I am a commercial helicopter pilot, boater, jewelry artist, freelance writer, blogger, videographer, and serious amateur photographer.
Helicopter Pilot
As of January 2023, I have logged approximately 3,800 hours flight time in Robinson R44, Robinson R22, and Bell 206L helicopters.
As a commercial helicopter pilot, I was the owner/operator of Flying M Agricultural Services, a Wenatchee, WA area company that provided cherry drying hover services to local cherry orchardists. I retired from this work in August 2023.
I also founded the helicopter tour and charter company, Flying M Air, LLC, in 2005. Flying M Air was featured in an article in the May 2009 issue of Arizona Highways magazine and the April 2004 issue of Flying magazine, as well as in the Jon Davison coffee table book, Robbie: The Robinson Helicopter Experience. Flying M Air’s Southwest Circle Helicopter Adventure was highlighted in the August 2009 issue of Arizona Highways as “The best way to see Arizona in a week.” I sold Flying M Air, LLC in the summer of 2022.
Boater
In the early 2020s, I started getting serious about boating as a possible retirement career. I joined two boat captains on five week trips along the Great Loop, gaining experience and trying to determine whether I liked the cruising lifestyle. I decided that I did.
In May 2022, I sold my helicopter and, in September 2022, I purchased a 2019 Ranger Tug R-29 CB. Since then, I’ve had it shipped to Chicago, where I started my own Great Loop journey with friends and then solo. As of April, 2023, I’ve traveled approximately 3400 miles in 170 days on the water.
In early 2023, I began taking the necessary steps to obtain the Coast Guard-issued Captain’s License that would enable me to take groups of up to 6 people on boat charters. I hope to have that license in hand to begin offering multiway trips along the Great Loop starting in October 2023.
Jewelry Artist
I began making jewelry from gemstone cabochons and silver wire in early 2018 and have since developed my jewelry making into a business: ML Jewelry Designs. I’ve expanded my offerings to include sterling, fine, and Argentium silver and copper pendants, earrings, rings, and bracelets in a wide variety of styles.
I have sold my jewelry at art shows in Washington, Arizona, and California. My work also appears in a number of galleries and shops in Washington and Arizona. In 2019, I opened an online shop to sell directly to customers.
I have taken a number of jewelry making classes in Tacoma and Tucson to learn new skills that I can apply to my work. I have also taught jewelry making at Gallery One in Ellensburg, WA, Tyson Wells in Quartzsite, AZ, and in my Malaga, WA home studio.
Freelance Writer
My second career was as a freelance writer of computer books. From 1990 through 2014, I wrote books, articles, and video training material, mostly about Macintosh and Windows computing.
My publishers included Peachpit Press (a division of Pearson Education), Microsoft Press (an imprint of O’Reilly), Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning), and Flying M Productions.
Wearing my computer book author hat, I appeared as a speaker at Macworld Expo in San Francisco, Boston, New York, and Toronto. I’ve also participated in podcasts, including video podcasts, including MacJury, MacVoices, and WordCast Conversations.
I still write occasionally for hire, but these days it’s about aviation and boating. I’ve written for Vertical, Rotor & Wing, Aircraft Owner Online, HeliNews, Sport Aviation, Southwest Aviator, and American Flyways. I’m currently a contributing editor for Waterway Guide.
Blogger
I have been blogging since October 2003 about a wide variety of topics. This blog, An Eclectic Mind, is a compilation of over 3,000 posts about things that interest me, from the things I do for a living such as flying, boating, and working with computers to the things that affect my life such as travel and my divorce.
My blog is widely read; on average, it attracts over 1,000 hits a day. I take pride in making it a place for others to read and learn from my experiences. Through open yet closely moderated commenting, I encourage a civil discourse not often found online.
I also blog about cruising on the Great Loop at My Great Loop Adventure. Each entry includes details and photos from my long journey on America’s waterways, both with friends and alone.
Videographer
I began recording video footage during helicopter flights in the mid 2000s and have since improved my setup and editing capabilities to build a widely viewed YouTube channel called FlyingMAir. My interest in making videos soared when one of my videos went viral, getting more than 10 million hits over time. My fans say they like my approachable style and narration and my hype-free content.
Since then, I’ve begun recording videos of days in my life, boating, and jewelry making. I enjoy sharing the things I do and know with others and think video is a great way to do it.
Amateur Photographer
I am a serious amateur photographer interested primarily in landscape, aerial, and wildlife photography. You can see examples of my work in the header images of this blog.
Past Activities
In the past, I also:
- Built, managed, and flew for a small helicopter charter operation in Arizona and then in Washington state, Flying M Air, LLC.
- Managed a five-star Airbnb glamping property.
- Acted as general contractor for the construction of my custom home. I also did all the wiring and much of the finishing work.
- Developed and managed websites for a variety of small commercial and nonprofit organizations.
- Owned and managed two rental properties with a total of six units.
- Conducted helicopter tours at the Grand Canyon for one of the canyon’s three helicopter tour operators.
- Operated an FBO at Wickenburg Municipal Airport.
- Addressed computer users and professionals at conferences such as Macworld Expo, user group meetings, online chats, and book signings.
- Wrote software documentation.
- Created custom FileMaker Pro database solutions.
- Developed applications training material.
- Taught software applications and hardware troubleshooting in a classroom environment.
- Developed and taught software applications for online universities.
- Provided general consulting services.
- Produced the newsletter, Macintosh Tips & Tricks for Giles Road Press (now Flying M Productions).
- Held various full-time jobs as an auditor and financial analyst with Automatic Data Processing (ADP) and The New York City Office of the Comptroller.
Hobbies, Interests, & Education
My hobbies and interests keep me busy when I’m not working. Other than the things listed above, I enjoy travel, reading, camping, and gardening.
I received a BBA with highest honors in Accounting from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY.