30 Apr Meet Antonio, Timor-Leste’s first H175 LAME
Last year Babcock approached us with a problem: they couldn’t get a first of type CASA rating for their H175 AMEs. So to help the engineers get their licences, we developed a H175 OJT Journal and had it approved by CASA.
Just six months later, we received Antonio Jonando’s completed OJT Journal. Because Anotonio is a dedicated and hard-working engineer, we’re sharing his story with you.
And the other great thing about this story is how companies like Babcock are helping to build up the local workforce in Timor-Leste.
What is your current role?
I am an aircraft maintenance engineer (mechanical).
How long have been in aviation for and how did you get into the industry?
I have been in the aviation industry for about 15 years, and was first employed by CHC Helicopters as a storeman. Two years after that, I applied to the engineering department as an engineer assistant. And from that, my career started and here I am now, with my type rating licence on H175 with Babcock Australasia offshore, based in Dili in Timor-Leste.
What aircraft do you work on?
I work on Airbus H175. I have also worked on AS332L/L1 and H225, and a very small amount of hours on the S-92.
You recently got your H175 licence, what was involved in that?
A lot. Getting a H175 licence requires patience, dedication, hard work, responsibility, integrity, trusting yourself, study, learning, practice and collaboration with everyone. You have to admit your mistakes, have a good attitude, be honest and be willing to learn every day and, of course, I had support from my family.
There are so many things involved from the people around you. Management worked very hard to provide an opportunity for me, and the LAMEs gave me responsibilities to work on the aircraft for experience and were there to correct and teach me, and show me the professionalism of a LAME. Pilots also gave me words of encouragement to keep fighting for my licence.
With the new aircraft and CASA Part 66 licence, where OJT is an important factor to record my experience on the aircraft, HeliTSA responded promptly to get an OJT Journal for H175 approved by CASA and distributed. Troy at HeliTSA acted very quickly to assess my OJT and get it done.
How long did it take to complete your OJT Journal?
It was about 6 months. The OJT Journal was handed to me when we did a H175 main gearbox change in Darwin in August 2019. From that date, I started to collect all the recorded experiences on the H175 and filled out the OJT. I finalised the OJT Journal at the end of February 2020 and sent it to HeliTSA to have assessed in March.
What’s the most challenging fault you have encountered on the H175?
I have been working on the H175 since January 2018 and, to be honest, I haven’t met a very significant fault, apart from the main gearbox short life limit and some of its components.
The H175 is very good aircraft that is easy to maintain, accessible to work on and it has a very smart computer installed. The computer will tell you the fault and fault code, so you can easily find it in the manual. Hopefully it will stay like this in the future to make it easier for me as a beginner LAME.. hehe
What is the best career advice you have been given?
Less talk, more action. Hard work, dedication, humility, honesty – and don’t be scared to make a mistake because you will learn a lot from it.
By developing custom OJT Journals and training, we’re proud to be creating pathways for engineers like Antonio who previously couldn’t get licensed. Our list of CASA-approved OJT Journals is also growing – see the full range here.
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