From the time I was a youngster I've been  immensely interested in how things work and all things mechanical.  Indeed, growing-up on a farm with a father who also owned a metal fabrication and manufacturing business, meant that I knew my way around a toolbox and a machine shop.  By the time most kids my age were starting their first newspaper route, I could run a welding machine.    

I was also remarkably interested in Space and Aeronautics - which should not seem surprising as I was born into the era when US President John Kennedy tasked NASA with the mission to conquer space and land on the moon. NaturalIy, my early career thoughts were to become an aircraft engineer or mechanic.

Anyway, under the Christmas tree of 1970 was one of the first editions of The Encyclopedia of Space. Then, for my 9th birthday, my grandmother gifted me a remote-controlled airplane.  The final nail in the inspirational framework was Mr. Brown’s high school rocketry class, where I experimented with the idea of a vertically launched, rocket-powered glider (similar to the Space Shuttle). Sadly, on launch-day half of it remained on the pad, whilst the other half scattered itself in every cardinal direction. In the years following I designed and built several model and full-size airplanes, and gained a bunch of experience as a mechanic.

Related to flying, my first flight in a small aircraft occurred when I was 12-years old. Of course, I was a passenger but the pilot allowed me to manipulate the controls. I was hooked and  began showing up at a local flying school when I was around 15-years old, solo’d not too long afterwards, and in the 40-plus years since first touching the controls have amassed over 23,000 hours of flight time and held positions, including:

          •     Pilot, (including Captain, First Officer, & Second Officer)

          •     Instructor,

          •     Company Check Pilot/Airman,

          •     Chief Pilot,

          •     Safety Officer,

          •     IOSA Auditor,

          •     Flight Standards Specialist,

          •     Flight Test Pilot, and

          •     Flight Operations Manager.

I keep my mechanical skills current with  a variety of projects - mostly of the DIY flavour - although another aircraft project is on the drawing board.

Back to flying. The build-up to my current position – 747 Captain – began in Canada as a Flight Instructor, and my “airline” career began on the day I received my Instrument Rating (in fact the ink had not yet dried). I happened to be in the right place at the right time and was offered a job flying the Cessna 414 for a Victoria-based construction company. This led to a position with a Vancouver based commuter airline where I continued to build experience on the Cessna 402. After reaching the magic 1500-hours, I took to the road in search of bigger airplanes, and more money. Like many of my compatriots, this search meant packing the car and driving to many of the airlines which were scattered across Canada,  building a few hours as a “bush pilot”, and then repeating the process in pursuit of a big airline – the holy grail for most young aviators. My personal experience building journey - within Canada - took me to airlines based in; Calgary, Inuvik, Yellowknife, Sioux Lookout, Timmins, and North Bay.

In 1989 I obtained a US green card and was able to sell my skills to an airline in Alaska.  The USA offers far greater opportunities for pilots than Canada does. Landing (pun sort of  intended) the chance to fly for US-airlines awarded me opportunities that I may not otherwise have had, including opportunities to fly various Airbus, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas aircraft for US airlines, and various other aircraft on behalf of US aviation entities outside the US. Altogether, I’ve had the privilege of flying more than 30-types of aircraft, from the smallest ultra-light to the current Jumbo.

September 11th, 2001 hurt the airlines – that’s indisputable. But, as the saying goes, “…when one door closes, blah blah blah, another opens…”.  

In 2002, I joined an international Airline Crewing Agency which provided pilots to various airlines around the world on both short and long-term basis. I held contracts as a captain on the SW227, A320, A330, and the Boeing 747.  I was based in places such as; Malta, Vietnam, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Seychelles, and China.

After 15-years as a contracted pilot, I left the agency when my current airline offered me a permanent position as Captain, Boeing 747.

What’s next? No idea. My journey is an adventure with no particular destination, so only time will tell.