Alan Purwin

Purwin was born on August 28, 1961{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-alan-purwin-20150918-story.html|title=Alan Purwin dies at 54; copter pilot in breathtaking Hollywood stunts|website=Los Angeles Times |date=18 September 2015}} in Southern California and was raised in North Hollywood, California.{{cite news|last1=Hennigan|first1=W.J.|title=How I Made It: Alan Purwin of Helinet Aviation|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-aug-15-la-fi-himi-purwin-20100815-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|date=15 August 2010 |access-date=23 August 2015}} Purwin's father owned an automobile repair business. When Purwin was a child, he would fly with his father in a single-engine Cessna 210. Purwin's father flew the plane as a hobby around all of North America. Purwin's father also flew cancer patients for medical treatment in support of the Angel Flight Network.

Purwin attended Grant High School in the greater Los Angeles area.{{cite web|last1 = Head|first1 = Elan|title = A Wide Net|url = http://www.verticalmag.com/features/features_article/21950-a-wide-net.html|publisher = Vertical Magazine|access-date = 23 August 2015}} While in high school, Purwin earned his fixed-wing pilot certificate. At the age of eighteen, with prodding from his father, Purwin piloted a helicopter for the first time. At the age of nineteen, Purwin worked as a helicopter crop duster in Greenfield, Indiana, where he flew ten to twelve hours a day. Purwin said of his time in Indiana: "It was the perfect opportunity to rack up flying hours and become familiar with the aircraft."

After his short time in Indiana, Purwin returned to Southern California and worked for a helicopter company that took aerial video footage of the 1984 Summer Olympics that took place in Los Angeles. He flew helicopters that covered cycling and sailing. After that, Purwin did aerial helicopter stunts for television shows including The A-Team and Airwolf.

In 1987, Purwin and Michael Tamburro co-founded West Coast Helicopters. Purwin, along with Michael sold just about everything they owned and bought a first generation, Bell 206 LongRanger. The company provided flight services to the Los Angeles Kings and performed aerial stunts for a television show called, The Adventures of Buck James. In 1988, West Coast Helicopters signed on with hospitals to transport medical teams for organ transplants. In 1990, West Coast Helicopters secured its first news contract with KTLA in Los Angeles.

On August 21, 1996, Purwin crashed an AH-1 Huey Cobra helicopter during the filming of a Michael Bay-directed Black+Decker television commercial, injuring himself and a crew member on the ground, and killing his co-pilot and business partner in West Coast Helicopters, Michael Tamburro.{{Cite web|url=https://www.apnews.com/6e22a095c376a5b72665552cc9cd7f3c|title=Helicopter Crashes, Killing Co-Pilot, During Shooting of TV Commercial|website=Associated Press|access-date=2019-02-04|archive-date=2019-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204231129/https://www.apnews.com/6e22a095c376a5b72665552cc9cd7f3c|url-status=dead}}

West Coast Helicopters and Purwin offered charter services, flying corporate executives and celebrities. In 2011, Purwin took Prince Harry on a helicopter tour of Los Angeles, California.{{cite web|last1=Aradillas|first1=Elaine|title=Prince Harry Takes a Helicopter Tour of L.A.|url=http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20395222_20550372,00.html|publisher=People|access-date=23 August 2015}} One of Purwin's clients was Emil P. Martini Jr., a major pharmaceutical company executive. Martini mentored Purwin and taught him how to run a business. Purwin said Martini taught him "if you want to get ahead in business, you have to anticipate trends. Trust your gut."

In 1998, Purwin purchased Helinet Aviation, merging it with West Coast Helicopters, which enabled the company to expand its business. Purwin aided in the filming of over a hundred Hollywood movies as a helicopter pilot and aerial coordinator.{{cite web|title=Alan D. Purwin profile|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0701042/|publisher=IMDb|access-date=23 August 2015}} Purwin shot extreme aerial shots for up to ten films a year from a camera mounted onto his helicopter.{{cite web|last1=Rzadkiewicz|first1=Olivia|title=The Hollywood helicopter pilot behind extreme aerials|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/11150743/The-Hollywood-helicopter-pilot-behind-extreme-aerials.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141010013432/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/11150743/The-Hollywood-helicopter-pilot-behind-extreme-aerials.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 October 2014|publisher=The Telegraph|access-date=23 August 2015}}{{cite web|title=The Man Who Makes Transformers Fly|date=9 October 2014 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2014-10-09/the-hollywood-helicopter-pilot-behind-extreme-aerials|publisher=Bloomberg|access-date=23 August 2015}} Purwin shook up the aerial cinematography industry by changing the business model.{{cite web|last1=Cohen|first1=David|title=Aerial Cinematography Firm Bringing Changes to Business Model|date=16 September 2014|url=https://variety.com/2014/artisans/production/aerial-cinematography-changes-1201307058/|publisher=Variety|access-date=12 September 2015}} Purwin often worked in dangerous conditions, and tried to "de-risk" when working in dangerous conditions.{{cite web|last1=Marie|first1=Marie de la Fuente|title=Plane Crash on Tom Cruise Film Set Leaves 2 Dead|date=12 September 2015|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/tom-cruise-movie-plane-crash-2-dead-1201591589/|publisher=Variety Magazine|access-date=12 September 2015}} On the set of Tropic Thunder, Purwin recalled: “(Ben Stiller) would tell me, ‘Go crazy Alan, and do your own thing.’ And most of that stuff ended up in the movie.”

In 2015, Purwin was granted an exemption by the Federal Aviation Administration to operate unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones.{{cite web|last1=Carroll|first1=James|title=UAV roundup 2/9: The latest in unmanned aerial vehicle news|date=9 February 2015 |url=http://www.vision-systems.com/articles/2015/02/uav-roundup-2-9-the-latest-in-unmanned-aerial-vehicle-news.html|publisher=Vision Systems|access-date=23 August 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Moorman|first1=Robert|title=Droning On: The Commercial UAS market|url=http://aviationweek.com/paris-air-show-2015/droning-commercial-uas-market|publisher=Aviation Week|access-date=23 August 2015}}{{cite web|title=FAA Letter to Alan Purwin |url=https://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/media/Alan_Purwin_11161.pdf |website=faa.gov |publisher=FAA |access-date=23 August 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150209023923/http://www.faa.gov/uas/legislative_programs/section_333/media/Alan_Purwin_11161.pdf |archive-date=9 February 2015 }} Purwin's company supplied the drone work for a Narcos shoot in Colombia.{{cite news|last1=Gamerman|first1=Ellen|title=Drones Invade Hollywood|newspaper=Wall Street Journal|date=26 March 2015|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/drones-invade-hollywood-1427410534|publisher=WSJ|access-date=23 August 2015}}

After Purwin's death in 2015, his wife Kathryn became CEO and owner of Helinet Aviation.{{Cite web|title=Male-Dominated Aviation Makes Way for Helinet {{!}} San Fernando Valley Business Journal|url=http://www.sfvbj.com/news/2021/jul/05/male-dominated-aviation-makes-way-helinet/|access-date=2022-02-19|website=www.sfvbj.com|date=4 July 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=2019-01-13|title=How I Made It: As Helinet's CEO, Kathryn Purwin flies above the glass ceiling|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-himi-purwin-20190113-story.html|access-date=2022-02-19|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US}}

In 2003, Purwin bought a controlling interest in Cineflex, an aerial-camera startup that developed one of the first gyro-stabilized camera systems capable of transmitting high-definition video from a helicopter without any loss of quality.{{cite web|last1=Boorstin|first1=Julia|title=Eye in the Sky|url=https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2004/11/01/8190931/index.htm|publisher=CNN|access-date=12 September 2015}} At the time of his investment, the film industry was shifting to the high-definition digital standard. Cineflex's customers included law enforcement agencies. In 2007, Axsys Technologies acquired Cineflex.{{cite web|title=Axsys Technologies Acquires Cineflex Camera Systems|url=http://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/aktien/Axsys-Technologies-Acquires-Cineflex-Camera-Systems-161473|publisher=Finanzen|access-date=12 September 2015|archive-date=28 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150928161932/http://www.finanzen.net/nachricht/aktien/Axsys-Technologies-Acquires-Cineflex-Camera-Systems-161473|url-status=dead}}

In 2012, Purwin acquired ShotOver Camera Systems. ShotOver is an aerial cinematography subsidiary of Helinet Aviation{{Cite web |url=http://abc7.com/news/2-killed-in-movie-crew-plane-crash-in-colombia/980499/ |title=2 Killed, Including Helinet Founder Alan Purwin, In Colombia Plane Crash |access-date=2015-09-14 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150917025614/http://abc7.com/news/2-killed-in-movie-crew-plane-crash-in-colombia/980499/ |archive-date=2015-09-17 |url-status=dead }} and develops aerial camera systems with gyro-stabilized camera platforms for the motion picture and broadcasting industries.

In 2013, Purwin founded VideoFort with Steve Gatena, Bryan M., Chris Carter, Judy Gatena & Andy McNeil as a joint partnership between Helinet Aviation and REP Interactive. VideoFort is one of the largest manufacturers of HD and Ultra HD stock footage.{{cite web|last1=Rhodes|first1=Derick|title=Embracing Aerials: Meet New Footage Contributor VideoFort|date=12 March 2014|url=http://www.shutterstock.com/blog/new-footage-contributor-videofort|publisher=Shutterstock blog|access-date=23 August 2015}} Before founding VideoFort, Purwin was known to have the world's largest collection of aerial HD stock footage.

In 2005, Purwin's company, Helinet & Cineflex, provided support to the United States Coast Guard and the Department of Homeland Security during Hurricane Katrina. They also provided the aerial footage of the storm-zone for all the major news media outlets.{{cite news|last1=Levin|first1=Myron|title=Movie Pilot's Company Wins Raves for Real Disaster Video|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-sep-05-fi-heli5-story.html|newspaper=LA Times|date=5 September 2005 |access-date=23 August 2015}}{{cite web|title=First Aerial Scenes from 2005 Katrina Coverage|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/video/aerial-scenes-2005-katrina-coverage-33138542|work=ABC News|access-date=23 August 2015}} Purwin along with J.T. Alpaugh were the first news crew to see the destruction zone from above.{{cite web|last1=Ono|first1=David|title=ABC7 Reporter, Helicopter Pilot Recall Air Coverage of Hurricane Katrina |date=29 August 2015|url=http://abc7.com/news/abc7-reporter-helicopter-pilot-recall-air-coverage-of-hurricane-katrina/961267/|publisher=ABC|access-date=12 September 2015}}

In 2015, ABC reported that, although Purwin's and Alpaugh's first priority was to document the events, the team helped rescue many people during the disaster. Alpaugh recalled of the team: "We would fly in an area and we'd see someone pop up on a rooftop and wave to us. You'd see the signs: 'help us, come get us, S.O.S.' We'd call in these rescues and five minutes later a Coast Guard Jayhawk or a Delphine would come in and hoist rescue them out."

Helinet and Purwin provided medical transport services free of charge to patients and hospitals.{{cite web|last1=Pociask|first1=Martin|title=Helinet Aviation Services: Transporting a Commitment to Service and Caring|url=http://www.rotor.com/membership/rotor/rotorpdf/winter04_05/12.pdf|website=rotor.com|access-date=23 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114301/http://www.rotor.com/membership/rotor/rotorpdf/winter04_05/12.pdf|archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}} In 1999, Helinet donated a Sikorsky S-76 to Children's Hospital Los Angeles as well as trained pilots and helicopter maintenance. As of 2004, Purwin's company Helinet had flown more than 30,000 organ-transfer missions for six hospitals. Every year, Helinet also transported nearly 3,000 children for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. By 2014, Helinet and Purwin had provided Children's Hospital Los Angeles with helicopter services free of charge, including one Sikorsky S-76B, one Sikorsky S-76A, helicopter maintenance, and six experienced pilots (four full-time and two backups).{{cite web|title=Imagine Winter 2014 – Keep Calm and Carry On|url=http://www.chla.org/imagine-winter-2014-keep-calm-and-carry|website=chla.org|date=13 May 2015|access-date=12 September 2015|archive-date=1 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151001094506/http://www.chla.org/imagine-winter-2014-keep-calm-and-carry|url-status=dead}} Purwin served on the Children's Hospital Los Angeles Board of Trustees.

On September 11, 2015, Purwin died in a plane crash in Colombia, South America, during the shooting of the film American Made starring Tom Cruise. Purwin was returning to Enrique Olaya Herrera Airport in Medellín. According to an official, the normal duration of the flight was 10 minutes and it required a skilled pilot to clear the Andes and descend sharply into the steep valley around Medellín.{{cite web|title=Tom Cruise flew same path across Colombian Andes minutes before fatal plane crash|url=http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/09/12/tom-cruise-flew-same-path-across-colombian-andes-minutes-before-plane-crashed/|website=Associated Press|publisher=Fox News Latino|access-date=13 September 2015|date=12 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912221327/http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2015/09/12/tom-cruise-flew-same-path-across-colombian-andes-minutes-before-plane-crashed/|archive-date=2015-09-12|url-status=dead}} In the crash, American pilot Carlos Berl was also killed, while American pilot Jimmy Lee Garland was seriously injured and rushed to a local hospital.{{cite web|last1=Brumfield|first1=Ben|last2=Williams|first2=Alima|title=Tom Cruise movie crew members in plane crash that kills 2 in Colombia|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/12/americas/colombia-small-plane-crash/|publisher=CNN|access-date=12 September 2015|date=12 September 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Cowden|first1=Catarina|title=Deadly Plane Crash Occurs On Set Of Tom Cruise Film Mena|date=12 September 2015|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/new/Deadly-Plane-Crash-Occurs-Set-Tom-Cruise-Film-Mena-82197.html|publisher=cinemablend.com|access-date=12 September 2015}} The plane crash, in a twin-engine Piper Aerostar, is attributed to bad weather.{{cite web| url = https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/plane-tom-cruise-movie-crew-crashes-colombia-33701785| title = Reference at abcnews.go.com| website = ABC News}}

He is interred in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills).

Ben Stiller tweeted: "Shocked about the loss of #AlanPurwin. One of the best people I knew and the greatest pilots ever. I put my life in his hands many times."{{cite web|title=Cause Of Deadly Plane Crash On Set Of Tom Cruise Movie Remains Mystery|date=12 September 2015|url=http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2015/09/12/cause-of-deadly-plane-crash-on-set-of-tom-cruise-movie-remains-mystery/|publisher=CBS Los Angeles|access-date=13 September 2015}} F. Gary Gray wrote: "To the BEST PILOT in the industry! RIP Alan Purwin. Much love brother! Condolences to the @helinet family."{{cite web|last1=Reiher|first1=Andrea|title=Hollywood pilot Alan Purwin killed in Tom Cruise film crew plane crash|url=http://zap2it.com/2015/09/tom-cruise-film-crew-plane-crash-alan-purwin-killed/|publisher=Zap2it|access-date=13 September 2015|archive-date=13 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913013656/http://zap2it.com/2015/09/tom-cruise-film-crew-plane-crash-alan-purwin-killed/|url-status=dead}} Michael Bay posted on his website: Purwin "was one of the best aerial helicopter pilots in the world. It’s a very small group. He flew camera ships for so many – and for almost every one of my movies. We will miss him. He was one of the most loyal members of my team and a true friend."{{cite web|last1=Bay|first1=Michael|title=Alan Purwin|url=http://michaelbay.com/2015/09/12/alan-purwin/|publisher=michaelbay.com|access-date=13 September 2015|archive-date=19 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919214604/http://michaelbay.com/2015/09/12/alan-purwin/|url-status=dead}} Helinet CEO Steve Gatena wrote on Helinet's website: “Alan Purwin was a great man, a world-renowned aviator and a brilliant entrepreneur. At Helinet, Alan was known for his passion, generosity and ability to make us all feel as though we were a part of something much bigger than ourselves."{{cite web|last1=Bartholomew|first1=Dana|title=Hollywood pilot, film pioneer Alan D. Purwin from San Fernando Valley killed in Colombia on Tom Cruise film|date=12 September 2015|url=http://www.dailynews.com/general-news/20150912/hollywood-pilot-film-pioneer-alan-d-purwin-from-san-fernando-valley-killed-in-colombia-on-tom-cruise-film|publisher=LA Daily News|access-date=19 September 2015}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_dmNM48Qc Alan Purwin's Blog] on WordPress
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CURDQ_2qIc Katrina Aerials – Helinet Cineflex – Part 1 of 2]
• [https://twitter.com/alanpur Alan Purwin] on Twitter
• {{IMDb name|0701042|Alan Purwin}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2wQS4LBoVg Variety Artisans: The Dangerous Art Of Aerial Cinematography] with Alan [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_dmNM48Qc Purwin]
• {{Find a Grave}}
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO_dmNM48Qc

{{DEFAULTSORT:Purwin, Alan}}

Category:1961 births

Category:2015 deaths

Category:Helicopter pilots

Category:Hurricane Katrina disaster relief

Category:Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents

Category:Grant High School (Los Angeles) alumni

Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in Colombia

Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2015

Category:20th-century American philanthropists