Ethan Fick
Aerial Survey Pilot
Where do you live?
Richland, Washington
How long have you been flying?
I’ve been flying since April 8th, 2019. 5 years.
What makes Sol a special place to work?
I love my coworkers, everyone I’ve met and interacted with is so cool and friendly. Makes for a great place to work!
Which of our company values resonates the most with you?
Obviously safety is most important to me and always has been, but integrity is what most resonates with me. If a boss or coworker tells/says something to you and they feel unsure about trusting you with that task or information then that’s just going to lead to a bad work relationship. So honesty is the only option in my mind to keep myself and others happy. Once trust is lost, it’s almost impossible to bring that back.
Where is your favorite place that you have traveled to for work?
El Paso, Texas has been my favorite so far! But we’ll see how Nashville, Tennessee is on this next rotation!
What do you like most of your job?
I love having the opportunity to earn quality hours with such cool coworkers and travel the country to unique destinations in an awesome plane!
How did you find this position?
I was working as a Fueler at my home airport and ran into Sol Aerial Survey pilot and struck up a conversation with him and kept that in my mind until I got all my ratings and the required hours to apply!
What inspired you to choose this career path?
My mom was a flight attendant for NorthWest airlines for 18 years and when I was little towards the tail end of her career I got to travel all over the place and fell in love with flying. As I got older I knew I wanted to be a pilot.
What have been some challenging moments for you at work?
I’ve always been very good at time management but that’s something I think has been a challenge for me since I’m still new at the company. Things are definitely getting easier and will continue to do so but it will just take time. Figuring out bases and doing Maintenance events have also been new challenges for me but those too are also getting easier.
What makes Sol stand out from the competition?
The quality of life assurance is great. I love the 16 on 12 off schedule and the compensation is very nice too.
Favorite hobbies?
Hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, and video games!
What are the first three things in your bucke tlist?
Marry my Fiancé and have 4 kids, become a 747 Captain at some point, and run my grandparents ranch down the road.
Is there something you can’t live without?
Dots original pretzels.
Do you have any role models?
My dad and my grandpas are my role models. Just how they worked so hard to get to where they all are in their lives inspires me.
What are your future ambitions?
I hope to be a cargo pilot in my future. I want to fly the 747 before she’s gone from the industry completely.
What or who is your inspiration? Why so?
Other than my dad or both grandpas, I’d say David Goggins, Joko, Theo Von and Joe Rogan. They taught me to be mentally tough and to quit making excuses for things that are in my own control. They helped me lose 40 pounds when I lost sight of who I was becoming.
Do you have any nicknames?
No “nicknames” really but at work and when I played football in high school I’m addressed as “Fick” my last name.
