I was lucky enough in a tough climate (not like what it is today) to get a job flying a Cessna 210 in the bush. I was at that job for about 3 months when I moved onto a smaller company that allowed me to get more flying hours. I lived on Groote Eylandt for 4 months and was flying Piper Cherokee 6 during that time. I had an absolute blast, albeit living in a donga....
I moved back to Darwin and continued to fly for that some operator for 14 months flying the Piper Lance. I then got asked to rejoin the company I was previously at, Chartair. Chartair is a really big GA company that operates into QLD, SA and WA all from 4 bases spread across the NT. I started flying the 210 again and then after about 8 months moved on to my first twin, the Cessna 310. That aircraft was a lot of fun. Whilst only normally aspirated, it felt like the sportscar of the sky... It was fast, with 2 520 continental engines powering that bird through the sky at 185kts. Most of the flying was done using IFR which meant I had to get my IR current again.
The charter work that I did was so varied. One day I could be taking teachers, doctors, judges out to communities and the next I could be collecting water samples for testing or dropping off the mail. It reminds you just how remote the areas I was flying into where people called there home for thousands of years. At times there was also sombering trips I made where my cargo was a body that was recently deceased in a bag lying behind me or taking a coffin out to a community for burial.
Darwin is a great place to live and work, there is so much to do there in the wet and dry season if you like outdoor adventures. There is an abundance of natural features that encourage camping and exploring. I love working in the NT and have made a great bunch of new friends that I will have for many years to come!!
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