Rickey is originally from Sheridan, WY and after many years away recently moved back to where he has always called home.  He attended high school in Boise, Idaho then shortly after graduating joined the Marine Corps.  He was stationed on the East coast for several years.

 

While in the armed services, Rickey served as a crew chief on the CH-46E at the Presidential Helicopter Squadron, HMX-1.  Then he changed jobs and became a crew chief on the MV-22 “Osprey” tilt-rotor aircraft.  Flying in the back of helicopters and traveling the world was always adventurous but when his daughter Florence was born in 2017 it was time for him exit military life. 

 

Along with his wife, they moved back to Boise, Idaho where Rickey started going to school at Boise State University.  He studied kinesiology and worked as a personal trainer but after 18 months he was eager to get involved with helicopters and flying again.

Rickey started his civilian aviation career at Silverhawk Aviation Academy in Caldwell, Idaho where he earned all of rotorcraft ratings.  This was all while simultaneously attending Treasure Valley Community College!  Rickey received an Associates of Applied science in Aviation Technology for Helicopters along with an Aviation Safety Management Systems Certificate.

 

After becoming a CFII, he started working as an instructor and eventually became a Part 135 Charter pilot.  Because of his experiences with tandem rotors in the military, Rickey always had my sights set on being able to fly them. Recently that dream became a reality and now he works for Columbia Helicopters flying Chinooks and the Boeing Vertol 107-II helicopters!

Outside of contract work and when back home in Sheridan, Rickey enjoys quality time with his family, mountain biking, snowboarding, and of course flying.  In the near future he has goals to get fixed wing rating, A&P certificate and also continuing instruction in helicopters.

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SP307 is really excited to have Rickey on our team and we look forward to growing a rotor training program in the future together!