The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has grounded Sky High Helicopters Pty Ltd, trading as Fortescue Helicopters, and suspended its air operator's certificate with immediate effect, citing a "serious and imminent risk to safety". In findings published yesterday, CASA said the company operated with "a deliberately and systemically non-compliant safety culture".
Sky High Helicopters was registered in 2008 and provides aerial mustering, charter flights and mining support from bases in Newman, Perth, Broome and Far North Queensland. Its owner, WA cattle producer and pilot Weldon Percy, counts mining giants Fortescue Metals Group, Rio Tinto, Glencore and Hancock Prospecting among its clients. Despite its name, it is not affiliated with the similarly named Fortescue Metals Group.
CASA's findings said the company had committed a series of intentional safety breaches. Pilots were directed not to accurately record total time in service for company aircraft or to record maintenance defects on aircraft maintenance releases. The company operated aircraft with outstanding maintenance requirements, and personnel were ordered to perform unauthorised maintenance activities. Personnel also failed to comply with the company's operations manual. CASA said pilots' flight and duty time limits were regularly and deliberately exceeded.
Percy hung up when contacted by the ABC for comment. Fortescue Helicopters was also contacted but has not responded. Its website states that safety, for its pilots and clients, is its number one priority and that it believes safety is a company culture, not just a practice.
The grounding follows a warning by CASA chief executive Pip Spence a year ago that the regulator would crack down on helicopter pilots who tried to "game the system" over safety regulations. Spence's comments came in the aftermath of the trial of crocodile wrangler and pilot Matt Wright, whose company Helibrook was grounded in late 2024 over similar failures to record flight times and falsify maintenance records.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The grounding cuts off a key supplier of helicopter services to major mining operations in the Pilbara and Queensland, potentially causing disruptions until alternative arrangements are made.
- The decision shows CASA is following through on its pledge to clamp down on safety non-compliance in northern Australia's helicopter industry.
- The systemic, deliberate nature of the violations, including record falsification, raises broader concerns about safety culture in remote area aviation.
Background
CASA is Australia's aviation safety regulator. The outback helicopter sector, heavily used by the resources industry, came under increased scrutiny after the 2024 grounding of Helibrook and the trial of Matt Wright. The case highlights longstanding concerns about under-reporting of flight hours and maintenance falsification.
Key Perspectives
CASA: Says Sky High Helicopters operated with a deliberately non-compliant safety culture. It ordered pilots to falsify flight records, skip maintenance, and exceed duty limits.
Sky High Helicopters / Fortescue Helicopters: States on its website that safety is its number-one priority and a company culture, not just a practice.
What to Watch
- How long the suspension remains in place and what conditions CASA may set for its lifting.
- Whether the company will appeal the decision or seek legal action.
- How major mining clients respond and whether they switch to alternative helicopter operators.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedCASA grounded the helicopter firm over a “serious and imminent risk to safety”.Just In: “An outback Australian helicopter company has had its fleet grounded and its air operator's certificate suspended immediately over a "serious and imminent risk to safety".”
- SupportedCASA suspended the firm’s air operator’s certificate with immediate effect.Just In: “An outback Australian helicopter company has had its fleet grounded and its air operator's certificate suspended immediately”
- SupportedCASA said the company had a “deliberately and systemically non-compliant safety culture”.Just In: “In its findings published yesterday, CASA said the company had been operating with "a deliberately and systemically non-compliant safety culture".”
- SupportedCASA’s findings said the company had committed intentional safety breaches.Just In: “CASA said in its findings the company had committed a series of serious and systemic intentional safety breaches”
- SupportedPilots were directed not to accurately record total time in service for company aircraft.Just In: “its pilots had been "directed not to accurately record the total time in service for aircraft operated by the company".”
- SupportedPilots were directed not to record maintenance defects on aircraft maintenance releases.Just In: “pilots being "directed not to record maintenance defects on aircraft maintenance releases"”
- SupportedThe company operated aircraft with outstanding maintenance requirements.Just In: “operating "aircraft with outstanding maintenance requirements".”
- SupportedCompany personnel were ordered to perform unauthorised maintenance activities.Just In: “It also said personnel at the company were being ordered to perform unauthorised maintenance activities”
- SupportedCompany personnel failed to comply with the operations manual.Just In: “and had failed to comply with the company's operations manual.”
- SupportedCASA said pilots’ flight and duty time limits were regularly and deliberately exceeded.Just In: “CASA also said "pilots' flight and duty time limits are regularly and deliberately exceeded" by the company.”
- SupportedWeldon Percy hung up when contacted by the ABC for comment.Just In: “Mr Percy hung up when the ABC contacted him for comment.”
- SupportedA year earlier, CASA chief executive Pip Spence warned of a crackdown on helicopter pilots who tried to “game the system” over safety regulations.Just In: “The grounding of Sky High Helicopters comes a year after CASA's chief executive Pip Spence warned the watchdog would crack down on helicopter pilots who tried to "game the system" over safety regulations .”