Andrew Mock is a Global Air Charters captain and director of safety. Andrew enjoys spending time with friends and family, sailing and hiking. Read on to learn more about Andrew!
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Stillwater, Minnesota, on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin.
What education and certifications do you hold?
I’m a 2015 graduate of the University of North Dakota (go Sioux!) and currently hold an Airline Transport Pilot certificate with multi-engine instrument and single-engine instrument (land and sea) privileges with tailwheel endorsement.
What makes Global Air Charters stand apart from other private charters?
While we charter flights for businessmen and women, we also fly a lot of families and friends, sometimes consisting of large groups requiring multiple aircraft. We also get the opportunity to fly people from the government and leading aerospace industry companies. Having such a wide variety of clientele allows us to meet amazing individuals and fly them to some unusual destinations you wouldn’t go to if you were flying at the airlines.
What is your favorite thing about working for Global Air Charters?
It’s the small, tight-knit, family company feeling. Those you end up working alongside and fly around the world with on rotation become some of your greatest friends.
One other thing I really enjoy is being more face-to-face with those we fly. We often have younger kids (adults, too) who show great interest in flying, and we love having them come up and see the cockpit and all its switches. The way they light up when looking out the front of the plane is priceless. Gone are the days when you could do this on the airliners while in flight, but thankfully it’s still possible on our side of the industry.
It’s not just flying from A to B; it’s all about the experience one has while going from A to B, and we like to make the most of it.
What is your favorite thing about your position?
The captains we have are fabulous mentors for those whose careers have just begun. Some come over to 135 flying after retiring from the airlines — others here have flown for decades in Gulfstreams (what we fly here at GAC) or other business jets. For someone sitting in the right seat as a first officer, like we all do at one point, the resources you have to learn and grow from your peers are unmatched, and you can’t put a price on that.
What is your favorite occasion to celebrate while flying?
We love to celebrate special days with our passengers! From birthdays and wedding anniversaries to bachelor/bachelorette trips and large family vacations — we love to make these memorable! They are always fun flights because everyone is in such an exceptional mood and usually going to some exotic destination to keep celebrating, and we’re the ones who get to help them get there!
What motivates you to do your best at your job?
As a professional pilot, you’re always learning – it never stops. Each day we leave the ground we have something we can work on to improve for the next flight. This doesn’t only pertain to the cockpit, but it also is true for the operation on the ground. You are never done learning.
In your opinion, what makes a good pilot?
Like above, someone who consistently learns, is open-minded, and is willing to see things from a different perspective, especially since we operate as a flight crew and we all see things differently at times. Someone who takes the initiative, is willing to step up, has the strength to speak up when they should, and works well with their team.
And — not because it’s a trendy thing to say, but seriously — someone who is willing to hold safety to the highest standard with themselves, their crew, and those they are flying.
What is your most memorable moment at Global Air Charters?
I have a few. First would be my first international trip as a captain on the Nextant 400XTi with my first officer, Max Henry, to Guatemala. As luck would have it, we flew there on my birthday and spent the next three days in an all-inclusive hotel. Secondly, on the Gulfstream recently, flying into Venice and getting to stay instead of just dropping off passengers!
What do you like to do when you aren’t flying?
Spending time with my friends and family is what matters most to me. Come winter, I enjoy alpine skiing, though I haven’t been able to do a lot of it recently. In the summertime, I like spending as much time as I can on the water sailing my H18SX, hiking, traveling, or spending my days up at the cabin in the Northwoods of Wisconsin with family and loved ones.
What is your favorite travel destination? Why?
Venice, without a doubt. Venice is a city I’ve always dreamt of traveling to, having seen it in many films and TV shows growing up and, of course, simply because it’s the “City of Canals!” I recently had a chance to fly into Venice and spend some time with my girlfriend Madeleine, and while the trip was cut short (I was working), we still had an incredible experience, and I cannot wait to return with her again. Don’t pass on the water taxi, it’s absolutely worth the price!
What is the most fun you’ve had on the job?
This would be a three-way tie. First, ATVs and UTVs on sand dunes in Oregon while we were staying there for the weekend. Second, renting a canoe with my crew in the swamps of Florida looking for gators! Yes, we saw some gators and many other wild animals. Third, Venice (question above) and her tagging along with me to Rome right after. This line of work offers so many fun experiences it’s truly impossible to pick just one.
What is your favorite plane to fly?
It’s actually not a plane, believe it or not. I’ve always been fascinated with helicopters. I have some time in my logbook flying a helicopter — The Bell 206L-4 LongRanger — and it is still to this day my favorite thing I’ve flown.
We’re glad to have you on the team, Andrew!
