coastdog

I am a career pilot and third generation Canadian aviator. I started my career as a floatplanes pilot in Northern Ontario and later the West Coast. I've owned and operated my own float charter service and had partial ownership in another. I consider that I was reasonably successful - I didn't crash and I didn't go broke. The sale of of my business gave me the time and resources to make the change to rotary.

In 2000 I was offered a corporate position with a large forest products company flying a beautiful Viking Turbo-Beaver amphib. Salary with benefits and home every night sealed the deal. Flying the big Beaver around was a great gig! To top it off a generous schedule allowed me a considerable amount of part time heli flying on the side. After the economic crash of 2008 my flight department down-sized to zero and I returned to helicopters full time.

So today it's 35 years and over 23,000 hours later, I'm still married to my first wife, who remains the perfect aviator's wife. I got caught up in a modern day gold rush exploring the wilds of the Yukon Territory for a few years but have since returned to my home on Vancouver Island to fly once again in the rain forest, perhaps until I retire ....

I feel very fortunate to have chosen the life of a "bush" pilot. Still eager to head off to work in the morning, anticipating another day of fun and adventure (most days, anyway).