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OTTO Pilot: Roger Buis
Roger Buis has been flying since 1980. Roger has over 16,500 total flight hours and has been nominated for Army Aviator of the Year in helicopters. Roger first soloed in the Hughes TH-55 Osage, the predecessor to the Schweizer 300C, which is what OTTO the helicopter is. Roger also flies the Bell 206/206 L, the Bell Jet Ranger and Long Ranger, the Bell 407,and the Eurocopter Twin Star. Roger flies airplanes and fixed-wing aircraft. He started flying, like many pilots, a Cessna 150, 152 and 172. He also flies multi-engine and Citation jet aircraft. For fun, Roger obtained his seaplane ratings. Flying helicopters has given Roger the opportunity to do all kinds of flying from offshore in the oil industry, to firefighting, search and rescue, forestry, environmental protection, sight seeing, air charter, real estate surveying, power and pipeline patrol, television, movie and advertising photography and flight instruction. Roger is among the few pilots in the world who has towed a sailplane or glider with a helicopter.
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Ratings
Over 16,500 flight hours and still logging, Roger holds an ATP, Airplane Transport Pilot, the highest rating of the FAA, Federal Aviation Administration. He is rated in Single and Multi-engine fixed wing, land & sea, Rotorcraft helicopter. He is type rated in a Citation 500 series jet and a BH-47. Further he holds instructor ratings in Airplanes single & multi Land & sea, Rotorcraft Helicopters, instruments, CFI, CFII, MEI. Additionally, he holds an A&P Certificate, so as an Airframe and Power plant mechanic, he can maintain aircraft.
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Hobbies and Real Job
Roger also enjoys flying for fun and traveling with his wife Pauline and Aileron the Airshow Dog. He and his family all SCUBA dive (except Aileron) and fish. Anyone who has met Roger will tell you that he is a good storyteller. For his real job, Roger can’t believe he gets paid to fly. He is the Chief Pilot for Heliworks of Pensacola, Florida, USA, a helicopter operation that does off-shore, movie filming and photography, news and media, sight seeing, power and pipeline patrol, corona and infrared, fire control and fire fighting, government contracts, air charter, and flight instruction. Roger still enjoys teaching and gets thrilled to see a student pilot earn his solo wings and pilot’s license.
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