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Our Pilots & Engineers

Niagara Helicopters sets extremely high standards in regards to pilot flying experience. We require approximately 2,000 hours in the air as pilot-in-command, most of which must be on the Bell 206L or 407 series helicopters. In fact, most of our pilots are well above this limit.

There is good reason for our concern since Niagara Helicopters is world-renown as a professional sightseeing helicopter company. The skill, expertise and experience of our pilots, engineers and boarding crew are one of our most valuable marketing tools.

Our flight pattern is strictly regulated by Transport Canada and our pilots must fly exactly the same route at exactly the same speeds and altitudes each and every time – in addition to dealing with constant landings and take-offs. These are skills which are more prominent in a more seasoned pilot. For this reason we only entrust the safety of our passengers and crew to highly experience pilots… THE BEST!

Tony Dempsey

Engineer
Director of Maintenance, Pilot

Tony Dempsey has been ensuring that our aircraft have met and exceeded safe operating standards for the past 20 years. Under his watchful eye, our Maintenance Department was awarded the prestigious Roland Groome Award for high quality aircraft maintenance in Ontario. Tony completed the Aircraft Maintenance Technician course and his Commercial Pilots license at Canadore College. As an engineer, the most
rewarding part of Tony's job is to have all helicopters run flawlessly all day, every day. As a pilot, he likes meeting new people from all over the world and leaving them with a smile on their face.

Joe Giampa

Engineer
Engineer

Joe Giampa has been patrolling the grounds of Niagara Helicopters Limited for nearly 20 years. Joe is an excellent example of advancement from within. He started out as a Ground Crew Technician in 1989, furthered his education at Canadore College in the Aircraft Maintenance Technician program and has been a staple of our Maintenance Department for many years! Joe says that the best part of his job is the satisfaction of taking an aircraft apart and putting it back together into a safe-operating machine.

Rene Huessy

Pilot
Operations Manager, Chief Pilot
905-357-5672

In the dual role of Ops Manager and Pilot, Rene has helped maintain Niagara Helicopters role as one of the premier attractions in the world. Rene joined the organization in 2005 and is a pilot/engineer with over seven years experience, the majority of which was with the Swiss Air Ambulance in Zurich performing high altitude search and rescues. His love of snow went along hand-in-hand with his excitement of being named to the Swiss National Snowboard team.

He currently has well over 2500 hours on the Bell 407 helicopter type and brings a wide range of talents to the team including, daily operation management, organizational skills and a focus on building a strong and safe working environment. With his “safety first” attitude, he ensures that we are proactive in preventing accidents and injuries to both clients and staff.