Congratulations to Hugh Harrold, Class of 2021, who was selected for the Shape 2021 exhibition for his Year 12 Design and Technology major work, The Heli-Plank.

The purpose of the Heli-Plank is to improve the working conditions of personnel in and around helicopters.

Hugh said his project was inspired by the bushfires of 2019/2020. “I was able to witness first-hand the methods and practices that both aircraft engineers and pilots took when completing maintenance and pre-flight checks on helicopters.”

“Many of these practices included the use of a ladder which was often unstable due to uneven ground of many rural airfields that were not paved. I also witnessed injuries resulting from these practices as a result of engineers falling off ladders.”

When the Heli-Plank is assembled on the helicopter, it provides a stable walking platform that allows engineers to access the entire engine bay of the helicopter.

SHAPE will open at the Powerhouse Museum, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences on 4 March 2022 and close on 14 August 2022.