Every flight. Under command.

How we built the operating system for our own helicopter business, and why it's the reason we can build yours.

The business

Tangalooma Aero flies scenic helicopter flights and island transfers over Moreton Island and South East Queensland, with walk-up guests, online bookings and cruise-ship passengers arriving by the hundred on ship days.

The problem

Off-the-shelf booking software handled the booking and nothing else. Manifests, weight and balance, pilot changes, bar sales and the end-of-day reconciliation lived on paper, in spreadsheets and in people's heads. On a cruise-ship day that's where mistakes happen.

What we built

One system from the first booking to the final landing. Public, island and cruise-ship booking portals and a self check-in kiosk. Live manifests with weight and balance. A rules engine that enforces seat and slot limits in the database itself, so staff can't over-book a flight, with a director override that is logged. Pilot rostering, including transferring command between pilots. Safety videos in English and Chinese. Drinks stock-take, gift cards and promotions. Daily reconciliation and month-end close, synced to Xero.

Built to change

When the rules on card surcharges changed on 1 October 2026, one switch in the system updated every booking screen, payment link and receipt, while keeping the merchant-fee cost lines in our own reports accurate.

If it can run an operation where the margin for error is zero, it can run your business.

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