Guest Post: Santa Claus Trades in Sleigh for Helicopter, Flies to the National Museum of Transportation

Guest post:  The Aero Experience thanks our friend, Gregg Adam of Independent Aviation Solutions, based at Creve Coeur Airport, for providing his personal insight on flying Santa to the National Museum of Transportation on November 25.

Gregg Adam and Nick Hisserich 

I was contacted last year by an amazing woman named Renee from the National Museum of Transportation. She said they had a helicopter deliver Santa to the kids at the museum every year, and the helicopter and pilot backed out. We spoke for an hour or so about the museum's needs, and she said she heard my name around town about me being a helicopter pilot and having a helicopter.
I told her I would be honored to help the museum in any way I could, and that I would donate my time and helicopter to the cause. And it was history since then.

This is now the second year I have helped the museum get Santa to the kids safely and on time! Renee called this summer and was super excited as usual to plan the flight for Santa. When she called, I said, “Renee, it’s July and 102 outside. We have time to plan!"

The National Museum of Transportation is an amazing organization, and they do a lot for the St. Louis community. It’s the least I can do to help them make the kids happy, and they will always remember the helicopter bringing Santa to see them.

When I was around 8 years old, I saw a helicopter pilot land at the State Fair in Florida not far from where I lived. I saw the pilot get out of the helicopter with his flight suit and helmet, and that’s what made me want to be a helicopter pilot. I’m almost 40, and I still think of the time I saw that pilot, and that’s how I feel those kids are looking at me when we land. Hopefully that changes their lives forever and makes them want to get into aviation and become a helicopter pilot!