‘For me, flying is a school of life’
Kevin Lauber is at the beginning of a big dream – as Air Zermatt’s new junior pilot, he gets to fly where home, the mountains and his childhood dream all come together. In this interview he talks about how he came to helicopter flying, the special responsibility of being a young pilot and why flying is one thing above all else for him: a lesson in life.
You’re a new pilot with Air Zermatt. How does this feel for you?
It’s a huge milestone for any pilot to get into commercial helicopter flying after their training. I’m right at the beginning of my commercial flying career – at first base, you could say. It feels great to be taking this step, and I’m really excited about the future.
Do you remember when you first thought: ‘I want to be a helicopter pilot’?
I can’t remember the exact moment. But like so many others in this job, it all started with a childhood dream.
What does it mean to you to be able to fly with Air Zermatt?
On the one hand it means home, and on the other, it’s a childhood dream come true. This combination of being able to realize my dream of flying a helicopter in my home territory means so much to me.
On top of this, there aren’t many employers in the world where you can be involved in such an extremely wide and exciting range of operations as you can with Air Zermatt.
What makes flying in Valais – and around Zermatt in particular – so special for you?
For me personally, it means a great deal to be able to fly in my home territory. And objectively speaking, it’s the unique mountain landscape that makes flying in Valais and around Zermatt in particular so special. You take off from the heliport and in no time at all you can be in the middle of a fascinating mountain world.
What would you like to achieve as a pilot in the next few years?
For a helicopter company, Air Zermatt covers a huge range of operations. My long-term goal is definitely to be the pilot for all these different kinds of operations one day. But there’s still a long way to go, and plenty of milestones for me to reach as I work towards flying safely in the conditions I face.
Air Zermatt has a strong focus on rescue missions. You’re not quite there yet, but how do you deal with this responsibility as a junior pilot?
I think it’s a logical development as you build up experience as a helicopter pilot. Basically, it is important that you give your best on every assignment and that safety is guaranteed, regardless of whether you’re taking some passengers on a sightseeing tour, transporting materials or out on a rescue operation.
When you look back on your beginnings at Air Zermatt in ten years’ time, what do you hope to be proud of?
The way I see it, there are so many individuals who’ve made Air Zermatt what it is today.
The company has a huge amount of know-how, especially when it comes to flight operations. To be a part of that, to pass on this expertise and perhaps make my own contribution one day would definitely be something to be proud of.
One last thing – in just a few words, what does flying mean to you?
It’s a school of life.
