Episode 102: The Greener Grass: Flying the Cormorant in Gander, Flying the Airbus H145 with STARS, and returning to the RCAF to instruct on the Bell 412 Outlaw Part 1 - Troy Clarke

Captain Troy Clark was born and raised in a small outport community in Newfoundland, where his interest in aviation began at a young age.

Growing up near the coast, he was captivated by anything that flew, from commercial airliners arriving in nearby cities to helicopters and seaplanes operating in and around his home community.

At 16, he completed a co-op placement with a local bush flying operation where working around aircraft like the de Havilland Beaver solidified his goal of becoming a pilot.

After high school, Troy initially enrolled at Memorial University, but struggled to stay focused, often finding himself more interested in watching aircraft at the nearby airport than attending classes.

He eventually left university to pursue flight training, enrolling in Gander Flight Training in September 2001.

Just one week later, the events of 9/11 brought the aviation industry to a standstill, forcing him to pause his training due to financial constraints and a lack of opportunities for new pilots.

In 2002, he completed a 50-hour bush flying course on float planes, an experience he still considers some of the most enjoyable flying of his career.

However, with limited prospects in civilian aviation at the time, Troy joined the Canadian Army Reserves as a logistics officer.

Through that experience, he discovered opportunities within the Canadian Armed Forces and ultimately transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force as a pilot in 2004 under the Continuing Education Officer Training Plan.

Troy completed pilot training on the Slingsby Firefly, Harvard II, and Hawk, earning his wings in December 2007.

Shortly after, while undergoing fighter lead-in training, he experienced an in-flight decompression that resulted in a serious ear injury and a prolonged medical grounding.

After multiple attempts to return to fast jets, he made the difficult decision to transfer to helicopters.

He completed helicopter training in 2010 and was posted to 103 Search and Rescue Squadron in Gander, Newfoundland, flying the CH-149 Cormorant.

Over several years, Troy flew numerous SAR missions in the challenging conditions of the North Atlantic, working alongside highly skilled crews and partner agencies to conduct rescues in some of the most demanding environments in Canada.

In 2013, Troy was posted to 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, where he began instructing on the Jet Ranger.

He later moved into a standards role, helping train and evaluate instructor pilots.

In 2019, he returned to Gander and was soon placed in a leadership role, serving as Wing Flight Safety Officer and acting Wings Operation Officer, contributing to operational oversight during the COVID-19 pandemic.

After 19 years of service, Troy left the Canadian Armed Forces in 2021 to fly air ambulance missions with STARS in Saskatchewan.

There he flew the Airbus H145 as part of a critical care team, responding to both scene calls and interfacility transfers across the province.

After two years with STARS, he returned to the RCAF in 2023 and is currently serving as a standards training officer and instructor at 3 Canadian Forces Flying Training School.

Now in his 25th year in aviation, Troy continues to contribute to the training and development of the next generation of military pilots.

Troy is married to the love of his life, Kimberly, and they have two wonderful children, Jake and Brynn.