The Voice behind Flying Myndz

My story starts after spending two years in college, trying to find my passion in the Kinesiology field. I could say I failed at becoming a kinesiologist, or moving on to become a doctor, but with every setback, or failure, there comes a greater understanding in who you want to become. I left college and went back to work for the family trucking business in Brooks, Alberta. There I spent long days either out in the oil patch delivering goods to oil rigs, or countless hours in the office answering phones and dispatching trucks. Here is where the learning began on who I wanted to be, or should I say, who or what I didn’t want to be. I didn’t want to be in the trucking industry, or oil industry, maybe the wrong move. 

 

I drove out to the Brooks airport and did a familiarization flight with none other than Chiko Murakami. From Hiroshima, a diminutive, rough around the edges, blunt to a point, Japanese lady that set my passion on fire to become a pilot. The rest is history, sort of. From the late 70’s to 2025, I’ve spent the majority of that time either in the flight deck or in the simulator instructing.

Started flying small twin engine planes seeding thunderstorms, to charter operations moving bank mail around Alberta, to one of the largest regional carriers in Canada, Time Air, which became Canadian Regional Airlines. 

​

Then the fun started, and unbeknownst to me, the private pilot training from Chiko would take me to Japan to fly for Japan Airlines. Based in Honolulu Hawaii, started on the DC10 as First Officer, then to Captain on the DC10, then on to the Queen of the skies, the B747. In 2009, JAL went into Bankruptcy protection, and the contract crews were no longer needed. 

 

I took a break from aviation from late 2009 to 2012 where I started an Athletic training facility in North Vancouver, Inside Performance. We trained athletes of all ages. Little league, high school, college, and professionals in the off season. I realized that my true passion was in aviation and had to get back into it. 

 

Since 2012, I have worked for Enerjet, 737 charter operation in Calgary, Alberta. A short four and half years with Westjet Encore, then back to the redefined Enerjet, Lynx Air until the end of February 2024 when they unfortunately could no longer operate, a sad day for the all involved in this start up airline.

​

Here we are in 2025 I am currently working as a SFI, Simulator Flight instructor, with the goal of sharing mine and other aviation workers stories through my podcast Flying Myndz. Stay connected because the fun is just beginning