It was a dream come true for a schoolboy from one of Queensland’s most remote communities. The young helicopter enthusiast was guest of honour at an air rescue base.

Claire Boughey reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Nigel Gibson couldn’t believe his luck, sitting at the controls of a rescue chopper.

It all started when the nine year old’s teacher wrote to Life Flight about his love of helicopters.

She asked for some merchandise to inspire Nigel to follow his dream of becoming a pilot.

Instead, he got a trip down to Brisbane from his home in Cape York.

Nigel Gibson, Chopper enthusiast: “When I was a baby, um, I went in the Queensland rescue chopper and that’s why I love choppers.”

Nigel met pilot Alex Dorr and who gave him a tour of LifeFlight’s facilities at Archerfield.

Alex Dorr, LifeFlight pilot: “He’s remembered everything I’ve told him and then asked questions about the things I’ve told him, so I mean, I’m blown away.”

It’s clear the LifeFlight pilot wasn’t the only one blown away.

Nigel says he hopes to grow up saving people’s lives.

Nigel Gibson, Chopper enthusiast: “Cause they rescue people, they are big, strong.”

Alex says there isn’t a day that goes by that a LifeFlight helicopter isn’t in the air, with the Brisbane fleet performing around 600 missions last year alone.

Alex Dorr, LifeFlight pilot: “And that’s a nixture of innner facility transfers, paediatric, neonatal as well as primary and our other bases are just as similarly busy.”

But taking some time out to inspire the pilots of the future.

Claire Boughey, QUT News.