Paul Harris was born and raised in the United Kingdom (UK) near an army base. "I used to see Chinooks flying overhead with jeeps and artillery guns slung underneath. The sight and sound of that captured my attention." He worked as an accountant after college in the UK and Switzerland while saving money for helicopter flight training. In 2007, he began his training in Florida and the UK, earning his FAA Private and Instrument, and JAA Commercial and Flight Instructor.

"In 2009, I trawled the UK looking for a flight instructor job at what felt like the worst possible time in history - during the Global Financial Crash" says Paul. "I met someone who happened to be setting up a helicopter operator business in Ghana, West Africa. They were looking for a helicopter pilot with other skills - I was their man!"

Paul spent the next year traveling between the UK and Ghana, setting up the business and flying. He recalls, "One of my best memories is from a flight into the jungle of Western Ghana where we landed at a remote village on private land. Within minutes of landing, we were surrounded by a hundred kids from the local school staring wide-eyed at the big white bird that had descended upon them. While waiting for clients, I let the kids sit inside and demonstrated the flight controls. They loved it and I'll never forget it."

In 2010, Paul and his wife moved to San Francisco. Since then he has worked as a CFI and commercial pilot flying aerial tours, surveys, and photo flights. In addition to being SCFC's helicopter instructor, Paul also works as a portfolio accountant for a small private investment company in San Francisco.

"I love flying helicopters because I love the versatility, the go-anywhere capability and the ability to just hover up there like you're on some kind of magic carpet. They never cease to amaze me when I see one taking off - almost as if they're defying the laws of physics. I feel proud to call myself a helicopter pilot."