Thursday, January 17, 2013 | Sarah Acosta
As Jerry Trimble climbs into his Robinson R22 helicopter and makes his way through the checklist – fuel valve on, mixture rich, rotor brake off, master switch on, magneto switch to start – it could be you sitting to his left.
Trimble and his wife Allison Row recently expanded their helicopter business to a more familiar locale – Smithville.
Row is originally from the area and the daughter of the late Irvin Row, who was instrumental in the growth of Smithville Crawford Municipal Airport. The Irvin Row Airport Terminal, a lounge where pilots can rest between flights, enjoy refreshments and browse through the history of the airport, is dedicated to him.
The aviation duo met in the Portland, Ore. area while on their own aeronautical adventures. Row was working for a charter company and Trimble was dabbling in aircraft maintenance.
The couple later opened Jerry Trimble Helicopters at the McMinnville Airport in 2007 and have since expanded to Thermal, Calif. and, most recently, right here in Bastrop County.
The business offers a more individualized approach to flight training and scenic rides. With five Robinson helicopters in their fleet, the Robinson R22, a two-seater, has found its home at the Smithville airport.
It took Trimble 10 days – 33 flight hours doing two-hour legs and covering a distance of 2,200 nautical miles – to reach this destination from Oregon.
Steeped in aviation at a young age, Trimble has logged more than 14,000 hours in fixed-wing planes and helicopters since 1974. His father, Robert, was a helicopter pioneer in the 1950s and had him on a helicopter at 5 months old.
Trimble received his fixed-wing CFI in March of 1976 and was then invited to Indonesia, where he was allowed to fly a Bell 47 at Budiarto. After 80 hours of Bell 47 time, he came back to Oregon and flew about seven hours prep in a Bell 47 G4A.
“I was working for the operator Herb Henderson at the time on an earn while you learn basis. I was mixing chemicals and driving the mix truck, while making $3.50 per hour. The Bell 47 cost $250 per hour to fly,” he said.
In 1978 he received his Airframe and Power plant certificate at Northrup University in Inglewood, Calif. and started working for Frank Robinson as an A&P mechanic in January 1979.
In December 1980, he started Hillsboro Helicopters in Hillsboro, Oregon.
“I was a one-man band in the beginning,” Trimble said. “In 1992, when I sold the company to Ed Cooley we were over 40 people strong with over 25 aircraft.”
Through his time in aviation, Trimble has worn many hats, including chief pilot, director of operations, director of maintenance and a chief flight instructor for both airplanes and helicopters.
Row was also born into the world of aviation, learning how to fly at a very young age and earning her private pilot’s license in 1995.
She moved to the Pacific Northwest in 1999 where she worked for Global Aviation, a charter company.
“I started out as a receptionist, became a scheduler, then a flight attendant and eventually moved up to be a corporate pilot,” Row said.
She has her share of stories to tell and a long list of famous riders to list, including Michael Jordon, Toby Keith, LaBron James, Morgan Freeman and many more.
She currently serves as the general manager of the operation while Trimble handles the actual flight training. Their business has drawn in students from throughout the United States and even as far as Europe.
“I really enjoy working with the students,” Row said. “They are young, smart, motivated and really eager to learn.”
Though flight training is their main focus, they also offer scenic flights at reasonable rates, starting at $250 for an hour, $85 for 20 minutes and $20 for a five minute ride covering a short flight pattern.
They also offer $75 demo flight certificate that can be logged as a half-hour of flight time, flight instruction at $214 an hour with a 220-pound weight limit and a minimum age of two for all passengers.
“What I like about a helicopter is that it allows you to fly low and in any direction you want,” Trimble said. “I really enjoy the scenic flights because of the animation and expression on the passengers face. It’s a very different perspective from the sky. ”
Visit www.jerrytrimblehelicopters.com or contact Trimble at 503-807-8239 for more information about the business and flight training.
Story: http://smithvilletimes.com
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