Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Rizzo.
Hi Luke, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started loving aviation at the age of 3, watching air shows in California. At the age of 16 I took a helicopter tour over Austin with the former company, ATX Heli Tours, with a man named Kenny. Kenny inspired me to begin my own helicopter journey, and I took my first discovery flight with a flight instructor less than a month later; from there it was set. I became a flight instructor, building my hours teaching students, I went on to found HeliConcepts and later, Austin Heli Tours. I realized I wanted to continue to develop my career and passion, and began flying fulltime as a medevac helicopter pilot. I now balance working 7 days on, 7 days off as an HAA pilot, with building and growing the company I have in Austin.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It both has, and hasn’t. Aviation is a somewhat unforgiving path, and is not one that many can make it all the way down. Starting just as a student, the learning is similar to trying to drink from a firehouse. You work and study and train to accomplish each of your ratings, and only once you have them all are you truly beginning your learning. The hardest part of this industry is the pilot situation, Helicopter pilots are, and have always been neglected. With many making less than $15/hr to work as a flight instructor. Getting your first big job is the first challenge, as the industry runs on who you know basis when it comes to hiring new pilots fresh off the block, that being said, no one has made it here by themselves. There are points where it all comes together, and you look out over your aircraft parked somewhere beautiful, and realize it was all worth it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Austin Heli Tours?
I started Austin Heli Tours to give the people in Austin the joy of seeing their city from the air. We’re based out of Austin Executive Airport, and we fly everything from downtown skyline tours to sunset runs over Lake Travis and the Hill Country.
What started as a small one man show has turned into something I’m really proud of. We’ve built a team that cares not just about flying safely, but about giving people an experience they’ll remember. I still meet a lot of our guests myself, and it’s always the same reaction that mix of surprise and excitement when they see they lift off the ground for the first time.
We’re known for our scenic tours, but we also do gender reveal drops, real estate showings, and aerial content work. Anything that involves a helicopter, we’ll usually find a way to make it happen.
What makes us different is that we’re not trying to be the biggest company out there we just want to be the one people trust and talk about. Everything we do comes from a local’s perspective. Austin is our home, and we try to reflect that in how we fly, how we treat people, and how we represent the city.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Our pilot Michelle Katz; Michelle was the first pilot I hired for my company, back when I was working 14 days straight every month out of state. She came on as a part time pilot, to cover the two weeks I was gone, but quickly became the soul of the company. She was always doing outreach, doing improvements to our office and hangar on her own time and dime, always telling everyone she new about her company. She is now one of our fulltime pilots, and handles every kind of service we provide. Without Michelle, I think we would have ended up much more boring 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://austinhelitours.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinhelitours/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/austinhelitours/
