ABE HARMAN

Vice President

Abe is a pilot recreationally and a mechanical engineer professionally. He is originally from North Carolina, where his interest in aviation started at a young age after flying over the family farm on an EAA Young Eagles flight as a child. Experiences like this solidified the importance of sharing his passion for aviation with others. After obtaining his pilot's license shortly after college, it was the pursuit of aviation-related jobs that brought him to Alaska, where he has worked previously as Lead Engineer and Head of Manufacturing for Airframes Alaska and Alaskan Bushwheel.

It was through working on those projects related to and flying in Piper Super Cubs that his interest specifically in STOL and backcountry aircraft developed.

Currently, he is the co-owner of Helio Alaska, Inc. based at Birchwood Airport in Chugiak. Helio Alaska is the holder of the Type Certificate to the Helio Courier aircraft and they are working to return it to production. The Courier, like the Super Cub, is uniquely suited to the demands of backcountry and off-field flying in Alaska and other remote places. Many of the original production of Helio Couriers still in service are operating in Alaska and Northern Canada due to their short-field performance and rugged utility.

Abe is also an officer of the Birchwood Airport Association and the High School to Flight School nonprofit scholarship program for Anchorage and Mat-Su area high school students. The HSFS program is funded through private donations and strives to engage and support local young people wanting to become involved in aviation in Alaska by removing the financial burden of flight training for selected students who demonstrate exceptional work ethic and involvement in their community through volunteer programs.