Whether she’s in the air or has her feet firmly on the ground, Brooke Wilson-Bishop’s approach to her work is always the same.
For Brooke, the key to delivering exceptional customer service and being a highly valued member of the Nautilus Aviation team comes down to two simple words: passion and positivity.
It’s that mantra that’s seen her awarded Nautilus’ highly coveted annual Above and Beyond Award for 2023, as well as winning the monthly award twice – a pretty impressive feat considering she only joined the team in August 2022.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have won the Above and Beyond Award for 2023. Reading the feedback each month was a big highlight and it was nice to feel like my efforts were very appreciated,” she said.
“I have an amazing bunch of work colleagues whom I am privileged to work alongside every day.
“I just try to promote a positive and friendly environment to leave a great impression. A smile is free, and it instantly makes people feel welcome.”
When she relocated to Far North Queensland from New Zealand, Brooke already had a Diploma in Aviation under her belt. All she needed was the perfect opportunity.
And just like that, her career in aviation took off when she landed a role at Nautilus’ Cairns heliport, first as part of the reservations teams and with the ground crew.
“Nautilus Aviation has given me the opportunity to develop my skills and open a pathway to an exciting career,” she said.
“Starting out as a member of the Cairns base meant working in a high-volume environment. From cruise ship days to wet weather days, it was a great opportunity to work closely and cooperatively as a team to achieve goals together.
“Almost a year later I moved on to work as ground crew, assisting our pilots and the operations team with daily tasks to help the everything run smoothly. No two days were the same and I thrived in the environment.
“Fast forward to now, and I’m now a line pilot. I get to fly around a pretty special part of the world, and I couldn’t be more grateful for that.”
Despite the unique set of challenges that come with working in tropical North Queensland like humidity and the unpredictability of the wet season, Brooke says it’s the customers who make it all worth it in the end.
“I love watching people experience this incredible part of the world for the first time,” she said.
“For a lot of our customers it’s their first time in a helicopter, and they always come back smiling.”