COURTESY AIR METHODS
FLIGHT PATH QUICK FACTS Sarah Louise Snell
Air Methods Wisconsin CURRENT JOB
I fly the EC145 (BK 117 C-2) in an air ambulance capacity in
Wisconsin, conducting a mix of interhospital flights and scene calls to transport sick or injured patients to critical-care facilities.
FIRST AVIATION JOB
My very first job in aviation was as an aircraft refueler at a small airport in McMinnville, Oregon, at age 17. My flying career
started in Alaska in fixed-wing aircraft. My first helicopter pilot job was for a safari company in Kenya.
FAVORITE HELICOPTER
One that’s well maintained! If I had to choose among the
helicopters I’ve flown, I like best the AS350 B3 with the 2B1 engine.
Tell us about your first helicopter ride. It was an introductory lesson with the owner of the helicopter school I attended in Oregon (Jerry Trimble Helicopters). His mastery of the machine and demonstra- tion of precision flying was inspi- rational. I was hooked from my first full-down auto!
My most memorable flights are those for wildlife rescue and protection in Kenya, for Tropic Air. I love the feeling in helicopter missions when the combi- nation of a well-equipped machine and a capa- ble, well-trained crew creates a safe and successful outcome.
How did you get to where you are now? I started flying gliders in Oregon when I was 16 and by 20 had obtained my fixed-wing com- mercial and instructor’s ratings, then my A&P in Alaska in my early 20s. Working as a bush pilot in Alaska and then in Africa naturally led me to start flying helicopters in 2010. Flying in Africa really challenged my flight-planning skills and performance calculations, as the flights were always in high-altitude terrain with heavy loads and unpredictable destinations that had very limited services. The helicopter community is small and widespread, and I think my opportunities have presented themselves because I’ve worked hard in the right place at the right time with
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the right people around me to help advance my career. I’m so grateful for the people who gave me a chance to prove myself early in my career, and I hope to pay forward the same favor to others in the future.
What are your career goals? I wish someday to give back to the world and my community through my helicopter flying career. I’m interested in flying the first genera- tion of eco-friendly helicopters, and I hope to do so while supporting rescue organizations, providing medical services, or protecting and studying the environment.
What advice would you give someone pursuing your path? Never compromise safety for a job. Pay atten- tion, and adhere to your personal minimums regarding weather and performance safety. Also, if you still can’t hover on your third les- son, don’t give up!
How did you decide helicopter aviation was the career for you?
I became interested in helicopters when, as a commercial fixed-wing pilot, I spent a summer delivering fuel to remote utility helicopter operations in Alaska. I realized the helicopter pilots were having a lot more fun than I was! After that experience, I started working on my add-on ratings to shift my career track to rotary wing.
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