From the dusty expanses of remote Australian cattle stations to the cockpit of a plane and now working in hangars, CASA aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) Scholarship recipient Hudson Dagge’s journey into aviation has been a natural and lifelong progression.
Growing up on a station just outside Cloncurry in western Queensland, Hudson was immersed in the world of aviation from an early age, thanks to his father.
‘My dad was the manager for a station called Antion Downs and I must have been about 5 or 6 months old when I first started hanging around the planes and helicopters,’ Hudson says.
‘There was an airstrip right next to the house where 182s, 206s, Bonanzas and mustering helicopters would land and take off.’
This early exposure fuelled a deep fascination with flying; one that Hudson initially channelled into his dream of becoming a pilot. With ambitions to fly fighter jets he was set on joining the air force, but only until fate stepped in.
While in Year 10, Hudson was introduced to the owner of a Cairns based charter company that had just opened a hangar in his hometown of Cooktown.
‘I went down for work experience and loved it,’ he says.
‘Then they invited me to spend more time at the hangar outside of school hours, just to see what it was like.
‘Fortunately, my dedication paid off and towards the end of Year 10 I was offered an aircraft maintenance engineer apprenticeship, which I accepted on the spot.’
Hudson’s apprenticeship was unique. Rather than attending a traditional training college he undertook a school-based apprenticeship while self-studying, allowing him to learn hands-on at the hangar under the guidance of experienced engineers.
Upon completing his apprenticeship, Hudson jumped at the opportunity to join the Royal Flying Doctor Service based in Perth. Having lived his whole life in rural and remote Australia, it’s not lost on him how important it is to keep RFDS planes in the sky.
‘Living and working remotely, I’ve had first-hand experience with the role the RFDS plays for rural people,’ he says.
‘It really is a lifeline.
‘In fact, mum was flown by the RFDS from the station near Cloncurry to Mt Isa for my birth and my sister needed them after she came down with appendicitis. I’ve also had a few friends who had to be taken to hospital after misadventure in the bush.’
With his commitment and professionalism, Hudson’s dedication shone through when he applied for and was awarded one of 3 CASA AME scholarships from a field of more than 70 applicants this year.
Worth up to $5,000, the scholarship helps recipients fast-track their career, gain the skills and experience they need to become licensed aircraft maintenance engineers (LAMEs), and unlock exciting opportunities in the aviation industry.
‘I love what I’m doing and simply want to give back to the RFDS and the community,’ Hudson says.
‘The grant is a great financial boost to make sure I tick all the boxes to become a LAME.’
As someone who embodies the spirit of outback Australia, ultimately Hudson would like to return to rural life, understanding the importance aviation plays in far flung corners of the country.
‘But not just yet. I’ve got too much to do and too much to learn before I consider a return to the bush,’ he says.
‘I’m just so grateful for the opportunities that have come my way and I’m determined to make the most of them.’
For 22-year-old Hudson, it seems the sky’s not the limit, it’s home.
