High quality at High Terrain Helicopters

Steve Benwell is the owner and founder of High Terrain Helicopters, a Kootenay company that has been in operation for 20 years

Steve Benwell, owner of High Terrain Helicopters, is inspired by challenges in life. — Photo courtesy High Terrain Helicopters

Steve Benwell is the owner and founder of High Terrain Helicopters, which has been operating since 1992. Benwell said that his company has successfully built a large customer base with proven safety and high-quality helicopter service.

"Our pilots are highly experienced with additional training to fly in the mountains and weather," said Benwell. "Our company's main focus is on commitment to our work and our customers."

Among the services that High Terrain provides are heli-skiing, heli-firefighting, heli-emergencies, ambulance transfers, heli-mining and wildlife counts.

"From emergency to wedding, we do it all," said Benwell.

Benwell took some time out of his busy schedule to answer a few questions about his past experience and his interests outside of work.

What’s the last book you read?

Alive by Piers Paul Read

If you weren’t doing this job, what would you be doing?

Logging or mining  

What was your first job and what did you learn from it?   

Logging and setting chokers

What’s something most people don’t know about you?    

I can ride a bike backwards.

Who or what inspires you? 

Challenges

Who mentored you?  

Don Jacobson, a bush pilot from Dease Lake (B.C.)

Knowing what you know now, what career advice would you give your younger self?       

Have a vision and commitment to do it.