Air Therapy Aviation offers birds-eye view of the Flathead Valley
Pilot Todd Ware, owner of Air Therapy Aviation, soars over the Flathead Valley with passenger Mackenzie Reiss of the Bigfork Eagle. Courtesy Air Therapy Aviation
Pilot and owner of Air Therapy Aviation Todd Ware poses for a photo in front of his light sport aircraft on June 2. Mackenzie Reiss/Bigfork Eagle
Pilot and owner of Air Therapy Aviation Todd Ware poses for a photo in front of his light sport aircraft on June 2. Mackenzie Reiss/Bigfork Eagle
A passenger tries his hand at flying with pilot Todd Ware, owner of Air Therapy Aviation. Courtesy Air Therapy Aviation
Eagle Editor Mackenzie Reiss and pilot Todd Ware fly above Bigfork on Wednesday, June 2. Ware offers flight lessons and tours through his company, Air Therapy Aviation. Courtesy photo
The rush of nervous energy flooded my body as pilot Todd Ware fired up the 100-horsepower engine of his light-sport aircraft. We’d be leaving the ground shortly aboard an open-cockpit flying machine with a large, V-shaped wing across the top, maneuvered by pushing or pulling a horizontal control bar in front of the pilot. I was perched directly behind him, decked out in an official aviation helmet and flight suit. I felt, for a brief moment, like “Top Gun”’s Maverick -- minus any actual flying skills.
But that’s the beauty about Air Aviation Therapy — no experience is required to fly alongside experienced pilot, Todd Ware. With over a dozen years behind the wing, Ware happens to be one of the top LSA fliers in the country and in 2015 was invited to compete at the World Air Games — like the Olympics for pilots. I found this thought especially reassuring as we cruised toward the grass runway at Ferndale Airfield in Bigfork, ready to exchange the security of land for the freedom of the skies.
With the safety check completed there was nowhere to go, but up.
"Visors down," Ware told me over his mic. It was go time.
The aircraft zoomed down the runway until the grass below us became a green blur and as we topped 70 mph, I felt us leave the ground. Any lingering nervousness dissipated and was quickly replaced with pure joy. I couldn’t help but smile at the sheer playfulness of the experience. Being airborne gifted me a wondrous perspective on the world below and I watched as a typical Wednesday morning played out for those still on the ground. Cars snaked along the roadways heading to work while cows grazed idly on checkerboard fields of green.
We soared over the dueling Flathead and Swan Rivers, glistening under the morning sun. Ware banked and diverted towards Flathead Lake, which grew smaller below us as we joined the company of birds and mountains.
About 15 minutes into our venture, Ware gave me the rundown, and turned the wing over to my novice hands. He could, thankfully, grab the bar at any time to reroute us, but I managed to keep us airborne for a few minutes. I loved how I could feel the aircraft move against the wind and get a sense of its power as we curved left and right along the north shore. In both of Air Therapy Aviation’s 30-minute and 1-hour flight experiences, riders get the chance to fly, with more advanced instruction during the longer tour, Ware noted.
As we continued along, he pointed out the natural features below us, before dipping down for a quick touch-and-go in an empty field, and heading further inland.
“I've taken up so many people who thought they would be terrified and the moment we leave the ground they find it exhilarating rather than terrifying,” Ware told me back at the hangar. “I find that the people who are the most scared have the biggest breakthroughs.”
Ware has flown with passengers as old as 92 and as young as 8 years. He also runs a program for veterans in partnership with Missoula’s Extreme Sports for Vets and introduces youngsters to the skies through the Young Eagles program with Experimental Aviation Association.
“I live to inspire people through aviation,” Ware said. “It gives people a sense of freedom and spaciousness and it lifts one’s perspective. People leave the hangar with a little bit of fear and nervousness, and they come back with euphoria.”
For Ware, aviation was the cure for a rough patch in his life. It’s where he found healing and peace and now, he's on a mission to share that with others.
In addition to tour experiences, Ware is a licensed instructor who teaches sport-pilot lessons and add-categories for pilots with existing credentials for other types of aircraft.
“I love it,” Ware said. “I have the best job in the world.”
BREAKOUT
Book a flight with Air Aviation Therapy by contacting the company through Facebook by searching “Air Aviation Therapy,” by phone at (406) 249-7257 or find them online at www.airaviationtherapy.org. Experiences start at $149 for discovery flights and $200 for sport-pilot lessons. Riders also take home photos from their flight and can purchase the HD video of their experience.