Featured Pilot of the Month - Lewis from Army Parachute Association

Meet Lewis, a pilot that I met in our Caravan Pilot group on Facebook. He is a British Caravan pilot flying skydivers in Germany for Army Parachute Association. A company that has a contract in Germany to fly British servicemen for Sport Parachuting at Rhine Army Parachute Association.

Age: 23

Total Time: 1100

Company: Army Parachute Association, United Kingdom

Location: Bad Lippspringe, Germany

Years flying the Caravan: 2 years

What do you like most about flying the Caravan?

From flying a DA42 in your Instrument Rating onto a commercial operating aircraft with people trusting their lives in you, the Caravan beats all other aircraft in helping you take that step. The caravan is an amazing aircraft to fly, with forgive ability to a low hour pilot. The caravan allows me to take all my theory and student studies into actual practical experience for example IFR approaches and airway work. Understanding how the CoG affects each aspect of flight, especially when your passengers are on the camera step! Knowing that once you start flying a turbine aircraft, its awareness for temperature, temperature, temperature! The caravan has very comfortable seats, with arm rests to allow long days as a jump pilot. There is no better single engine turbine aircraft available and no aircraft which is more enjoyable.

What are your career goals?

My career goals are that whenever I am flying an aircraft, it should be hand flown. In the future, I wish to go onto multi turbine aircraft where I can hand fly; whether this be parachuting, ferrying or bush flying. I would also like to advance onto business jets or the airline route.

What is your advice for younger pilots?

Never give up sending CVs, never give up networking, never give up visiting airfields and never give up trying! Always try and revise some form of aviation, whether it’s POF or OPS at least once a week. If you ever get a chance to fly, even if its safety pilot on a ferry flight, grab it! Employer’s always like to see that young pilots are involved in this hard industry. If you are a young student, give a company an email to say where you are. After a few emails they will remember your name and how you are progressing in your pilot career. If you have just got your commercial licence then look at building your hours at companies like parachuting, ferrying, instructing and gliding towing. I was very lucky, where I emailed the Chief Pilot of the company the day he needed a pilot.