Our People in SA
Neil Amey - Aviation millennium for Golden Grove man
Lieutenant Neil Amey, a Navy Sea Hawk helicopter pilot, recently clocked up 1000 flying hours during a surface search mission. Assigned to 816 Squadron, Lieutenant Amey’s flies HMAS Arunta’s helicopter while it is deployed to Operation Catalyst, the Australian Defence Force contribution to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Iraq.
The 31-year old said he hoped his first thousand hours would be followed by many more during his Navy career. “Making the one thousand-hour mark was made special for me because it happened while conducting operations up here in the Middle East,” he said. “Doing this sort of operational flying was the whole reason I joined the Navy.”
Now on his first operational deployment, Lieutenant Amey said flying helicopters had always been in his blood. “Even as a kid I wanted to fly helicopters,” he said. “I chose the Navy for the opportunity to fly helicopters, travel and see the world.”
His childhood dream has now become his livelihood, and the high-performance Sea Hawk helicopter has become his office. “The Seahawk is a great aircraft fly and has proved her versatility over the years,” Lieutenant Amey said. “The thing I enjoy most about flying the Seahawk is the great diversity in roles we get to perform on a day to day basis. Working in the Seahawk’s close-crewed environment is also very rewarding.”
The ANZAC-class frigate HMAS Arunta is tasked to assist in the protection of Iraq's offshore assets its two offshore oil platforms, which allows Iraq to generate much needed funds to support reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts. HMAS Arunta also assists with the detection, interception and deterrence of vessels suspected of undertaking illegal activity within Iraqi waters.