It’s rare to meet someone who has survived a plane crash and even more rare to meet someone who has survived a helicopter crash. You could say then that meeting a pilot who has survived one plane crash and two helicopter crashes during his career, is a very rare thing and most certainly warrants an interview.
Shawn Sullivan is military veteran, a former paramedic, a close friend, a brother in Christ, and a commercial airline and helicopter pilot. He is also the son of a Vietnam War veteran helicopter pilot who chalked up no less than five helicopter crashes during his service.
Shawn is a professional and very safe pilot with thousands and thousands of flight-time hours. He is meticulous and I would trust him with my life and the lives of my family, but there are inherent risks when you take thousands of pounds of metal, strap an engine to it, and send it up into the atmosphere.
We sat down to talk about his experiences, particularly the most recent crash that almost took his life, on the Unscripted Podcast.
Photos of his most recent helicopter crash, courtesy Shawn Sullivan: