Training great pilots is a team effort.
Get to know our team
Premier Helicopter Training is not a huge company concerned with generating big bucks and even bigger egos. It’s a school run by dedicated instructors who love to fly helicopters and love to teach even more. We are approachable, available, and accountable to our students and we are continually improving our services and our offerings to teach you better.
Rob Wood - Chief Flight Instructor
As the chief flight instructor, Rob Wood is the man responsible for your education and for the teaching style of the school. An experienced pilot with over 11,000 hours in helicopters, Rob was licenced in BC in 1992 and has extensive commercial flying and instructing experience, including over 4,000 teaching hours. He has worked as a base manager and knows first-hand what the industry requires from a pilot. His experience ranges from aerial construction to fighting forest fires, with seismic surveys, mountain flying, and oil and gas and mining exploration in between. He is experienced in production long line and precision long lining. He has flown over all terrains, from the mountains of British Columbia to the vast expanses of the high arctic.
But Rob considers his qualifications as a teacher to be even more important than his skills as a pilot, and his love of teaching includes being a hockey coach for 10 years. He believes that numbers aren’t that impressive when it comes to flight instructors; it’s relationships with students that really count. It’s through the cultivation of lasting and trusting relationships with students that Rob helps them to develop the confidence and the attitude they need to make it in the industry. Rob doesn’t teach because he has to, he does it because he loves to.
Matt Gantry - Ground School Instructor
A licensed commercial pilot, Matt Gantry is dedicated to his role as ground school instructor. He’s the guy who will be teaching you the theory behind vertical flight, and he will also be assisting you with the paper work you need for licensing. Matt's enthusiasm for helicopters and his extensive knowledge make him an invaluable member of the PHT team.
Mike McDowell - Aircraft Maintenance Engineer
Mike McDowell has worked in the helicopter industry since 1963. His experience at many helicopter companies as well as his years of overhaul experience and field engineer expertise make him the ideal mentor to learn from in the hangar. Mike's knowledge and ability to teach new pilots makes him a perfect match for our apprenticeship program.
Jason Brown - Instructor
With over 8,000 hours in helicopters and a broad operations and training background, Jason brings real world experience to the learning environment. As an accomplished pilot, he remains active in field operations. Having held positions as Operations Manager and Chief Pilot, Jason has a valuable insight into what it takes to become a successful pilot in today's market.