In this episode of Aviation No Tie Downs, we get to hang out with Red Bull Helicopter Pilot Aaron Fitzgerald, live from the 2023 AirVenture show in Oshkosh, WI. He tells his story of how he came to be the amazing aerobatic helicopter pilot he is today, from his start in news helicopters in Santa Monica, California.
Fitzgerald emphasizes the importance of physical conditioning and daily practice to maintain his skills. He fills us in on what’s coming up next with Red Bull and his own personal life. He expresses gratitude for his career, which allows him to share his passion for aviation.
The conversation takes place in a spacious hangar at Wittman Regional Airport, where Aaron awaits his turn to perform at the air show and stun the crowd. As you listen to his story, you’ll feel as if you’re right there in Oshkosh, with the sounds of the air show echoing above. Aaron’s advice for aspiring pilots is straightforward: “Work harder and be nicer than everyone else.”
Here are some highlights from our interview with Aaron Fitzgerald
Teresa De Mers: You’re doing this amazing kind of helicopter flying, very few people in the world can do it, but you didn’t go from, “Okay, I got my private license” to “Now I’m flying for Red Bull”. So, what were some of the progressions in between there?
Aaron Fitzgerald: So, in my case, when I first got rated up, I started in news helicopters. I was working in Santa Monica airport as I was going through flight school, and I noticed that there was a news helicopter at the airport that flew more than any of the other helicopters combined. They were constantly going in and out, so like a magnet, I was kind of drawn to that program. And it took me a while to finally convince them to hire me, but they did, and that’s how I started. I started flying a news helicopter, and in that capacity, is how I was introduced to flying cameras, and that led to aerial production. I did a lot of film and television work over the years, as I kind of progressed and built time and experience. It was in that capacity that I met Red Bull, so I was working for them, filming some of their events, and then they knew me when they needed a new aerobatic pilot, and that’s how it happened.
Teresa: So, tell us a little bit about the Red Bull fleet this year.
Aaron: Well, this is a pretty unique experience because we have a lot of Red Bull aircraft that aren’t normally around here at the show. So, we have the helicopter, of course, and we have Kirby Chambliss here in his Edge 540 and we have Kevin Coleman in his Extra 300 so both of our airplane aerobatic performers are here, which is cool to have them both at the same show. But additionally, we have the Carbon Cub that was flown by Luke Czepiela, that he landed on a helipad in Dubai on the Burj Al Arab.
Teresa: How do you develop a routine? Is it you? Is it a team? How does that work?
Aaron: In my case, it’s 100% me. The people who trained me how to do this were Rainer Wilke and Blackie Schwartz, and they both gave me the same kind of directive, and that is, we’re going to get all the maneuvers. We’re going to teach you the whole display, everything we do, and it’s up to you to come up with a routine that you like, a sequence that flows naturally and one that looks good for the crowd, but also one that allows you to maintain energy and air speed in critical points during the show.
Teresa: What advice would you have for young people that are watching this, maybe that are thinking, “Yeah, I’d like to be an air show performer”. What would you suggest for them?
Aaron: The foundation I always say to young pilots, or young people in general, is just “work harder and be nicer than everybody else”. Come to work with a good attitude, be prepared, you know, be on time, be a better employee, and that’ll make you a better pilot. You know, know your aircraft and all it all falls under work harder and be nicer. So just preparation and a good attitude.
I would just like to say how grateful and thankful I am that I get to do this flying for a living. It’s such a gift, you know? I don’t take any of it for granted, and then to do a job like this one, where I get to share my love of this with everybody is just amazing.
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