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Air Crew

The air crewman assists the pilot with communication, navigation and landing by providing the pilot with accurate clearance, helicopter safety and operating the rescue winch.

Peter Cummings (Senior Crewman)
Peter Cummings is another of our long standing employees, he has been with the Service for 16 years. He is second in charge to Graham Nickisson assisting in all areas including media liaison. Peter comes from a Navy background which he joined in 1969 at age 15 where he spent 15 years as an air crewman. He has 3 children, 1 grandaughter and 3 more grandchildren expected within the next few months. Peter is married to Sue and likes to keep fit by swimming and walking.

Trent Owen (Senior Crewman Tamworth)
Born in Tamworth, Trent was 18 and working as a greenkeeper with the Tamworth Golf Course when the Tamworth Helicopter was established in 2000. In 2002, he commenced with the Service as a volunteer Rescue Crewman. To further his career, he moved to the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter in Sydney in 2005 to become a full-time Air Crewman. After two years of living in Sydney, Trent returned to Tamworth in 2007 to take a full-time Air Crewman position with his "home service". In his spare time, Trent enjoys hockey, golf, swimming and water skiing.

Peter Praniess (Air Crewman)
Peter Praniess was born in Salzburg, Austria and migrated to Australia in 1955. He joined the Royal Australian Airforce in 1972 becoming a helicopter crewman in 1975. During that time Peter served in Malaysia doing search and rescue and worked with United Nations and MFO on peace keeping duties in Egypt for 15 months. In 1985 he transferred to c130 hercules transport aircraft as a loadmaster moving cargo and passengers around the world until 1992 when he joined the Service. Peter has been married to Colleen since 1992 and his hobbies include golf, fishing, long lunches and bike riding. He has ridden a push bike to Darwin four times, twice from Adelaide and twice from Sydney.

Peter Martine (Air Crewman)
Peter Martine became a certified Rescue Crewman in 1985. He then spent the next four years travelling overseas working as a lifeguard. He rejoined the Service in 1989 as a volunteer crewman, became Air Crewman trained in 1993, was then employed full time in 1995. While a volunteer crewman, Peter worked as a chef for Martines at Staff House at the University of Newcastle. He has been associated with Cooks Hill Surf Club since the age of six and has been Deputy President since 2001. He enjoys watching a game of rugby league, surfing and swimming and spending time with his wife and two children.

Danny Morris (Air Crewman)
Father of three, Danny Morris has been with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service since 1981, working as a volunteer crewman, whilst working with the NSW Ambulance. He is responsible for Water Rescue Training and Equipment and acts as an Instructor/Examiner for the Helicopter Service. In his spare time he enjoys surfing, swimming, snorkelling and gardening.

Glen Ramplin (Air Crewman)
Glen Ramplin joined the Service in 1998 as a casual crewman then transferred to the New England North West Service as a full time air crewman in June 2000. He transferred back the Hunter Mid North Coast Service in Setpember 2003. Glen comes from a surf lifesaving background becoming a member of Redhead Surf Club in 1987. He has worked in a variety of jobs including underground mining, rigging, labouring and delivery driving before his full time emplyoment with the Service. He is married to Amanda who is a NICU nurse at John Hunter Hospital, she hopes to be doing helicopter retrievals in the near future.

Sandy Brown (Air Crewman)
Sandy Brown commenced as a crewman with the Service in November 1982. While attending Royal Newcastle Hospital for training, Sandy was introduced by accident to the career of radiography while assisting with a patient from the Emergency Department. He became a radiographer in 1985 starting in private practice and is now a manager for the Hunter New England Area Health Service overseeing the operations of nine public hospital imaging departments in the Hunter. Sandy also spent five years as a fire fighter with New Lambton Fire Station. He was introduced to the NSW Fire Brigade because of his work as a rescue crewman. Sandy says his wife, Teresa and two daughters are very supp-ortive of his love of working as a rescue crewman as he spends part of nearly every weekend working for the Service. It has given him many rare opportunities to share with the community both sad and joyous moments.

David Wells (Air Crewman)
Dave Wells has been with the Service since 2001 and was previously employed by the Ambulance Service of NSW for 16 years. He is a qualified paramedic with previous experience in military and industrial fields. He holds a Diploma in Pre-Hospital Care, has specialised in rescue (road, roping, confined space, swiftwater rescue) is CBR trained (anti-terrorist, chemical, biological, radiological), and is an instructor in Wilderness Survival, Roping and HUET. Dave competed in the 2005 Molokai World Surf Ski Championships over 48kms (double ski) coming in second. He has also competed in Australian Sprint Kayak (K1, K2, K4 -200m) and Australian Schoolboy Rugby Union. His interests are paddling, camping and spending time with his six children.

John Hatton (Air Crewman)
John Hatton is married with three children. He was a Telecom technician in Sydney for four years before joining the NSW Police Force performing general and highway patrol duties in the Mount Druitt area. In 1995 John transferred to Tamworth Police Communications as a Radio Electronics Technician. He is responsible for Police communications repair and maintenance from Tamworth to the Queensland border, including a radio dispatch room covering a third of the state. In 1997 John’s third child was born and suffered serious breathing difficulties and was transported by rescue helicopter to Westmead Childrens Hospital. He is now a healthy nine year old. John joined the Tamworth Service as a Rescue Crewman and became an Air Crewman in 2000. He transferred to the Hunter Mid North Coast Service in 2006. John enjoys tennis, swimming, cricket and volley ball.

Todd Mulville (Air Crewman)
Commencing with Nobbys Surf Club at the age of 9, Todd Mulville competed in surf events and gained qualifications while at the surf club enabling him to join the Service in 2002. He spent 5 years with the Newcastle Knights Rugby League Club starting in 2000 in the under 16 team then spending 3 years playing Jersey Flegg/Premier League until 2004. He now plays first grade with Western Suburbs Leagues Club. Todd and partner Kylie will be married in September 2008.

Nathan Langham (Air Crewman)
Nathan joined the Operations Department as a rescue crewman in December 2003. He has taken a keen interest in rescue work since he was a small boy ensuring that he gained all the qualifications necessary to become part of the Service. He is also kept busy running his own electrical business and is married with 3 children. 

Brian Foster (Air Crewman Tamworth)
Brian began with the Service in January 2006. His background is from Surf Life Saving and is currently employed with Newcastle City Council as a professional beach inspector/lifeguard. He has over 10 years experience in professional water rescue/1st aid treatment as well as 20 years in volunteer surf life saving and is still an active member of Newcastle Surf Club. In his spare time he actively participates in triathlons/mountain biking and has competed in a wide range of distances up to iron man triathlon where he placed 11th in New Zealand Iron Man for his age group.