When it comes to his career, Buck Hewlett is literally flying high! He’s the night lead pilot for Maverick Helicopters. Book a flight over the Las Vegas Strip as the sun sets and the neon shines or take a soar over the Grand Canyon as day gives into night, and it may be Hewlett that pilots your once-in-a-lifetime experience.
“As a pilot for Maverick Helicopters—it’s fun,” he says. “It’s been an adventure. I’ve had a great time doing it. I’ve found fulfillment. … I love helicopters. I’ll never not want to fly this machine.” Since Hewlett has flown professionally (about nine years now and with Maverick since 2018), he’s clocked more than 4,000 hours of flight time. “The level that you go through to be a pilot (at Maverick), you have to be really dialed in,” he says.
Even with all that flight experience, Hewlett adds more to his job than just flying. As the night lead pilot, he’s responsible for the scheduling of the other pilots, staying on top of daily operations, tracking the weather, training other pilots and mapping out flight paths. He even brings a personal touch to the job, dispensing fun facts about the city and Nevada history during the flights and helping couples plan and execute surprise engagements and weddings.
And as a helicopter pilot, Hewlett has always loved that he gets to view the world in a way many people don’t. “You see the world from a different perspective,” he says. Literally.
Champagne
Libation: Champagne
Several of Maverick Helicopters’ flight experiences, like the Neon to Nature flight to Red Rock Canyon, the Indian Territory flight to the Grand Canyon and the Sunset Wind Dancer flight to the Grand Canyon, include champagne. A bottle of bubbly is also included in all wedding and proposal packages.
Insider’s tip: Wear darker-colored clothes to prevent glare and to take the best photos while on the helicopter.
6075 Las Vegas Blvd. S. maverickhelicopter.com
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