- Commercial pilot CPL(H) with ATPL(H)/IR
- Flight instructor FI(H)
- CMM (Compliance Monitoring Manager)
Flying career:
Mike sat in the cockpit of a helicopter for the first time on a trial flight in 2004 and then decided to complete private pilot training for helicopters. This was followed by a short sequence in the military on PC7 before he took a creative break. In 2018 he completed the CPL(H) commercial pilot training and the following year he completed the FI(H) instructor training. Of course, the MOU(H) mountain training course couldn't be missed either. “As you know, it never gets boring for me,” says the “Äntlibuecher”. So he completed the ATPL/IR airline pilot training during the Corona period. Mike now works for us as a compliance monitoring manager, professional pilot and instructor and teaches theoretical subjects to private pilots.
Education and profession:
After leaving the cockpit, Mike works at RUAG as Director Sales Air Systems. There he is responsible for coordinating the maintenance work on helicopters and jets for the Swiss Army. Mike is a trained agricultural machinery mechanic with a vocational diploma and subsequent engineering studies. The two post-graduate studies - eMBA from the University of Bern, Master's in Finance and Business Management from the University of Rochester in New York - came afterwards.
Hobbies and free time:
In addition to flying, hobbies include family, sports and gardening. He says that at Airport Helicopter you feel like part of the family, which he also sees as a source of balance and a hobby.
He loves to eat spare ribs and everything else that comes off the grill. If this is still at his favorite place in Miami, he seems happy.
His flying role model is Gerold Biner, pilot and CEO of Air Zermatt. The “Äntlibucher” doesn’t fly as well as Gerold, but he’s making up a lot of ground thanks to his cleverness.
Favorite helicopter:
Mikes’ favorite helicopter is the “Röbeli”, as he affectionately calls the Robinson R22, and the AS350 Ecureuil.
Tip/motivation for anyone considering starting training to become a helicopter pilot:
“It takes a lot of time and perseverance to gain a foothold in aviation. This is also due to the limited options. Never the less, complete training, gain experience and, with a bit of luck, be in the right place at the right time!”
