Graham Mackenzie

Graham was born in Montreal, raised on a farm in Eastern Ontario, and later moved to British Columbia in his quest to be a Ski Patroller in the West. His path to aviation began while working as a paramedic, during a helicopter air ambulance call, he realized that he would much prefer to be in the front of the helicopter instead of the back! Graham trained for his commercial helicopter licence at Heli-College in Langley BC, has been a career pilot and aviation manager since then- for nearly 4 decades.

With extensive flying experience, including a significant period overseas operating large transport helicopters to offshore oil and gas rigs and in Western Canada flying air ambulance helicopters, Graham brings a wealth of knowledge to his role at HALO. Since 2021, he has served as our Chief Pilot, where it is the variety of life saving missions, whether landing in a backyard, on a roadside, or other challenging scene, especially at night with Night Vision Goggles, that has been so fulfilling for Graham and his crew. It is the rewarding nature that every mission brings- often it’s the arrival of the HALO Helicopter that makes a critical difference in the patient’s positive outcome- and it's this impact that gives Graham such great job satisfaction.

Outside of work, Graham is an avid skier, golfer, and passionate cook. A seasoned traveller, he and his wife have explored 59 countries with still more on the travel bucket list.

What Graham appreciates most about the HALO Program is the supportive, dedicated team: the pilots, engineers, leadership, and board members, who all share the same commitment to providing high quality lifesaving service across Southern Alberta.