Alan Purwin

In 1987, Purwin and Michael Tamburro co-founded West Coast Helicopters.[5] Purwin, along with Michael sold just about everything they owned and bought a first generation, Bell 206 LongRanger.[3] The company provided flight services to the Los Angeles Kings and performed aerial stunts for a television show called, The Adventures of Buck James. In 1988, West Coast Helicopters signed on with hospitals to transport medical teams for organ transplants.[5] In 1990, West Coast Helicopters secured its first news contract with KTLA in Los Angeles.[5]

On August 21, 1996, Purwin crashed an AH-1 Huey Cobra helicopter during the filming of a television commercial, injuring himself and a crew member on the ground, and killing his co-pilot and business partner in West Coast Helicopters, Michael Tamburro.[6]

West Coast Helicopters and Purwin offered charter services, flying corporate executives and celebrities. In 2011, Purwin took Prince Harry on a helicopter tour of Los Angeles, California.[7] One of Purwin's clients was Emil P. Martini Jr., a major pharmaceutical company executive.[3] Martini mentored Purwin and taught him how to run a business.[5] Purwin said Martini taught him "if you want to get ahead in business, you have to anticipate trends. Trust your gut."[3]

In 1998, Purwin purchased Helinet Aviation, merging it with West Coast Helicopters, which enabled the company to expand its business.[5] Purwin aided in the filming of over a hundred Hollywood movies as a helicopter pilot and aerial coordinator.[8] Purwin shot extreme aerial shots for up to ten films a year from a camera mounted onto his helicopter.[9][10] Purwin shook up the aerial cinematography industry by changing the business model.[11] Purwin often worked in dangerous conditions, and tried to "de-risk" when working in dangerous conditions.[12] On the set of Tropic Thunder, Purwin recalled: “(Ben Stiller) would tell me, ‘Go crazy Alan, and do your own thing.’ And most of that stuff ended up in the movie.”[11]

In 2015, Purwin was granted an exemption by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.[13][14][15] Purwin's company supplied the drone work for a Narcos shoot in Colombia.[16]

After Purwin's death in 2015, his wife Kathryn became CEO and owner of Helinet Aviation.[17][18]

In 2003, Purwin bought a controlling interest in Cineflex, an aerial-camera startup that developed one of the first gyro-stabilized camera systems capable of transmitting high-definition video from a helicopter without any loss of quality.[19] At the time of his investment, the film industry was shifting to the high-definition digital standard.[19] Cineflex's customers included law enforcement agencies.[19] In 2007, Axsys Technologies acquired Cineflex.[20]

In 2012, Purwin acquired ShotOver Camera Systems.[21] ShotOver is an aerial cinematography subsidiary of Helinet Aviation[22] and develops aerial camera systems with gyro-stabilized camera platforms for the motion picture and broadcasting industries.[10]

In 2013, Purwin founded VideoFort with Steve Gatena, Bryan M., Chris Carter, Judy Gatena & Andy McNeil as a joint partnership between Helinet Aviation and REP Interactive. VideoFort is one of the largest manufacturers of HD and Ultra HD stock footage.[23] Before founding VideoFort, Purwin was known to have the world's largest collection of aerial HD stock footage.[19]

In 2005, Purwin's company, Helinet & Cineflex, provided support to the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security during Hurricane Katrina. They also provided the aerial footage of the storm-zone for all the major news media outlets.[24][25] Purwin along with J.T. Alpaugh were the first news crew to see the destruction zone from above.[26]

In 2015, ABC reported that, although Purwin's and Alpaugh's first priority was to document the events, the team helped rescue many people during the disaster.[26] Alpaugh recalled of the team: "We would fly in an area and we'd see someone pop up on a rooftop and wave to us. You'd see the signs: 'help us, come get us, S.O.S.' We'd call in these rescues and five minutes later a Coast Guard Jayhawk or a Delphine would come in and hoist rescue them out."[26]

Helinet and Purwin provided medical transport services free of charge to patients and hospitals.[5] In 1999, Helinet donated a Sikorsky S-76 to Children's Hospital Los Angeles as well as trained pilots and helicopter maintenance.[5] As of 2004, Purwin's company Helinet had flown more than 30,000 organ-transfer missions for six hospitals. Every year, Helinet also transported nearly 3,000 children for Children's Hospital Los Angeles.[19] By 2014, Helinet and Purwin had provided Children's Hospital Los Angeles with helicopter services free of charge, including one Sikorsky S-76B, one Sikorsky S-76A, helicopter maintenance, and six experienced pilots (four full-time and two backups).[27] Purwin served on the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Board of Trustees.[27]

Ben Stiller tweeted: "Shocked about the loss of #AlanPurwin. One of the best people I knew and the greatest pilots ever. I put my life in his hands many times."[31] F. Gary Gray wrote: "To the BEST PILOT in the industry! RIP Alan Purwin. Much love brother! Condolences to the @helinet family."[32] Michael Bay posted on his website: Purwin "was one of the best aerial helicopter pilots in the world. It’s a very small group. He flew camera ships for so many – and for almost every one of my movies. We will miss him. He was one of the most loyal members of my team and a true friend."[33] Helinet CEO Steve Gatena wrote on Helinet's website: “Alan Purwin was a great man, a world-renowned aviator and a brilliant entrepreneur. At Helinet, Alan was known for his passion, generosity and ability to make us all feel as though we were a part of something much bigger than ourselves."[34]