When John Gowey was a kid, he watched floatplanes from Kenmore Air fly over his house. Today, he’s the Chief Pilot. If you’ve ever thought about flying floats for a living, don’t miss this interview. You’ll learn about this unique oddball flying path, and how to get started.
Dave Wiewel has pretty much done it all: he flew a DC-3 around the world, worked for many different regional airlines, flew 737s for Continental, and now flies tourists around Denali National Park in a Navajo and a turbine Beaver. Recorded last summer, this interview features some great discussion about a changing industry, the impact of technology in the cockpit, and the pros and cons of flying jets for the majors.
Mike Hageland started his company back in 1980 with a single Cessna 180 based in Mountain Village, Alaska. At the time, he had no idea that Hageland Aviation would one day be part of Era Alaska–the largest air carrier in the state. Back in 2010 Aidan sat down with Mike to talk about his journey. Enjoy this chat with one of the pioneers of modern Alaskan aviation!
Last September Aidan ferried an airplane to Tanzania, and sat down with Tanzanair Chief Pilot K.H. Kondo in Dar es Salaam to discuss his career, his country, and his company. With more than 23,000 hours of flight time, Captain Kondo had a lot of experience to share.
Towing banners is a really fun job for low time pilots. Last Fall, Aidan sat down with an Era Alaska pilot to hear about his days towing banners along the New Jersey Shore … and how he got from there to flying for Era.
Laurie Harden didn’t start flying gliders until she was 50. With her license in hand, she promptly opened a new glider operation in Minden, Nevada. Here’s her story, and advice for getting started as a tow pilot, a tour pilot, or a glider instructor.
Most Alaskan flying jobs these days don’t quite live up to the romantic “bush pilot” fantasy. But as you’ll hear in this interview, there’s still plenty of classic outdoor adventure to be found when you fly for a hunting and fishing lodge.
When Tyler Westhoff decided he wanted to become a glacier pilot in the summer of 2004, he had no idea that his path to Talkeetna Air Taxi would include flying gliders and ultralights … in Hawaii. Today, he splits his time between both places. In this interview, you’ll hear Tyler’s story and his advice for low-time pilots.
How does a kid from Nepal with a dream of one day becoming a pilot turn that dream into reality? Listen in as Goma Air Captain and Director of Operations A.D. Sherpa tells his story … and explains why he left an airline job flying the ATR 72 in India to start a new airline with two Cessna Caravans in Western Nepal.
There are few aircraft as suited for hauling heavy cargo in and out of the world’s toughest strips as the C-130 Hercules, and there are only a few non-military operators around. Rick Zerkel is the Vice President of Operations at Lynden Air Cargo, one of these specialized companies. In this interview, you’ll hear his story, learn about the L-382, and get his best career advice.
