When he was 15, Derek became the youngest person in Australia to commence an apprenticeship as an aircraft maintenance engineer.
For the following 15 years he provided helicopter maintenance and ground support for various projects and industries throughout remote Northern Australia and Papua New Guinea. At CapRescue, Derek is responsible for monitoring the aircraft’s worthiness to operate, daily inspections, aircraft maintenance and servicing, logistics management, inspections, service and repair of aircraft equipment, and overall OH&S. Derek’s dedication to professionalism and diligence are fuelled by the knowledge that every time a CapRescue helicopter takes off, he’s contributed to keeping the team safe and potentially saving someone’s life.