Meet a otor


Pro RPMN: Tell me about your fi rst fl ight.


I was a young child and it was a tour- ride helicopter. I’ll never forget it, everyone was amazed by the scenery and I could have cared less about that. I was grossly intrigued by the helicopter itself: how it worked, what the pilot was doing, the gauges, etc.


RPMN: How did you get your start in helicopters?


From my fi rst helicopter experience as a


child I knew that I wanted to fl y helicopters when I grew up. I dabbled into taking the plunge throughout my late teenage years and early 20s, and the fi nancial reality always reared its ugly head. By the time I considered the military route, I was established in a successful law enforcement career. Although I don’t like to admit it, I do have a private airplane single- engine rating (said with laughter). I did this


10 January 2015 Matt Johnson


RPMN: What is your current position? After spending nearly several years in


the HEMS industry, I just recently started fl ying for a sheriff ’s offi ce in southwest Ohio (Cincinnati). I came out of an EC145 in HEMS and am now in an MD500E and MD520N. I greatly enjoyed HEMS, however, it is nice wiggling the stick again and not just pushing buttons and turning knobs. My current position is never boring and allows me to fl y much more than I did as a HEMS pilot.


early on to appease my aviation interest and learn, at a cheaper rate, all that I could about basic aviation. Although I haven’t fl own an airplane in several years, I am glad I got the experience. In my mid 20s I decided to take the helicopter plunge and never looked back. I did my private and commercial over a two-year period and then followed with an instrument rating, CFI, and CFII rating a couple years after that. Then a couple years later, I followed up with an ATP rating.


RPMN: Where did you get your start fl ying commercially?


I was fortunate to get a good start in


my hometown. I initially fl ew for a local sheriff ’s offi ce, fl ying state agents around doing marijuana eradication. I also did a fair amount of instructing. My fi rst full-time fl ying job was fl ying news and then I fl ew agricultural work. After that I moved on to nearly fi ve years of HEMS work. I learned a lot about the Part 135 world and fl ew a lot of nice aircraft, including the EC135 and EC145.


RPMN: You have fl own a lot of diff erent makes and models of helicopters, which do you like best?


I was afraid you would ask that! That is a


tough one. I have enjoyed most everything I have ever fl own. For a piston helicopter I am very fond of the R44; they make a great trainer and great point A to point B machine. I’m also a big fan of the Enstrom


Matt Johnson (left)


line and excited to see their recent progress. For the single-engine turbines, I absolutely love the MD500E. The iconic Bell 206 is near and dear to me as well. For the twin-engine turbines, I would have to say the EC135 is my favorite.


RPMN: If you were not in the helicopter industry, what else would you see yourself doing?


Well, my answer isn’t exactly something outside the industry. If I had to be doing something else it would most likely be turning wrenches on helicopters. I have a lot of respect for good mechanics and always have been extremely interested in the “what and how” of mechanical things.


RPMN: What is your greatest career accomplishment to date?


Becoming an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) has been the highlight of my career. I was honored in the beginning when selected by my FSDO (FAA Flight Standards District Offi ce), but as time progressed I realized the magnitude of the opportunity. I conduct private through ATP-level exams as well as CFI and CFI-I. The people I meet, and seeing fi rsthand the dedication that CFIs and their students put into achieving a pilot certifi cate or rating, is extremely rewarding. My DPE designation allows me to appreciate the characteristics of many diff erent makes and models of helicopters; it continually humbles me. Between my “day job” and


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