Page 38 - AAA SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012 Online Magazine

PROFILE

THAT’S ME

Richard Worton was told at school he
would never get a decent job unless he
followed an academic career. Luckily, he
ignored that advice, and is now one of
the top rotary-wing engineers working
out of Moorabbin Airport in Australia.

How did you get into aviation?
I started in the aviation industry back in 1991. Helicopters and
gas turbines have always fascinated me, even from an early
age. My foray into aviation started in January 1989 when I did
some work experience at a local company – which makes this
my 23 year.
rd
How and why did you choose the aviation industry? What’s the hardest thing about your job?
I liked, and still do like, the fact that you have to get it right. The hardest part is probably keeping up to speed with ever-
Aviation is an industry that demands the ultimate attention to changing airworthiness regulations.
detail and quality workmanship. The engineering that goes into
these products is amazing, and we have to keep it that way to What is the single biggest advance you have seen since you’ve
keep them flying. been in aviation?
Aircraft like the Augusta/Bell tilt rotor and the Eurocopter
What’s the best thing about your job? X3. The way Eurocopter has chosen to tackle the rotor wing’s
Standing at the end of a piece of difficult troubleshooting, looking Achilles’ heel (top end speed) is both simple and elegant.
at a good result. This is the time in my job where I can delve into
the operation of a particular system or component and gain a If you could say to or ask one thing of Orville and Wilbur, what
greater understanding of how it works. would it be?
Why didn’t you put wheels on the Wright Flyer?
How do you think MRO will develop in the world/Asia?
MRO, particularly in Singapore, is going great guns. However,
I feel that a lack of skilled labour could spoil the current rate
of expansion. Plus the elephant in the room is the global price I liked, and still do like, the
and supply of oil, especially with aviation biofuel at the moment
being just a feel-good word with no real useful quantities. fact that you have to get it right.
Aviation is an industry that
What was your scariest moment at work?
The scariest was my first installation and test fly of a turbine I had demands the ultimate attention to
finished overhauling. The ground runs went according to plan but detail and quality workmanship
I remember having sweaty palms sitting in the passenger seat
on the test flight, thinking, “Have I done everything correctly?”

What’s your best moment at work? Richard Worton is Quality Manager and Licensed Aircraft
The best moment was getting to the bottom of a long-standing Maintenance Engineer for Yungur Aviation Services, based
problem with Australian Army Kiowa helicopters stalling and at Moorabbin in Melbourne, Australia. He has 18 years
surging during post-hover autorotation power recovery. When of gas turbine overhaul experience on Rolls-Royce and
some Army engineers came to our shop I said, “I can replicate Sundstrand engines, plus more than five years on rotor-
that condition and show you how to avoid it.” There was a flurry wing airframes working on commercial and industrial sites
of test cell activity, with the end result that the problem was across Asia, including emergency service work during
solved, plus some very happy customers. Australian bushfire operations.
38 ASIAN AIRLINES & AIRPORTS SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 WWW.ASIANAIRLINES-AIRPORTS.COM