Guest Columnist

Captain Patrick Corr

Captain Patrick Corr, Helicopter Adventures Inc., looks at some of the unusual characters his school has taught to fly over the years

At the upcoming Heli-Expo in Orlando (March 1-3, 2007) my company, Helicopter Adventures Inc., will celebrate its twentieth anniversary. As I reflect upon two decades of flight training my fondest memories are of the wonderful characters who have passed through our doors. Whilst the vast majority of the thousands of pilots we have trained have closely resembled the stereotype (male, late-twenties, single, and single-minded in their pursuit of a new career) there has been no shortage of those with huge personality or individualism.

For some reason helicopters seem to attract an eclectic sample of society, including a lot of likable rogues, a few real oddballs, and on very rare occasions a truly unsavoury individual. Perhaps it's the lure of adventure or the association with the lifestyle of the rich and famous that brings the latter to our industry. For our more typical customer however it's their fascination with helicopters and the desire to enjoy a career worthy of such passion.

When my flight school began to grow beyond its very primitive beginnings, I felt I had to make a choice between a career as a pilot or as a businessman. As a result I now achieve my...