We Are Mountain Pilots

As a kid Carlo would watch floatplanes come and go near his family’s cabin in the Cariboo/Chilcotin region, curiously wondering where they were heading and what they could see from their birds-eye-view. This sparked a passion for flying and an adventurous itch for “seeing what is over the next rise”. Today Carlo owns and operates two companies: Sea To Sky Air, a commercial air service sharing the inspiration that comes with a new perspective of the local south coast mountains; and A+G Reforestation, a silviculture company that plants over 4 million forest seedlings annually, provides ecosystem restoration, wildfire risk management and wildfire suppression services to the Province of BC.  “Both operations allow me to stay connected to the remote places and communities that originally captured my imagination as a child and continue to explore our relationships with the environment around us.”

Born and raised in the UK, David moved to Canada following his love for the mountains. “I now cannot imagine anything other than waking up to sunrise on the mountains and the possibility of going skiing, biking and fishing all in the same day! The Sea To Sky corridor has provided me with many opportunities in life, from participating in Iron Man triathlons, competing at provincial level bobsledding on the Olympic track in Whistler, to having a professional career in aviation”. David bought himself his very first flight lesson here in Squamish in 2011. “Three years and countless hours of studying later I could proudly call myself a commercial pilot”. One of the things that excites David most is the ability to share it all with guests. “We get to make people’s dreams come true. Seeing the beaming smiles created by such a unique perspective of this amazing environment never gets old”.

Having grown up in the Fraser Valley, Erik developed a passion for being in the mountains at an early age. “Growing up, my Dad had a 15 passenger van named Big Blue that we’d stuff full of friends and drive to Mt Baker on weekends to go skiing.

The mountains have always bee a big part of my life”. After a 5 year stint in Toronto earning a bachelor’s degree majoring in photography, Erik returned to BC and began the journey of becoming a splitboard guide. He has since guided around the Kootenays and Japan. “I had always been interested in aviation, and flying then allowed me to connect with the mountains in an entirely new way.” Erik began working at a floatplane base in northern BC flying a super cub in the rugged and remote Cassiar Mountains. Now calling Squamish home, Erik is incredibly excited for the opportunity to share his passion for the mountains with others while flying in the Sea To Sky Corridor. 

Also from the UK, Dominic first visited the Sea to Sky Corridor in 2008 on a working holiday. “After returning to the UK I wasn’t satisfied, I wanted more than just the normal 9 to 5. So in 2013 I moved back out to start a new life”. This new back yard inspired Dominic to go out and live one adventure after another “Hiking, camping, snowboarding, climbing, it’s all here”. Dominic has a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Technology, and completed his commercial pilots license in Vancouver. “I have gained all of my experience flying around these hills. No two days are the same. There’s always something new and spectacular to see that really blows your mind. I love scoping out new peaks to summit or plateaus to camp on and there’s no better view than a sunrise over the distant peaks and the smell of fresh coffee brewing on the camp stove”.

I grew up playing hockey up until my early twenties when I decided I wanted to make a change. Having visited the west coast many times before I knew I wanted to relocate to the sea to sky corridor. The ability to hike, ski and bike out of my back door is what drove me here. Ever since moving here my love for the outdoors has grown and I’m always trying to get outside when I can. With the endless mountains and valleys there is always something new to see. I began flight training  in 2019 and knew that this was the career I wanted to pursue. Flying throughout the surrounding area for the last few years made me appreciate everything tenfold. Being able to explore from the sky opens up a whole new world which is unseen by most. Flying makes all the amazing sights accessible for everyone and I could’t be more excited to share that with others.

Having previously lived in the Canadian Rockies, followed by four years on the South Island of New Zealand, the mountains have always been a huge part of Dylans life. Coming back to Canada, he has now been lucky enough to call Whistler home for the last eight years. Over this time Dylan has been amazed by the never ending amount of exploration these mountains have to offer. It is this love for being outside and experiencing the mountains that actually lead him to aviation. Many times while being way out in the backcountry he would encounter a small plane flying overhead and thought “I have to experience what that is all about”. Fast forward five years and a commercial pilots license later and now Dylan loves being able to share this incredible opportunity.

Having grown up in Richmond his whole life and living close to the airport, Dylan has always had a deep passion for aviation. He attended BCIT in their Airline and Flight Operations Commercial Pilot program, achieved his CPL in two years, and entrenched his practical abilities & theoretical knowledge for piloting various aircraft. “I love seeing the Earth from a new perspective and being able to feel the wind under my wings,” 

Dylan has always had a deep love for the outdoors, which is why he finds British Columbia to be one of the most beautiful places on Earth, perfect for the activities he loves. Dylan is an eager soul, always hoping to see new places by land, sea, and especially by air. “The Sea to Sky corridor has amazing geology and scenery, and there is so much to see.” 

When he is not flying, he is jumping into the ocean or cycling up a mountain. “I want to show my passion for aviation and the beauty of British Columbia, and flying for Sea to Sky Air is the place to do this.

Born on the North Shore of Vancouver Kyle realized early on my passion for aviation and mountains. Kyle grew up skiing in the local mountains and watching seaplanes in Coal Harbour, hoping to join them in the sky. While completing a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry focusing on environmental impacts and local BC geology Kyle also obtained his Commercial Pilot Licence. While studying he travelled to other places in the world which made him realize how precious our environment is here in BC.

Kyle enjoys hiking the local mountains and paddle boarding in the summer, disconnecting from technology and living in the moment. After flying in Ontario, and Manitoba there is no question that British Columbia has the most amazing flying. Being able to fly over astonishing mountains, and beautiful lakes, or hop over to an island is something special. Getting to share this unique experience with others has always been his favourite part of aviation.