Powering our journeys

Aviation is like an onion; it has many layers.

We have pilots whose responsibility is to safely transport people around the world. Then we have Aviation Maintenance Technicians who keep our aircraft operational, reliable, and safe.

What about those responsible for ensuring the proper fueling and maintenance of aircraft, fueling stations, and other machinery? We refer to them as Fuel Support Technicians, AKA the lifeline to the aircraft. One such individual, Cooper Pitre, sat down to share his story.

Pitre is a part of our Fuel Systems team at our base in Houma, Louisiana, and was kind enough to take time out of his busy day to chat with me about where he grew up, his profession in fueling, and his admiration for his team.

Tell us a little about yourself. Where are you from?

I grew up in Cut Off, Louisiana, which is about two minutes from the old Bristow Galliano base. It is a small town with a good fishing community and a lot of heart. 

Is that how you got started in aviation, being so close to the Galliano base?

Not quite. After graduating high school, I went to college and studied Information Technology. Once I graduated, I started working for a company in Thibodaux, where I fixed computer systems and scales and upgraded networks. I enjoyed it, but the pay was low, and the environment became toxic, so eventually, I left.

After that, the job market became difficult for me. It seemed like I didn’t have enough experience for every job I applied to, but the only way to get experience was by someone giving me a chance, and no one was willing to do that. I took a step back from IT and went to work with my uncle, who owned a screen-printing shop, while I figured out what was next. 

So, who or what inspired you to get into aviation?

I have a very good friend who worked at the Galliano base. At the time, he told me about what he did for the Company and how much he liked it. He mentioned that he was learning a lot, the hours were good, and the people he worked with were great. What really sold me was being able to work with helicopters, fueling them, loading luggage, and discovering what each helicopter is used for. He made it sound exciting.

He put me in contact with the hiring manager for an interview, and within a week or two, I was going to Lafayette to do my training. Then, I started my aviation journey, and this was at the top of 2020. Then, we all know what happened next. 

Did you immediately go into fueling?

No, I started in base support in Galliano, where I loaded and unloaded luggage from the helicopter and learned about fueling. During COVID-19, there were times when many of our guys were out quarantining, so we had two guys dealing with thirty-plus flights in a day. We were constantly moving, but it made me realize I love aviation. I was learning a lot and was surrounded by great people in a good environment.

Is that how you got into fueling aircraft?

Yes. Once I expressed my interest in it, I instantly started training. There is a process you go through, where I wore a different colored vest to let others know I was training and what level of training I was in. When you first start, you wear a red vest, which means you are not allowed to do anything by yourself; someone must be with you at all times. This is the best time to soak in everything. Then, you move up to the yellow vest. Yellow vests can do everything by themselves except get in the fuel truck and fuel the S-92s; that’s for orange vests, folks.

I never made it to orange vests because we had received the news that Bristow Galliano was shutting down. I was only at Galliano for six months, but the time I spent there learning and growing was the best six months of my life. 

How did you end up in Houma? 

After leaving Galliano, there was a buzz around town that Bristow and Era were merging in Houma and that they were going to be hiring new people. I got a call from my former Supervisor at Galliano, Rick Naccio, who had just been hired at the Houma base. He mentioned that they’re looking for new talent, and my name came up in the conversation. And I’ll be honest, I am forever grateful that he thought of me, that phone call uplifted me at a time when I really needed it. What made this whole thing a full circle moment was getting interviewed by Ground Operations Manager Innerce Darda, which was great because I’ve known him since I was a little boy. He used to be my P.E. teacher.

I completed my training, and in January 2021, I joined the Era family (they hadn’t changed their name to Bristow yet) as base support. Houma already had a fuel team, but during my interview, I mentioned that my goal was to be part of Houma’s fuel department. Well, it’s 2024, and I have achieved my goal, and that’s due in large part to having people around me who believe in me and my abilities and having great trainers like Jeff Pennison, who taught me everything I know. 

That is GREAT, Cooper. Could you tell us exactly what a Fuel Support Technician does?

Of course, our focus is fuel. From fueling aircraft to driving the trucks to managing the fuel in the tanks, we handle it all. We also change filters, conduct annual inspections, and receive macro fuel loads to put in the tanks. To do this job, you have to be a detailed person who knows how to multitask. We’re getting 7,000 gallons of jet fuel daily to fuel these aircraft. You must be able to think ten steps ahead of everyone. It’s not for everyone, but I love it.

What’s your favorite thing about what you do? 

I love working with my team and everyone at the Houma base. We’re like a family. We take care of each other. I and the rest of my team arrive at the base at 4:00 a.m., along with the Customer Service Representatives team and we will check in with each other just to make sure we’re prepared for the day ahead. I get to meet a lot of wonderful people from different walks of life. I get to do something awesome that doesn’t feel like work.

You’ve been doing fueling for four years; do you see yourself doing this for another four?

Yes and no. I enjoy the world of aviation, and that’s not going to change. However, in the next four years, I might want to explore another cool job that I didn’t know existed so that you and I can chat again. But I do see myself moving up in this industry and the company as long as I have people who continue to believe in me.