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Hi, my name is Hughie, and I am the helicopter pilot.

I am from the Isle of Mull, in Scotland, but now live on the mainland near Inverness. I was educated, for the most part, on the Island, where I left school at 14. Since then I have gained various degrees in business management and aviation.

My involvement with Greenpeace has been a life enhancing experience over the last 16+ years that I have worked for them. Travelling to many remote areas all over the world, and witnessing the individual and corporate destruction of our planet. Flying over the visible land areas that have been destroyed is a privilege that is given to few. With a dedicated film team, we endeavour to capture the images to relay them to the world. When viewed as a photo, a lot is lost. This is no fault of the camera crew, but the fact that you cannot envisage the magnitude of the damage. Places that come to mind are Patagonia, the Amazon rain forest, and Alaska.

The helicopter is a Hughes 500d. It is small (4 people), fast (130kt), and manoeuvrable. On certain campaigns it is invaluable. This year we were in Greenland, documenting glacial melting, and were privileged to have two scientists from Maine with us to conduct the survey. By being able to land right on the top of the calving face of these huge ice flows, and with the scientists being able to place their equipment in a situation that has never been done before, they were able to gather information that has lead to groundbreaking scientific papers. They have previously conducted these surveys working with government bodies, but their conclusion was that we offered a more flexible and professional platform than they had previously encountered. Thank you Gordon and Leigh.

This is a common role for the heli, being used to gain access to inaccessible territory, and gathering images that cannot otherwise be got. She is also used in many action situations to gather images, and as a safety back up to monitor situations. When in remote areas it is a vital link should anybody need serious medical attention. This is not a privilege that we reserve for ourselves, as we have taken many people from remote areas to our own hospital on the ship.

When I do not work for Greenpeace my time is divided between my family, and delivering small aircraft for clients between Europe / Africa and the USA / Canada. My main hobby at home is building Land Rovers and competing in 4x4 off road competitions.

Prior to working for Greenpeace I have worked on trawlers, owned a trucking company, and a forest harvesting company - poacher turned gamekeeper ?? I don't think so, but I do have an insight into how people 'on the other side' think, and that, to me, is important. Sometimes you have to think of the implications of your actions very carefully. Are they going to get to the corporation, or simply mess up a lot of hard working people in a small community? It is a difficult roll to play but with the enthusiasm of young people and the cynicism of us older ones, we do, at the end of the day, make a unique team of dedicated people.

- Hughie

Hughie:

You need to put some Hellfire and Harpoon missiles and a 30 mm chain gun on that chopper of yours. Then, you'll be cooking with gas (or peat, since you're a Scot).

Best,

Maverick

I don't think Tweety would like that!

Heya Hughie,

Miss the heli ride!
Maybe in the future again eh?
Take care in the Southern Oceans.

Mary Ann

Hey Huey, Back out patrolling the ocean skys again. Been longing to get up in the sky again ever since I stepped out of Tweety last year, but nothing would beat the flight that I was lucky enought to have on our last day over the Antartica. (Thank you, thank you still).

Take care and keep lucky,
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