About Our Pilots

Travis Taylor

In the ultra-competitive field of the aviation industry, the difficult task of developing a stellar reputation among peers is an undertaking that is to be fully appreciated. One’s skill must be recognized as excellent in a population already saturated with outstanding pilots, his/her disposition must shine with affability while providing cohesion to those he works with or for, and the commitment to the profession must be unquestioned. Travis Taylor fits such a description, having made himself into the model pilot for all of Southern California, holding certificates in FAA Rotorcraft – Helicopter Commercial/Instrument and CFI, FAA Fixed Wing Private License Single and Multi, commercial multi-engine instrument rated, and FAA 2nd Class medical with no restrictions. Travis’ passion for aviation has set him apart from the masses, elevating him higher than any plane could take him.

Travis broke into the industry on the ground level, which meant there was nowhere to go but up for him. He developed his understanding of the workings of complex aviation machinery starting in 1993 while at Martinez & Turek, Inc., serving as an aerospace tool maker. He demonstrated his self-sustaining drive by quickly ascending to a supervisor and managing 23 employees while never neglecting his primary duty of making and installing parts for both aircraft and spacecraft. His entrepreneurial appetite led him to establish his own company, Method Tool & Design, in 1997 while still working at Martinez & Turek, Inc. It was here that he could take liberties in designing and producing tools and parts in high demand from manufacturing aerospace companies; so successful was Travis that he made parts for Alinghi, the team Switzerland America’s Cup boat and winner of the Louis Vuitton and America’s Cup season for 2002/2003.

After moving from Martinez & Turek, Inc. and honing his already advanced skills at ATK Space Systems, where he produced machine-precision flight hardware for military and civilian satellites (4 such satellites where he contributed his work to are currently in orbit), Travis pursued his true calling: becoming an aviator. Travis began as a flight instructor at Silver State Helicopters in 2005, expediting the transformation of students from dreaming amateurs to newly-minted qualified pilots. He trained scores of men and women, rapidly being promoted from flight instructor to Chief Pilot in less than a year’s time, and with that came an influx of new responsibilities. These responsibilities included overseeing the daily flight operations of the flight school and commercial missions, supervising a crew of 23 pilots and conducting weekly meetings on operations and safety, consulting with customers on the application of aircraft to suit their needs, and counseling 200 students in training to become pilots.

Travis’ skills were immediately recognized as he was hired by another company, Vista Helicopters, in 2006 to conduct aerial tours and charter flights in compliance with FAA 135 regulations while maintaining his Chief Pilot’s position at Silver State Helicopters. His flights with the customary high profile clientele proved to be a seamless transition, showing his malleability as not only a supervisor but also as a trustworthy and congenial pilot to the affluent. Seeing the decline of commitment and quality towards pilots and its students from Silver State Helicopters, Travis became the Chief Pilot of Choice Aviation, Inc. in 2007, where he is applying his skill and experience in growing the company to be the leading flight and charter service provider in Southern California.

The aviation industry is truly fortunate to have a man of such upstanding character as Travis be one of their own. Travis is the epitome of the self-made pilot, working on planes to start off his career and now holding the position of Chief Pilot and being entrusted to grow Choice Aviation, Inc. from the ground up. Now a 17-year veteran in aviation one way or another, Travis has never had an accident, incident, or violation of any kind, and that is proof enough of what kind of person Travis is: a true aviator.