Helicopter instructors

Terry Summers

Chief Flying Instructor

Terry is a very experienced IFR instructor with over 12,000 hours in helicopters. He holds an Air Transport Pilot Licence for as well as a Commercial Licence for fixed wing. He has been flying helicopters for 38 years throughout Australia and overseas.
Terry started to fly helicopters in the Australian Army and in 1977 he gained acceptance into the RAF (UK) Central Flying School. It set Terry in the instruction path he still follows today. Since that time he has flown extensively throughout Australia, as well as Papua New Guinea, USA, UK and France. Terry has had experience in most types of operations including: Military, EMS, SAR, Fire Fighting, Police, Offshore, Sling Operations and Training.
As a CASA Authorised Testing Officer (ATO) with a considerable depth of training experience, his aim is to foster a supportive, dedicated and realistic training environment for each pilot and instructor undergoing training. He maintains this is the real challenge for any school; to create and maintain the most dedicated but also cost effective training environment possible. Terry has testing delegations for FIR, CIR, CPIR, NVFR, CPL, NVG, PPL and GFPT.

Dave Ervin

Chief Pilot/Instructor

Dave joined Rotor-Lift in 2004 as an EMS/SAR captain. He has 28 years experience in the aviation industry as both a helicopter pilot and engineer. Dave also holds an Air Transport Pilot License for helicopters.
Starting his career in the RAAF, Dave has worked and flown in several countries and spent ten years in the highlands of Papua New Guinea. He has extensive flying experience in high altitude operations, long ling, fire bombing, military and peace keeping operations. During his time at Rotor-Lift Dave has received several commendations for rescues conducted in Tasmania.
As Chief pilot of Rotor-Lift Dave is responsible for the overall safety and operational management of pilots and aircrew for both rescue and commercial operations.
When time allows Dave instructs in the academy and brings with him a significant depth of operational flying experience gained whilst overseas and as a rescue pilot at Rotor-Lift.