APRIL 2022
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HAI-HELI EXPO
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GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY PLAN
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FLYING IN THE PHILIPPINES
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FEMALE CREW TAKING FLIGHT
Photo credit: Joshua Lee, First Officer, IFR
Do you have a great story or photo for HomeBase? Get in touch: homebase@phi-int.com
LATEST NEWS 04
PHI TOUCHES DOWN AT HAI-HELI EXPO Another successful Heli Expo in the books
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SUSTAINABILITY Introducing our global Sustainability Plan
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AN ACT OF KINDNESS Providing charity flights for kids in NZ
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WAI CONFERENCE 2022 Promoting and advancing women in aviation
SPOTLIGHT Bradon Schmidt, Australia’s new General Manager
FLYING IN THE PHILIPPINES An update from our Philippines teams
SAFETY A humanistic approach to safety
FEMALE CREW TAKING FLIGHT Louise Burnnand shares her experiences as a woman in aviation
LATIN AMERICA Tackling Fuel Waste One Barrel at a Time YELLOW & BLACK FOUNDATION
Supporting our employees through hardships 30
MILESTONES Acknowledgment of our long-service employees
“I fly therefore I am.” Photo credit: Carl Barber
MESSAGE FROM KEITH MULLETT The year 2022 has certainly started with more momentum than what we have experienced throughout the past two years. I have been lucky enough to travel to some of our bases this year and see many friendly and familiar faces, and also meet some of our new team members—thank you to everyone who was so welcoming. I noted late last year that our business remained in a strong position despite challenges associated with the global pandemic—we continue to hold this strong position in the market, and I want to thank everyone for their hard work that has allowed PHI to remain resilient during these times. Once again, this HomeBase shares a great mix of stories and recent updates from across our organization, one recent achievement that I am especially proud of is the launch of the PHI Sustainability Plan that you can find out more about on page 8. Some of our team recently attended the long-awaited HAI Heli-Expo 2022 in Dallas, Texas—turn to page 4 to read more about our presence at the expo and some of the announcements we made while there. Our Australia team has recently welcomed a new General Manager, Bradon Schmidt, into the Perth office. Find out more about Bradon’s career to date and what he’s looking forward to with PHI on page 24. On page 18, learn more about the Human Dimension of Safety and how PHI continues to strengthen our commitment to the key safety initiatives that have helped define our culture and solidify our position as an industry leader in safety. On page 12, find out what the Philippines team has been up to recently. Contract and Base Manager Brian Currie discusses how the crew remains in good spirits despite some setbacks and extreme weather events. We don’t often give our Yellow and Black Foundation enough praise, so I’m pleased to share an update with you on how the foundation has been a backbone in supporting our employees in recent times, check out page 28. The world recently celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8th—I want to take a moment to acknowledge all our female employees who make PHI a better place to work. The heli-industry has historically been a male-dominated industry, and we are committed to bringing more diversity into our workforce and offering equal opportunities to all, regardless of gender. Read more about our recent attendance at the Women in Aviation International Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, on page 20, and also read from SAR Winch Operator and Rescue Crewperson Louise Burnnand about her experience as a female in the aviation/SAR industry on page 22. Go to page 16 to find out more about a special initiative our New Plymouth base in New Zealand has been involved with, the team has partnered with a social enterprise and local charity to provide flights to unwell children as acts of kindness to help them during what is a difficult time. Finally, an awesome fuel waste project from our Trinidad team on page 26 that has been underway for some time now—a great example of a sustainable initiative to help improve our operations. Thanks again to all who contributed to this issue,
Keith Mullett, Managing Director – PHI Aviation
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PHI TOUCHES DOWN AT
HAI-HELI EXPO
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL HELI-EXPO IN THE BOOKS. AFTER MONTHS OF CAREFUL ORGANIZATION AND PLANNING, OUR TEAM WAS THRILLED TO BE AT HELI-EXPO. 4
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In early March we made our way to Dallas, Texas, to attend Helicopter Aviation International (HAI) Heli-Expo 2022, one of the most coveted events in the heli-aviation calendar. The event was attended by over 13,000 industry professionals and there were nearly 600 exhibitors on the show floor with many of our customers and competitors in attendance. The inperson event was a particular highlight for many in the industry, especially after the Expo was canceled in 2021 due to COVID. After months of careful organization and planning, our team was thrilled to be at Heli-Expo. This was the first time PHI had a booth to promote our global operations and our full suite of innovative services. With a brand-new state-of-the-art booth design, the team was a standout on the show floor and welcomed hundreds of visitors who dropped by. Those visiting the booth were interested in finding out more about our wide range of services including marine pilot transfer, passenger transportation, search and rescue function and our industryleading MRO capabilities. The team had a packed three days, with a busy meeting schedule connecting with a range of key players in the industry who traveled from around the world to be at Heli-Expo. Alongside all the business development activities, we also made several major announcements. With our partners at Airbus, Shell and SEPCO, we announced our intention to use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for our H160 operations in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a significant step for PHI and its partners and was incredibly well received by the industry. This announcement is particularly timely for us with the recent release of our global Sustainability Plan. Exploring opportunities for decarbonization through the use of SAF is one of the key components of our strategy and, in time, we hope to use the H160 as a blueprint to explore how we can further utilize it across our fleet in collaboration with our other customers and partners. Hear from Keith and our partners Airbus, Shell and SEPCO on the Heli-Expo show floor – watch video. We also announced the expansion of our Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) services. We’re excited to strengthen our focus on our industry-leading MRO capabilities and promote these comprehensive, turnkey services to our customers and partners across the globe. We know our teams deliver expert services to maintain our own fleet of helicopters, and we’re proud to extend these services to an even wider market. This increased focus on our MRO services is also a core part of our diversification strategy and complements our work in energy, search and rescue, air medical and marine pilot transfer services. 6
Keith Mullett, Managing Director – PHI Aviation, presents alongside partners from Airbus, Shell, SEPCO and Safran about how the H160 is the perfect fit for our sustainability journey.
Our attendance at Heli-Expo was a great success and thanks must go to our teams on the ground and the wider organization committee for their tireless work in ensuring PHI’s presence at the event was well executed. Our success at Heli-Expo and as a company, in no small part, goes to each and every member of our team. We heard from numerous customers, partners and industry supporters that PHI is a breath of fresh air in a challenging landscape. It’s our collective hard work and unwavering commitment to our core values that keep us positioned as the global leader.
Kylie Miller, HR Specialist, and Jessie Romano, Senior Benefits Analyst, represent PHI at the Helicopter Industry Career Fair event during HAI Heli-Expo.
Leaders from PHI, Airbus, Shell, SEPCO and Safran celebrate the deep collaboration and teamwork across our respective organizations and the teams that came together to push the H160 partnership forward.
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SUSTAINABILITY
INTRODUCING OUR GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY PLAN You may have seen in previous editions of HomeBase, we have often included updates on our sustainability journey to date. To bring you back up to speed, here’s a brief summary of what we’ve achieved so far:
PHI SUSTAINABILITY TIMELINE NEW ZEALAND PILOT PROGRAM + DEVELOPMENT OF PHI’S SUSTAINABILITY CHARTER
RELEASE OF PHI’S SUSTAINABILITY PLAN + COMMITMENTS
2020
2022
2019
2021
BASELINE YEAR FOR OUR GHG CARBON EMISSIONS MEASUREMENT
SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM
The release of the PHI Sustainability Plan – A trusted partner in the energy transition, is an exciting milestone for our organization. The plan was developed to address areas across our entire operations where we can enhance the way we’re running our business and improve how we work with each other, our communities and the environment. This plan is important to our organization because it establishes our commitment to creating a PHI that is resilient for the long term and it will help us align our operations to a changing world. It introduces new opportunities for our teams and individuals and will allow us to build stronger relationships with our customers. Like many of our customers, PHI is committed to being a responsible partner in the energy transition, while offering alternate and more sustainable people transport solutions to the market. We won’t be abandoning our traditional customers, but we will look for more innovative ways to serve them better. David Jacob, Global Sustainability Leader, said that he and the Sustainability Steering Committee are committed to ensuring our teams understand why we are implementing this plan and what it will mean for them going forward.
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“We are hopeful that when everyone takes a look at our plan and the priority strategies, they will be excited by the prospect of what we can achieve together, and they will also see all the great work we’re already doing.” “As our Managing Director Keith Mullet has said—Sustainability at PHI, much like our safety program Destination Zero, will never end; we will always be looking for ways to improve.”
SO WHAT’S IN THE PLAN? OUR FOUR PILLARS Our four pillars of sustainability, Our Team, Our Community, Our Footprint and Our Business reflect everything we do as an organization and have helped us to define goals across all areas of the organization where we most want to improve. These pillars demonstrate that sustainability is not just related to environmental initiatives, rather it encompasses our operations as a whole and all the touchpoints we have whether it’s our hiring policies or the way we engage with the communities where we operate.
WHAT DOES EACH PILLAR MEAN?
We strive to make sure our
We work with local
We’re committed to partnering
How we conduct ourselves
teams reflect the communities
governments and stake-
with our customers,
and how we manage our
in which we operate by
holders to be a positive
shareholders and the aviation
partnerships is just as
recruiting a talented and
presence in the communities
industry to develop innovative
important as the service we deliver. We govern our business
diverse workforce and
where we operate by investing
solutions and services to
promoting a culture that
in programs that promote
support the transition to
in a responsible and ethical
nurtures their full potential.
equitable economic growth
renewable resources.
way to support the vital role
and development.
we play in the transition to a sustainable future.
PHI ON A PAGE This is who we are on a page and what we stand for—it symbolizes all aspects of our operations and how we integrate our purpose with our values, our four pillars of sustainability and the strategic direction for the future of our organization.
OUR PURPOSE
Delivering the gold standard in global helicopter solutions TE AM
Strive to be efficient in our processes & operations
Positive presence in our community
QUALITY
Provide outstanding quality that upholds our legacy
Supporting and servicing the energy transition
SERVICE
Deliver world-class service to each other and our customers
Responsible and ethical in all we do
FOOTPRINT
OUR VALUES
EFFICIENT
OUR PILL ARS
Nurturing a diverse and talented workforce
COMMUNIT Y
Be safe in all we do
SAFE
BUSINESS
To ensure PHI remains a trusted partner that is resilient for the long-term, we are on a journey to optimize, renew, grow and diversify OUR STR ATEGY
PRIORITY STRATEGIES PHI’s Sustainability Plan is a blueprint for the future of PHI, and our 12 priority strategies are how we intend to kick-start the next phase of becoming a more sustainable organization. Each strategy has a KPI, action(s), who’s responsible, level of effort and timescale. We will be educating our teams further on what the introduction of each of the strategies will mean for our operations.
The 12 sustainability priority strategies
C O M M U NIT Y
FO O T P RIN T
B U SINE S S
ST
EDP
CHR
DEI
LHR
CP
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
Sustainability Training
Employee Development Program
Climate Hazard Response
Workforce Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Local Hire Recruitment
Community Partnerships
RMU
IEE
GER
EMS
SSCC
ISP
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
Responsible Material Use
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TEAM
Increase Energy Efficiency
GHG Emissions Reduction
Environmental Management System
Sustainable Supply Chain Criteria
Integrated Sustainability Planning 18
GHG EMISSIONS AND CARBON MEASUREMENT It’s no surprise that our number one source of emissions across our operations at PHI is jet fuel. Our Sustainability Plan sets out how we plan to measure our emissions (these are split into three scopes), and it also looks at how we plan to reduce our emissions by getting involved with some exciting new innovations like sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Being transparent about our emissions is important to us and will keep us accountable for the future. Keep an eye out for initiatives across our bases that will support the reduction of our emissions and will introduce ways in which we can be more efficient.
STORIES OF SUCCESS Towards the end of the plan, you will be able to read about some of the amazing work that has already been happening across our organization, this includes waste management projects, business development in offshore wind, cadet and apprenticeship programs and more. We will continue to showcase stories of success as we begin to implement our strategies.
WE’RE NOW AT THE STARTING LINE We have come a long way already, and there’s no denying that we are making great strides towards building more sustainable partnerships with our customers and clients. However, this is really just the start of the journey for PHI.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? There’s a lot more in the plan than what is listed above, so we encourage you to take some time to go through the plan when you can find our Sustainability Plan by searching ‘sustainability’ on SharePoint or by visiting the Sustainability page on our website. There will also be opportunities for our teams to undertake sustainability training and to learn more about some of the priority strategies in the plan. Sustainability at PHI is not just about one group doing all the action, we are calling on all our people to get involved in whichever way they can.
Please talk to your managers and your teams about the plan. If you have any ideas or questions, get in touch with: David Jacob, Global Sustainability Leader (Americas) – djacob@phihelico.com Roger Duncan, Contract and Base Manager NZ (International) – rduncan@phi-int.com 11
FLYING IN THE
PHILIPPINES BY BRIAN CURRIE, CONTRACT AND BASE MANAGER IN THE PHILIPPINES
PHI began operating in the Philippines over 8 years ago.
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HomeBase hears from Brian Currie, Contract and Base Manager in the Philippines, about working through COVID, a destructive typhoon and the upcoming move to a new base in El Nido.
A LONG-STANDING PARTNERSHIP WITH SHELL PHI has supported Shell Philippines Exploration and Production (SPEX) for over nine years, securing the contract to provide transportation services to the Malampaya Deep Water Gas to Power Project back in September of 2013. The project delivers gas from an offshore gas field to three onshore power plants near the city of Batangas (100 kilometres south of Manila). It’s a complex operation, with gas extracted from 2,200 meters below the seabed, which is at a water depth of 830 meters. Extracted natural gas deposits are then processed on the Malampaya platform and transported to market by pipeline over 500 kilometres away. The Malampaya field currently produces 40% of the electricity for the Philippines’ largest island, Luzon. PHI has worked closely with SPEX through several heavy maintenance projects and one significant construction project in 2015. During this time, SPEX manufactured and installed a Depletion Compression Platform (DCP) which is designed to extend the life of the gas field. Over a 15-month period, the number of workers offshore tripled, necessitating the use of an offshore accommodation vessel and an increase in flights from six to 20+ per week to support the project. Today, PHI operates two AW139s from the Puerto Princesa base with 26 people, including pilots, engineers, ground staff, administration and logistics staff supporting the operation. Since 2013, PHI has had a total of five different AW139s flying on this contract. Moving these aircraft in and out of the Philippines has proven to be one of the more challenging aspects of the operation. The current fleet consists of a primary aircraft that originated in Nigeria, was modified in New Zealand and then ferried to the Philippines via Australia. The technical backup came by sea freight from Victoria, Canada, and was then flown to the Philippines from Singapore. PHI crews have also returned base aircraft to Singapore and as far away as Mumbai, India. No small feat considering the logistics involved with ferrying a helicopter 3,833 nautical miles, through seven countries.
Malampaya Astoria plaform
Team arrival in India Diagram of Malampaya production
OPERATING THROUGHOUT COVID PHI has continued to operate seamlessly throughout the pandemic with no service interruptions since March 2020. When the pandemic broke out, the base had several crews in transit to the Philippines so there was a scramble to get these individuals into the country before the borders closed. Thankfully, these crews arrived a day before international borders shut but were scattered throughout the country. The mission was then to get everyone to Manila and then to Palawan via charter aircraft to begin their tours. Tours have lasted anywhere from five to nine months given the strict border and quarantine controls in the Philippines and other countries such as New Zealand. Like all PHI operations during COVID, it has been one challenge after another; however, all staff in the Philippines have gone above and beyond in their efforts to keep the operation running smoothly.
TYPHOON RAI While typhoons are a common occurrence in the Philippines, Typhoon Rai (also known as Odette), which hit the country in December last year, was more severe than usual. The PHI team closely tracked the typhoon’s progress, which some models predicted to track north of Puerto Princesa and go directly over the Malampaya platform. On making landfall, the typhoon however landed right between the platform and Puerto Princesa, devastating a portion of the island with wind speeds up to 195kmh/h. According to Brian, it was the hardest Puerto Princessa had been hit since PHI arrived in 2013. The typhoon left significant infrastructural damage in its wake, with roads and bridges wiped out and no electricity, water or telecommunications for several days, impacting operations and local staff and their families right before Christmas. The airport was closed for several days as relief flights to the island were prioritised. SPEX, PHI and local partner INAEC all made company contributions to help repair damage to homes and provided accommodation to local staff whose homes had been impacted by the typhoon. Brian says the team remained as resilient as ever and in good spirits, despite the additional challenges.
THE MOVE TO EL NIDO Over the past year, and despite the pandemic, the Puerto team has been getting ready to move the operation to El Nido, approximately 280 kilometres north of the current hangar in Puerto Princesa. This move will see the team located much closer to the platform, which will reduce the flight time for SPEX passengers from 55 to 15 minutes. This will, in turn, reduce passenger risk exposure while at the same time reduce operating costs. El Nido is a particularly picturesque area of the Philippines with white sand beaches and limestone cliffs. PHI has worked out of the El Nido airport on and off since 2013, and recent upgrades to the airport have made permanent operations more feasible. The airport runway was upgraded some years ago and more recently, airport lighting and IFR procedures have been introduced. The team is now waiting on approval of these recent changes from the national aviation authority, which has been delayed due to COVID but is expected in the next month or so. Once signed off, PHI can move in straight away and begin operating.
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“The typhoon left significant infrastructural damage in its wake, with roads and bridges wiped out and no electricity, water or telecommunications for several days...”
FUTURE FOCUS Damage from the typhoon.
With the COVID situation seeming to stabilize around the globe, the team is now focusing on a two-year contract extension, with the current contract due to end in August this year. After 21 years of production, the Malampaya gas reservoirs are nearing the end of their lifespan and Shell has taken the decision to divest from the Malampaya project. They are currently working with the Philippine government to sell their 45% interest in the project.
Further destruction from Typhoon Rai.
While the name of the entity operating the field may change, the management team will remain the same, with plans to explore new reservoirs, extend the life of the platform and continue to meet the Philippines’ growing energy needs. This will hopefully result in PHI continuing to support the project for years to come. For now, the PHI team is looking forward to moving into the new El Nido base and getting some time to enjoy the local surroundings.
El Nido, Palawan
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AN ACT OF KINDNESS NEW ZEALAND
Last year, our New Plymouth base in New Zealand partnered with Uplift in Kind, a Nelson-based social enterprise that works with aviation companies to offer flights to children experiencing ill health in order to bring a small bit of happiness during difficult times. PHI and Uplift in Kind also coordinated with Gabby’s Starlit HOPE, which is a charity in memory of Gabby Devine and was founded on the premise of random acts of kindness. Gabby was diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma (a rare form of bone cancer) in February 2013. She quickly realised how boring a hospital can be, and how a simple Random Act of Kindness (RAK’s) could brighten someone’s day. In 2014, she formed Starlit HOPE to provide these ‘RAKs’ to oncology kids, their parents and even hospital staff. Sadly, Gabby passed in 2015, having performed over 1000 Random Acts of Kindness. This number continues to grow as the legacy of what Gabby started continues today. New Plymouth Base Manager Roger Duncan said supporting Uplift in Kind and Gabby’s Starlit HOPE was a nobrainer and heart-warming initiative for the business to get involved with. We have committed to four hours of flying over a 12-month period, with the team doing 20-minute flights approximately every month to six weeks. “Our team feels privileged to offer a few hours of flying for this cause. Both the crew and the passengers really enjoyed the flights we have had so far, and it has truly put a smile on everyone’s face after a difficult couple of years. “These types of community partnerships are incredibly rewarding for us, and we encourage our other bases to look at similar initiatives or programmes they can get involved with,” said Roger. PHI’s customers OMV and Beach Energy have released the aircraft to be used on Sundays and the flights are done in one of PHI’s AW139s from the New Plymouth base. Offshore Captain in New Plymouth Jarrod Colbourne has been responsible for leading the flights, which carry six children, each accompanied by a parent or caregiver.
“It’s really special to get these kids up flying, it’s not something they would otherwise get the opportunity to do. We’re grateful that PHI is helping to give these children a moment of joy with their families.” - Tony McCombe, Founder of Uplift in Kind 16
Uplift in Kind’s Tony McCombe said he was thrilled when PHI came on board with the initiative. “It’s really special to get these kids up flying, it’s not something they would otherwise get the opportunity to do. We’re grateful that PHI is helping to give these children a moment of joy with their families.” Sarah Devine, Gabby’s mum, said that every family was over the moon with the experience. “It was really special when Jarrod presented the certificates to the children and each family got their photo taken in the helicopter by the professional photographer.” “Everyone left with huge smiles and was so thankful for an amazing experience. Special thanks go to PHI for having Gabby’s legacy be a small part of this initiative,” said Sarah. Trudy Richardson and Matt Connolly from the New Plymouth team make sure the children feel welcome when arriving at the base, with morning tea for all the families. Matt’s iced chocolate drinks with whipped cream are a crowd favourite. At the completion of the flight, the children are also presented with a goodie bag from Gabby’s Starlit HOPE that includes helicopter-themed cookies. Keep an eye out for more updates on this initiative, and find out more about the two organisations involved here: Gabby’s Starlit HOPE: https://www.gabbysstarlithope.co.nz/ Uplift in Kind: https://www.upliftinkind.com/ Thanks to Le Toi Photography for the images
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A HUMANISTIC APP At PHI, we know that it’s not enough to get the job done—it’s about getting the job done safely. As one of our core values, safety is embedded throughout our organization. Our teams know that the safety of our people, our passengers and the community is paramount to our flight and business operations, and building and sustaining our industry-leading safety performance requires deliberate actions to reduce exposure to risk. From line-level teams to senior leaders, it’s our collective commitment to safety that shapes our decision-making every day, at every level.
ROBERT BOUILLION Over the last few decades, PHI has introduced several key initiatives to transform our culture and enable continuous improvement of our safety management systems and compliance programs. It’s these practices that have provided our teams with resilience in challenging times. With more than 70 years of experience, our safety culture and management procedures have evolved into a systematic approach where employees are committed, engaged and empowered. Our formal safety management system (SMS) has provided a robust set of policies, practices and procedures to assist us in managing safety-critical activities. Over the years we have realized that those systems that fully recognize and manage human factors are most effective. As a result, and in an effort to create a sustainable path to ensuring that human factors remain at the forefront of PHI’s safety management efforts, we incorporated a fifth pillar into our SMS in 2019: the Human Dimension of Safety. The Human Dimension helps us reinforce a humanistic approach to safety and highlights the influence of the interaction of people, processes and technology on safety performance. Our people are what make the work we do here at PHI possible, so it’s only fitting that we recognize human performance as one of the most critical aspects of safety and outline processes and procedures aimed at strengthening the mental, social and physiological well-being of all employees. This pillar focused on human factors is embedded at the heart of our Safety Management System. Every day, our frontline teams are facing and responsible for managing risks. The Human Dimension of Safety component of our SMS is designed to focus on key elements associated with human factors, taking into consideration the fact that the mental, social and physiological wellbeing of each employee plays a critical role in the effectiveness of our SMS and our resulting safety performance.
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BY: ROBERT BOUILLION, VICE PRESIDENT OF HSEQ – PHI AVIATION
PROACH TO SAFETY Regarding safety performance, PHI believes that: § Humans make mistakes § Consequences of human errors can be managed § Technology, management systems and a leadership-driven culture can mitigate significant consequences of human error § A systematic approach must be applied to manage and minimize operational risks PHI’s high standards are hinged on our core values and the expectations we have set. A clear vision set by programs such as Destination Zero and an active safety management system, cultivate a safety culture that creates operational excellence through deliberate actions. Consistent with a humanistic approach to safety, our goal is to ensure that each and every PHI employee is empowered to Stand Up, Speak Out and Take Action. It is critical that we work towards optimizing the mental, social and physiological wellbeing of all employees in order for them to maintain focus on daily job tasks without undue stress, anxiety, tension or fatigue. It’s important for each of us to remember that success starts with leadership—not as a position,but as a set of actions. PHI’s culture is critical in this aspect of safety performance in that it’s most effective when demonstrated in the actions of leaders at every level within an organization. Continued emphasis on the Human Dimension of Safety will improve our ability to strengthen our resilience and maintain industry-leading safety performance. Maintaining a positive safety culture here at PHI is essential to providing social influences that drive continuous safety improvements. As part of these efforts, PHI is renewing our commitment to the key safety initiatives that have helped define our culture and solidify our position as an industry leader in safety. Over the next few months, our teams around the globe will engage and share a series of videos and resources to help all employees gain a better understanding of our commitment to safety and how each of us play a key role in the ongoing success of our initiatives. We can all benefit from strengthening our understanding of the key safety programs that drive our safety efforts. We look forward to these engagements and the valuable input you’ll provide to assist us in strengthening our overall risk management process. Together, we know that zero is possible.
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WOMEN IN AVIATION I
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C O N F E R E N C E 20 2 2
CONNECT - ENGAGE - INSPIRE
Allison McKay, CEO WAI and Holley Gardel, VFR Captain Oil & Gas
Mary Wallace (Wally) Funk
PHI was honored to sponsor and participate in the 2022 Women in Aviation International (WAI) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, from March 17-19. The annual WAI conference theme is Connect-Engage-Inspire, and it more than delivered! There were few helicopter operators represented so our team was very well received and had the opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders to increase the rotary-wing presence at next year’s event. PHI intends to pursue partnerships with organizations like WAI for recruiting pipelines while providing training and scholarship opportunities. In addition to networking with many pilots, maintainers, engineers and students, our team attended educational seminars such as Changing the Face of Aviation; Creating a Circle of Success; Be a Mentor/Find a Mentor; and Brain Power: Improve Your Performance as a Student, Decision-Maker and Leader; which provided great insight and ideas for recruiting, mentoring and retaining women in the workforce. It was evident that many of the challenges for women in aviation are very similar regardless of position, function, location or company. One of the highlights of the conference was the chance to meet legendary and inspirational pilot Wally Funk who was recognized for “blazing trails for women in aviation and space-flight and inspiring the next generation of aerospace professionals as a pioneering member of the Mercury 13, flight instructor, air safety investigator, and the oldest woman to fly in space.” We all need her energy level at 82 years old! It was inspiring to see so many accomplished women leading the way, and encouraging to see the enthusiasm of all the young women following their dreams. If Robert “Bob” Suggs was alive today, he would certainly be proud of his granddaughter Rebecca Stewart who stopped by our booth to reminisce on her childhood with her grandfather, the late founder of PHI and considered the father of commercial rotarywing transportation.
Rebecca Stewart, Pilot Southwest Airlines
Promoting and advancing women in aviation is very important to our company—we will have better decisions, a broader talent pool and improved business outcomes from bringing women into all levels of the organization and especially into leadership roles. PHI actively partners with organizations to drive positive change and recruit, retain and advance women in aviation. We’re committed to building a talented and diverse workforce and a culture in which everyone feels they belong.
From left to right: Jackie Carroll - Rescue crew person and PHI Cadet, Dr. Nola Mcpherson - Aviation Medical Examiner, Louise Burnnand - Winch Operator and Heather Cudmore - Flight Nurse.
FEMALE CREW TAKING FLIGHT Winch Operator and Rescue Crewperson, about her experience as a woman in the aviation industry and her time with PHI. Louise initially flew with the Royal New Zealand Airforce (RNZAF) for seven years, she later worked for Hawkes Bay Rescue Helicopter in New Zealand before finding herself with PHI in Broome, Western Australia, in November 2020.
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“I hope we can change the mindsets of women entering the aviation industry.
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HomeBase spoke with Louise Burnnand, SAR
LOUISE AND HER DAUGHTER EVELYN DURING ONE OF THE SWIM TESTS FOR TRAINING
LOUISE AND MONIQUE AKKERMAN DURING A WINCH TRAINING IN KARRATHA
Louise’s husband, Graham Burnnand, is Offshore Charter Captain at PHI’s Broome Base, so the two made joining PHI a family affair. “Coming to Broome wasn’t part of the plan (I guess many things in life aren’t part of the plan), but we’ve really been enjoying our life here so far.” Louise said that before coming to Broome, offshore SAR wasn’t necessarily on her radar. “I think sometimes (as women especially) we’re guilty of glass ceiling ourselves. We often think we need to have achieved certain things to be in a certain role. For me, being a mother meant I would have never looked at a role that required touring, I also worried that I was not ‘senior enough’ in the trade. However, there are so many of us at PHI now that are living proof that isn’t true. “I’ve found working as a woman in the industry amazing. When I was with the RNZAF it was very diverse. It was a great environment to start out in. It’s also really great to see PHI working hard towards bringing more diversity into our teams.”
LOUISE UNLOADING ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES FOR NAGALIPTA REMOTE COMMUNITY SCHOOL
has allowed me to do the everyday things like drop my kids at school or be with them in the evenings. “The growth within the team here is exciting, we now have two female RCPs, Jackie and Micah from the cadet programme last year. As well as Monique Akkerman who has just started a cadetship and Elisha Vines who has joined the LIMSAR team as a Winch operator. This without a doubt is industry-leading to have 38% of our technical crew being female. “Going out to the FPSO with an entirely female rear crew last year was really special. Offshore often has the perception of being a boy’s club. PHI is challenging that perception and it is great to be a part of that change,” said Louise. Part of the rear crew flight that day (to the FPSO) was Jackie Carroll, RCP cadet; Dr. Nola McPherson, Aviation Medical Examiner from Royal Flying Doctors Service; and Heather Cudmore, a flight nurse. Louise said that everyone in the team is there because they have the skills and they are the best to do the role, no matter their gender.
Louise said she always knew it would be challenging getting into the role with PHI while also being a parent.
“Everyone is just here to do their job, and that’s the real goal with diversity.
“I haven’t found any other job in the world where I’m able to fly as much as I can now and spend this much time with my children.
“I hope we can change the mindsets of women entering the aviation industry and make them aware that all roles are a possibility for them.”
“PHI has been really accommodating and flexible (especially with the SAR roster and shift cycles) which
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AUSTRALIA’S NEW GENERAL MANAGER
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“I’m looking forward to being involved in all elements of the aviation business.
“
HomeBase spoke with Bradon Schmidt, our new General Manager for Australia. We asked him about his experience in the industry, highlights of his career and what he’s most looking forward to in his new role.
AIRCRAFT LOADING
BRADON AND CO-PILOT
OFFSHORE FLYING IN RUSSIA
Where did your career begin and what are some of the roles you’ve had leading up to this point? I initially trained with the South African (SA) Air Force and was involved in the SA military for nine years. Following this, I joined the civilian sector, and it wasn’t long before I went into the offshore sector, so most of my career to date has been in the offshore sector. During my time in SA, I flew the Alouette 3 and Puma while in the military, mostly at a Maritime Squadron. I started working for CHC and flew S76, S61, Puma and H225 helicopters, supporting the business across Africa and Southeast Asia. I later took on a COO role for a helicopter company in Malaysia. In 2013, I joined PHI for around two years in a business development role based in Nelson, NZ. Following this, I went on to join Shell in Brunei where I was responsible for flight and ground operations for five years and continued to fly the AW139 and S92. My work for Shell resulted in a secondment to Russia where I was tasked with the introduction of AW189s into service, replacing the helicopters for Sakhalin Energy. That leads me to where I am today, now living in Perth as General Manager for PHI’s Australia operations. How have you seen the industry change over time? The industry has certainly evolved in terms of the equipment we use. Customers continue to seek the safest equipment, so we have seen aircraft adapt and innovate as safety standards have improved. The offshore energy industry can also be considered quite volatile due to the ebbs and flows of demand, but this is really what makes it so unique. One thing we have noticed in recent years is that over time the skilled and experienced workforce is harder to draw upon. It can be challenging to find qualified, skilled operators, so it is important that we foster a new wave of talent in the industry.
I inherited a base that was being run out of three smaller hangars, so we ended up building a new purpose-built hangar from the ground up and switched the fleet from S92s and 76s to Airbus H225s – to see the new hangar along with a complete fleet change was really rewarding. Russia was also different from anything I’ve experienced. It was challenging and rewarding at the same time. Learning the language was difficult; however, after a couple of years, I was able to get by with greetings and order meals and beverages. It’s all too real for me to say right now that when you experience the news from within Russia, it is very different from what you experience outside Russia. While I was there, one of our tasks was to introduce AW189s into Russia from Italy, and this was during the peak of COVID when it seemed like the whole world was shutting down. However, remarkably we managed to bring the aircraft in and get them flying. Although this was stressful at times, it was also extremely rewarding. What are you most looking forward to about being with PHI in Australia? I’m looking forward to being involved in all elements of the aviation business. The last few years I’ve been focused on specific areas or directions, so I’m excited to be in a role that encompasses all areas of the business. I’ve also always thought Australia is a fantastic place to live—it’s very similar to where I grew up in South Africa. What attracted you to come back to PHI? This specific job really drew me back. I enjoy being involved in all aspects of business and operations, so it is a great opportunity to be involved in this way, rather than being focused on a particular project or operating base. PHI is an organisation that is stable and is really heading in a direction I like. It’s exciting for me to come into Australia at a time when there is so much potential and new opportunities for the teams here. PHI takes a great deal of pride in serving its customers well, and in return, I know that PHI is well appreciated by its customers.
What are some of the highlights of your career so far? Working in Southeast Asia was a real highlight because it’s such a varied region with multiple cultures and cuisines. You can easily travel short distances and see totally diverse places. In Malaysia
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TRACKING FUEL WASTE
ONE BARREL AT A TIME TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Since 2018, our Trinidad operations have been responsibly disposing of waste fuel. Our team receives certificates of recycling from Kaizen (Environmental Services (Trinidad) Limited) for every scheduled collection of our waste fuel. Kaizen collects barrels (only once they are full) from PHI and takes them to their waste treatment facility. Kaizen’s waste treatment facility is supported by a state-of-the-art laboratory KaizenLAB— this allows for the immediate profiling of all incoming waste streams and real-time analytical monitoring of the bioremediation and all other treatment/remedial processes.
To date, Kaizen has achieved the following processing and disposal milestones:
253,000 M3 / 164,000 TONS OF CONTAMINATED SOILS HAVE BEEN BIO-REMEDIATED AT THE SITE. 380,000 KG OF SOLID WASTE HAS BEEN INCINERATED. 3,750,000 L OF CHEMICAL WASTE HAS BEEN DESTROYED BY INCINERATION. 15,000 M3 OF WASTE HAS BEEN STABILIZED. 65,000 M3 OF PH-SENSITIVE WASTE HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED/PH ADJUSTED. PHI’S COLLECTION TO DATE:
8 BARRELS
2018
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8 BARRELS
2019
6 BARRELS
2020
4 BARRELS
2021
RE-USE OF FUEL SAMPLES Our Trinidad team has also taken on another sustainable initiative whereby they are reusing fuel from the fuel reclamation unit. Before each day of flights, pilots test the fuel to make sure there is no water in the fuel before they fly. Standard practice in the industry is that fuel that is tested is disposed of and wasted. However, the team in Trinidad wanted to re-use this fuel to be more sustainable. Two samples from each aircraft are taken each time the fuel is tested (this is roughly x2 large mayonnaise bottles) and are put into the reclamation unit. The unit has provisions for separating water from fuel. When the reclamation unit becomes full, the team takes the fuel and puts it back into the fuel tanker, rather than wasting it. It is a small but important step to reducing fuel waste and helps to reduce fuel costs and consumption. It is these initiatives that help to make a small but meaningful difference. Keep an eye out for more stories like this in upcoming issues of HomeBase.
“When the reclamation unit becomes full, the team takes the fuel and puts it back into the fuel tanker, rather than wasting it... a small ,but important step to reducing fuel waste...” 27
YELLOW & BLACK
GIVING BACK FOUNDATION
L A U N C H E D
Our Yellow & Black Giving Back Foundation exists for one simple reason:
TO SUPPORT OUR EMPLOYEES Of those awarded grants, many were impacted by the devastation of Hurricane Ida experiencing:
• • • •
ROOF DAMAGE FLOODING LOSS OF POSSESSIONS AND MORE
20 PHI EMPLOYEES FACING HARDSHIP
AmazonSmile is a simple, convenient way to donate and support the Yellow & Black Foundation every time you shop on Amazon, at no cost to you. Through AmazonSmile, Amazon donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice. Activate your AmazonSmile account now to start donating to the Yellow & Black Giving Back Foundation.
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2 0 2 1
As of December 2021, the Yellow & Black Giving Back Foundation awarded grants to
Support the Yellow & Black Giving Back Foundation through AmazonSmile
Sign up now - on AmazonSmile
APRIL
With all the great work the Foundation has done and the employees served, we will only continue to be able to do this with YOUR help.
To donate, please visit
yellowandblackgivingback.org
EMPLOYEE
TESTIMONIALS
“Thank you for looking at my application and considering helping my family. This (grant award) is amazing. Thank you so much!”
“This gift means so much to me and my family.”
“Thank you very much for the help during my relocation due to Hurricane Ida.”
“I want to personally say thank you to PHI and all of you on the committee for the Foundation award. I cannot describe how emotional my wife and I are!! This is helping us so much during this journey. I will not forget this.”
“This money is going to help put a roof back on our home. Please give our thanks to everyone involved in the Foundation for their generosity. It really means a lot to us.”
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MILEST
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO PHI OVE
[From left to right] Percy Boudreaux, Senior Mechanic 15 years | John Payne, Senior Mechanic 10 years Paul Parker, Senior Mechanic 15 years | Ford Le, Senior Mechanic 10 years William Shoemaker, Senior Mechanic 10 years | Presented by Earl Johnson (pictured middle), Houma North Maintenance Manager | Doug Leake, Senior Mechanic 40 years Joseph Jeter, Senior Mechanic 15 years | Chris Price, Lead Mechanic 15 years
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TONES
LONG-SERVICE EMPLOYEES!
ER THE YEARS—WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.
Danny Frederick, Senior Buyer/Planner 40 years
Kenny Wade, Senior Mechanic 40 years
William Kemp, Certified Structural Repair Technician 40 years
Carolyn Matt, Senior AOG Buyer/Planner 40 years
Rita Theriot, Senior Buyer/Planner 40 years
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO PHI OVE
32
Pam Fruge, Senior Manager Contracts/ Compliance & General Supply Chain 30 years
BB Smith, Senior Mechanic 35 years
Timmy Schexnider, Materials Specialist 35 years
Dale Holbert, S-76 PIC 30 years
LONG-SERVICE EMPLOYEES!
ER THE YEARS—WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.
Jimmy Haynes, Senior Mechanic 35 years
Stewart Trahan, Senior Design Structural Modification& Repair Draftsman 30 years
Lucy DiCarlo, Houma East Assistant Base Admin 25 years
Darrell Guillory, Avionics Field Tech 25 years
[left] William Keyes, Avionics Field Tech 20 years [right] Anthony Bryant, Lead Mechanic 10 years
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO PHI OVE
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Charles Bonin, Houma Base Facility Maintenance Worker – PHI Americas 25 Years
Matt Migues, Senior Design Structural Modification & Repair Draftsman 20 years
Adam Creager, Shell Program Manager 15 years
Yogi Rajora, S76/S92 Check Airman who supports our Training Department 15 years
Toby Landry, Communications Specialist 15 years
Brian Moore, IFR Heavy – PHI Americas 15 Years
LONG-SERVICE EMPLOYEES!
ER THE YEARS—WE LOOK FORWARD TO MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.
David Bouy, Senior Mechanic 10 years
Ryan Smith, Training & Standardization Manager 10 years
Josh Latiolais, Senior Mechanic – PHI Americas 10 years
Josh Mullins, Senior AOG Buyer/Planner 5 years
Mary Frey, Materials Specialist 10 years
Adam Eriksen, Senior Mechanic 10 years
Patrick Bosman, Director of Global Standards 5 years
James Hinch, Chief Operating Officer 5 years
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Do you have a great story or photo for HomeBase? Get in touch: homebase@phi-int.com
Photo credit: Darrell Guillory, Avionics Field Tech
