Meet Mike Dunn — Managing Director & Chief Pilot

Mike Dunn is the Managing Director and Chief Pilot of Helicraft Australia, bringing 30 years of flying experience and more than 25 years of professional aviation and management experience to the organisation.

Throughout his career, Mike has held a range of senior aviation positions including Chief Pilot, Head of Training Operations, Chief Flying Instructor, General Manager, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. He has been responsible for the management and oversight of aviation operations involving tens of thousands of flight hours, working with pilots, operators and clients across a broad range of training, commercial and specialist helicopter operations.

Mike holds a CASA Grade One Flight Instructor Rating and is an experienced CASA Flight Examiner, conducting flight testing and assessment across a range of helicopter licences and operational endorsements. His extensive experience as both an instructor and examiner gives him a strong understanding of pilot development, competency assessment and the standards required for safe and professional helicopter operations.

A significant part of Mike’s career has been dedicated to aerial firefighting and emergency response, in both flying and senior operational management roles. For almost two decades, he has participated in major firefighting campaigns throughout Australia, including the devastating Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria in 2009 and the Black Summer bushfires of 2019–20.

In 2023, Mike was awarded the National Emergency Medal with the “BUSHFIRES 19-20” clasp, recognising his service during the nationally significant 2019–20 bushfire emergency.

Mike has also been involved in the development and delivery of advanced aerial firefighting operations and was an early participant in night aerial firebombing using Night Vision Goggles (NVG) in Type 2 multi-engine helicopters.

His emergency-response experience extends beyond bushfires. Mike has also provided helicopter support during major flood events and prolonged emergency-response campaigns, including essential flood-relief operations throughout regional Victoria.

Mike’s operational background includes extensive experience in low-level, remote-area and specialist helicopter operations, together with advanced emergency and operational training. He holds a Command Multi-Engine Helicopter Instrument Rating and Grade One Night Vision Goggle Rating, in addition to an extensive range of helicopter type ratings and operational endorsements accumulated throughout his career.

Beyond flying, instruction and examination, Mike has considerable experience in aviation management, operational development and pilot mentoring. He has worked with organisations and individual pilots to identify knowledge and skill gaps, develop targeted training programs and assist pilots in transitioning from training environments into demanding operational roles.

Mike’s expertise also extends to the planning and management of specialist helicopter operations. His approach places a strong emphasis on ensuring pilots are appropriately trained and matched to the task, aircraft are properly maintained and configured for their intended operation, and every activity is supported by effective planning, risk management and operational oversight.

Safety, professionalism, reliability and sustainability are central to Mike’s approach to aviation. His combination of operational flying, emergency response, training, examining and senior aviation management experience provides Helicraft Australia with a depth of capability extending from ab-initio pilot training through to complex specialist helicopter operations.

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