selects the most dedicated and promising CPL candidates from Australian Helicopter Academy for commercial pilot roles. With an exceptionally busy scenic tour season, HeliSpirit provides pilots with valuable logbook hours and practical experience—an ideal foundation for a career in commercial aviation.
So far, 100% of students who completed their CPL through Australian Helicopter Academy have successfully secured employment with HeliSpirit.
ENGINEERING & MAINTENANCE
Our highly skilled engineering team works year-round in the hangar, maintaining a fleet of over 20 helicopters to the highest standards. As an Australian Helicopter Academy student, you’ll participate in daily activities and gain insight into helicopter mechanics within this busy maintenance environment.
We believe understanding how helicopters operate is essential as you work toward your licence. This exposure helps build a solid foundation in both piloting and technical knowledge.
- Stellar Maeve - SA
"AHA is one of the hardest, most rewarding, and enjoyable three months you’ll ever experience.
Becoming a pilot once felt like an “out there” dream, but working in aviation showed me that with dedication and training, it’s absolutely achievable. I asked every pilot I knew, how they got their licence and where they’d train if they had their time again- Australian Helicopter Academy was the clear standout, so I reached out and eventually started my training.
It’s hard to fully describe the experience of learning to fly with AHA in the Kimberley. You’re training in one of the most incredible environments imaginable, flying over waterfalls, Kununurra, Lake Argyle, the Cockburn Ranges and much more, all while taking in more knowledge than you ever thought possible. It’s an unforgettable way to begin a career!
A big part of that comes down to the instructors. They bring years of experience, not just in teaching but flying in the Kimberley itself. Their deep understanding of the terrain and conditions really shows, and it makes a huge difference to the quality of training you receive" - Jamie Brander - WA
"Upon deciding to take on the journey to become a helicopter pilot there were many options around the country but nothing excited me more than learning to fly in the Kimberley. AHA offered invaluable experience learning to fly and operate in remote areas with incredible sceneries. Being in a class of 3 meant I had direct and uninterrupted access to my instructors. It wasn’t until I began my training with AHA that I realised how devoted the instructors were to not only my education but my longevity in this new career I was undertaking.
With their classroom based inside an operational hangar we had access to view and understand helicopters onsite as well as a wealth of knowledge from the entire AHA and HeliSpirit team, willing to engage and educate us. The whole team was incredibly supportive and welcoming from the moment we arrived.
The quality of training we received was extremely high with a wide range of experience being applied from the instructors.
The opportunity for work as a junior pilot upon completion of the AHA training is invaluable as gaining employment at the beginning of your flying career can be very difficult.
I would highly recommend AHA to any aspiring pilots looking to receive in-depth and practical training in a beautiful part of the country." - Elliott - QLD
I had done a considerable amount of research into flight schools around the country before I came across Australian Helicopter Academy (AHA). AHA immediately stood out as the best fit for me. I felt there was a level of care that went into their students over and above the norm. The head of operations was extremely helpful in answering any questions I had about the industry and career opportunities.Living in and flying around some of the most beautiful parts of the Kimberley was a highlight. The opportunity to land in any number of remote areas with incredibly experienced instructors using real-world scenarios was great. To top it off, being able to speak with current working pilots and engineers in the hangar each day helped me to build a great network and learn so much beyond what is covered in the syllabus.I absolutely recommend AHA - the approach to training, instructors and lifestyle all surpassed my expectations and have given me a strong foundation to continue my flying career - Sam Bleakley - VIC
"The decision was easy for me when choosing to do my training with AHA. They have experienced instructors who have incredible experience in all areas of the helicopter industry such as long lining, fire fighting, mustering etc. Being exposed to a large helicopter business has also been brilliant as you get real insight into how a professional helicopter company is run and what they expect from a professional pilot.
Having LAME’s and Avionics engineers on hand has been a huge bonus as they gave me a solid understanding to the ins and outs of a wide range of aircraft. Most of all l was influenced with the scenario based flying and the attention to detail that AHA provide so I can become a true professional in the industry." - Dan - QLD
Originally from Brisbane, I came across AHA while doing research about helicopter career opportunities in Australia. Training alongside the engineers, current pilots and admin teams made a big sway in my decision to apply.Some highlights of my training at AHA include being part of a small class and having very individually focused training with incredible instructors who could tailor to my needs.I would highly recommend training with AHA for a wider scope of learning and the incredible flying opportunities on offer in the Kimberley. - Callum MacKellar - WA
"I couldn’t recommend AHA highly enough. The training environment fully immerses you in the industry which helps endlessly in learning all that is required to get your licence. The people involved in the training and the HeliSpirit employees made the entire process an unforgettable experience."