Commercial Helicopter Pilot & Rescue Swimmer

William has over 20 years experience in professional rescue services as a helicopter pilot, rescue swimmer and EMT.

He is a retired Coast Guard helicopter pilot with:

3800 hrs total pilot time (T-34, Bell 206, H60, EH101, S-76), 600 hrs night, 400 hrs NVG, 500 hrs mountain.

William's assignments have included:

Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas - 4 years. Aviation Survival Technician (AST)/ Rescue Swimmer/EMT-B (HH-65A).

Coast Guard Group San Francisco, California - 2 years. Search and Rescue controller/Search Planner. Coordinated boat and helicopter crew training. National SAR School graduate.

U.S. Navy Flight Training. Pensacola, Florida - 1.5 years. (T-34C/ 206B)

Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida - 4 years. (HH60J) All weather day/night pilot in support of all Coast Guard missions. NVG/FLIR/Weather Radar qualified. Deployed 400+ days in support of international counter-narcotic operations in the Bahamas and Caribbean (OPBAT, Frontier Shield, Frontier Lance) - worked extensively with DEA, U.S. Customs and foreign LE.

Exchange Pilot - Canadian Forces 442 Squadron, Comox, British Columbia - 3 years. (EH101) SAR squadron responsible for area of western Canada including all of British Columbia, the Yukon Territory and the west coast between Alaska and Washington. Canadian Helicopters Mountain Flying Course (Bell 206). Initial cadre of pilots to fly Augusta-Westland EH-101 in SAR role. Liaison between USCG and Canadian Forces for SAR procedures and technique.

Coast Guard Air Station San Diego, California - 2 years. (MH60J) Pilot in support of all Coast Guard Missions. Vertical insertion qualified. Responded to Gulf Coast Hurricanes in 2005.