Another Feather in the Heliwest Cap – CAR 217 Accreditation Granted

Western Australia’s largest on-shore helicopter company, Heliwest has reached another milestone with accreditation under civil aviation regulations as a CAR 217 checking and training organisation.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) granted Heliwest the approval allowing the company to conduct safety checks of its own pilots and offer the service to other fleet operators and pilots.

The CAR 217 accreditation has delighted Heliwest chief pilot and head of training Ashley Williams who said it was another significant step in the company’s growth.

“It gives us a lot more flexibility and will enable us to operate larger and more complex aircraft,” he said.

“We can effectively supervise our own assessments without having to call in an external check pilot from CASA.”

Ashley is one of four Heliwest personnel accredited to perform the checks. The others are Heliwest general manager Paul Gibson, chief flying instructor Andrew Wilson and Terry Gadenne, a 25-year aviation veteran who has flown Australian Army gunships and Navy Sea Hawks.

Under civil aviation regulations (CARs) each pilot is required to pass two checks each year in each aircraft he or she will be flying.

The intensive checking sessions last the best part of a day and encompass ground theory, a written examination and a check flight. There is role-specific training that includes proficiency tests in skills such as winch or sling manoeuvers.

“The CAR 217 accreditation enhances Heliwest’s capabilities in long-term offshore transportation by offering our clients a seamless full service operation,” Williams said.

“We’re becoming a strong alternative to the established players in the oil and gas market and this training approval underlines our systems and processes.”

Media contact: David Christison at CEA on 08 9367 3733 or 0418 959 817 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it