Meet Clive. He is a pilot at HeliNY. We sat down with him to pick his brain about his job and the industry.
Q: What is your name?
A: Clive Roberts
Q: What is your role at HeliNY?
A: Pilot. I fly both private charters and tours.
Q: Which do you prefer?
A: I like both of them. It’s nice to have a mix. Tours are great because you get to have people experiencing helicopters for the first time. Charters are nice because you get to see new places all the time.
Q: What’s the longest charter?
A: Boston to DC is the longest range. Charters are for shorter distances.
Q: What’s the coolest part about your job?
A: Flying the helicopter!
Q: How did you get into this industry?
A: I was always interested in aviation in general and particularly the helicopter. When I was a kid in England my dad used to take me to air shows and I really loved it. I started out flying airplanes in 1989 and transitioned into the helicopter in 2002.
Q: Why did you switch?
A: I always wanted to fly the helicopter. As soon as I could afford the flight training I went ahead and did it. The thing that’s nice about flying helicopters is you can stay close to home and it’s a more interesting machine to fly.
Q: What is your favorite part about working at HeliNY?
A: It’s a great company. It feels more like a family. The maintenance is top-notch. Fantastic. The equipment is great– we have great helicopters. Most of them are new. I like everyone here and it’s a great place to work.
Q: What’s your favorite NYC landmark?
A: The Statue of Liberty because of what it represents. It is recognizable by most people in the world. Back when immigrants were entering New York Harbor it was a symbol of hope and life and a fresh start. For a lot of people, it still has that same pull. They probably get the same feelings about it.
Q: What advice do you have for someone getting into the industry?
A: Training can be challenging at first, but stick with it. The rewards are worth it.
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