Growing up in Norway, a small Sondre Senderud would gaze up at the sky, full of admiration for his uncle, who flew both seaplanes and helicopters. "He used to wave the wings of his seaplane as he passed over our house on the way to and from the fjords with passengers. That was a big part of what lit the spark for me."
"Aviation is one of those industries where the highs and lows are super exaggerated. You can go from hero to zero in the blink of an eye; all it takes is one small mistake or slip-up."
Tina Grindeland is a full-time utility pilot; the only female one in all of Greenland. She's flown in many countries and in many capacities, but her path wasn't all linear. "There isn't just one memory or any fancy story. I have always been interested in aviation and helicopters, but didn't see myself as, maybe, smart enough or good enough in mathematics, for example."
"Dad took me to several airshows when I was a kid, and I fell in love with aviation. As we all know, aviation is an expensive endeavor, so that dream got put on the back burner while I pursued firefighting. After being a part of that world for a few years, I was finally in a position to make the switch to aviation, and it's been all out ever since!"
Tobi actually always wanted to become a farmer, but as no one in his family was into farming, he chose the academic route and went to high school and university. Nearing the end of a Bachelor of Business and Administration, he felt the urge to pursue a career that would be connected to a passion rather than just making a living. "At some point, I asked myself what got my attention, aside from tractors, when I was a child – and that's how helicopters came back into the picture!"
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a helicopter pilot. Justin Pedersen was 11 years old, at a friend's house for an afternoon in the summer. The friend's older brother had embarked on a career as a helicopter pilot, but at that age, it didn't really click what that meant. [...]
Rosita has countless memories of flights together in her dad's Cessna 182, the standard ritual being that he would stack three pillows on the right-hand seat, picking her up to place her on this magnificent throne. It's no wonder she grew up to be one of the most diversely licensed young pilots in the world.
To those who know Taylor Chism, a quick look at the way her life has unfolded is not surprising at all; to others, it's an enviable, intriguing, and sometimes confronting combination of everything outdoorsy, adventurous, and exciting. She possesses the zest of a confident kid who hasn't yet been taught how to fear, but she's a frank, steadily spoken young woman with the quiet self-assuredness of one who knows her personal limits.
"I have many 'whys,'" says Sam. "I never grew up in an aviation family. No one in my family is a pilot or flies. But I always had a love for aviation – I just never really thought it was attainable. I didn't quite know how to pave that path when I was younger." Instead, [...]
Amanda Deed's dad, Paul, started flying before she was born, and she's been in the front seat with him ever since she could reach the controls. Now, both fixed-wing and heli pilots, they are a spirited pair crisscrossing the country, ferrying all manner of aircraft and relishing Australia's natural wonders.
