What I Learned
Interviewing a celebrity at 9000 ft above a mountain Feature Article
Contributed by Mathew Mosveen
What could be more exciting than a flight over the snowy mountain peaks of Strathcona Provincial Park? How about throwing a rockstar in the mix. As pilots, it’s dangerously easy to forget just how magical it is to do what we do. Consider finding a snag during your walk around and learning you’ll be delayed by 45 minutes while waiting for the next aircraft to become available… or not getting the departure you wanted because PASCO is inbound and beat you to the request. It’s easy to lose sight of how crazy it is to think that you’re about to find yourself hurtling through the air 9,000 feet above the earth at 110 knots for no other reason than to access natural beauty that would have otherwise been practically inaccessible to humanity if not for a herculean effort to achieve what was previously thought to be impossible just over a century ago. Luckily, for those who don’t find themselves head down in VNCs and NDBs quite as often as we do, this perspective comes a little more naturally. I bet if you talked to a celebrity, you’d find a pretty similar sentimental desensitization. I can’t imagine an artist’s favourite aspect of the job to be contract negotiations with record labels, or fighting to retain creative direction on a passion project. But then again, surely it’s worth it to experience the thrill of reciprocating electrifying blues-
10 JUNE 2020
rock infused energy with thousands of screaming fans. While it may be our duty to prioritize safety above all else, I’m grateful that Jesse Roper was able to remind me to go back to basics once we’d filed our flight plan and done our checklists. When I was given the opportunity to take Jesse flying over one of his favourite mountain ranges, I immediately knew the flight was going to be special for a number of reasons. Not only did it represent the first episode I would shoot for my airborne talkshow, Radio Chatter, but it was finally the excuse that both Jesse and I were looking for to experience Vancouver Island’s tallest mountain: the Golden Hinde. Both Jesse and I want to climb the Hinde one day, and May 30th, 2019 (this was filmed one year ago, we’re all respecting social distancing practices this May) allowed us to conquer the mountain in a very special way. We recorded an incredible interview shot over breathtaking vistas and during those moments, it became clear that not even a rockstar is immune to the thrill of flight.
ABOUT RADIO CHATTER
Radio Chatter is an airborne interview talk show hosted and produced by Mat Mosveen featuring guests answering unique questions over breathtaking views. Jesse Roper’s episode is tentatively slated for release on Thursday, June 25th, 2020 at 4PM PST on Youtube - please follow for updates. Here is the YouTube channel link: https://bit.ly/RCPat Instagram: @RadioChatterShow Facebook: @RadioChatter Twitter: @RadioChatterSho Please note: This episode was filmed on May 30, 2019 (1 year ago). Editing removes context – all radio calls are made, checklists complete, and aviation laws adhered to during production. Interview content is captured during non-critical phases of flight in uncontrolled airspace with very little air traffic while maintaining a vigilant traffic lookout and close listening watch on the radio.
So is crowd-surfing among 9,000 adorning fans what freedom feels like? Or is it cloud-surfing at 9,000 feet among the snowy peaks in central Vancouver Island? Well, at least Jesse is one step closer to answering that question.
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