{"id":12641,"date":"2019-11-20T14:14:21","date_gmt":"2019-11-20T20:14:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.envoyair.com\/?p=12641"},"modified":"2019-11-20T14:14:21","modified_gmt":"2019-11-20T20:14:21","slug":"ex-army-envoy-pilot-golfer-lands-green-dfw-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.envoyair.com\/2019\/11\/20\/ex-army-envoy-pilot-golfer-lands-green-dfw-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Ex-Army Envoy pilot and golfer lands on the green in DFW"},"content":{"rendered":"

It took a few years, but Colter Kautzmann now realizes that he can\u2019t always swing for the hole-in-one. Maturity, a family to care for, and a steady career have taught the amateur golfer \u2013 and Envoy First Officer \u2013 that sometimes life is about growing up and keeping the ball in play.<\/p>\n

Right out of high school, Colter received a scholarship to play golf at the University of Idaho, but soon after college followed in his father\u2019s footsteps and joined the military as a U.S. Army helicopter pilot. Colter had also just met Sara, his soon-to-be wife, which played a part in his decision to enlist.<\/p>\n

For a few years, Colter and his family lived the military life \u2013 moving from one country to the next \u2013 which he knew all too well, having grown up the son of an Air Force pilot. However, during his deployment in Germany, his mother was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer and her condition worsened, prompting Colter to request a move to the Arizona Army Guard where he and his family could be closer to her.<\/p>\n

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Although his domestic tasks were of a more tame variety than the Medevac missions he performed in Europe and the Middle East, Colter still enjoyed it given his passion for aviation. Eventually, Colter\u2019s interest to become a commercial pilot was piqued when he got word that Envoy had created the first Rotor Transition Program for military helicopter pilots.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the time, if you wanted to be an airline pilot, you had to do it on your own,\u201d said Colter. \u201cThe fact that Envoy did their homework and were the frontrunners for the Rotor Transition Program<\/a> made me choose Envoy. They had everything we needed and made a great plan for pilots like me to make an easy transition.\u201d<\/p>\n

Perfect fit<\/h3>\n

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As far as First Officer training, Colter said there are a lot of similarities between Envoy and the Army. Colter especially appreciated the step-by-step process communicated to the pilot trainees, which kept everyone abreast of what to expect and focused on the learning aspect of training.<\/p>\n

He also mentioned that Envoy was smart in going after military pilots, because they have experience working as a crew. Just like on a Medevac mission, Colter and his fellow crewmates depend on strong communication and proper planning for every departure.<\/p>\n

His years of experience, whether it be in the military or playing golf, are something Colter wears proudly like a badge of honor. He said he\u2019s never felt any regret starting his aviation career later than most pilots.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe experiences that my family and I have had has prepared us for this opportunity,\u201d said Colter. \u201cI\u2019m 35 years old, so that means I still have 30 years left with the company. You can\u2019t really ask for much more than that in terms of career stability.\u201d<\/p>\n

Back in the swing of things<\/h3>\n

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After a few years off from Colter\u2019s true passion of playing golf, he is now at a place where he can focus on competing at the same level he played at during college. He\u2019s a member of the Veteran Golf Association (VGA), a non-profit organization promoting service members who play the links, and has basically picked up where he left off.<\/p>\n