DAN EVANS

ASSISTANT CHIEF PILOT

Dan’s flying career started in his former home state of Indiana in 1990. While flying out of Valparaiso, Indiana, VPZ, he  earned both Private Pilot and Instrument ratings while working as a technician and business manager in an eye clinic.

Upon moving to Colorado in 1993 and as owner of the Mountain Shop in Fort Collins he continued flying for business and pleasure in his Cessna 182. After leaving retail as his second career he earned his Commercial and Flight Instructor certificates at The Flying School in Loveland, CO in 2008. While there until 2011, Dan taught for over 1300 hours and also met his partner Kelli as her substitute instructor. She was on leave from teaching in Tanzania, East Africa.

His first charter experience started 2016 after joining Valley Med Flight, flying a medically equipped and crewed Pilatus PC12 in support of the Rosebud Sioux in South Dakota. It was here that he earned his Air Transport Pilot certificate and went on to later fly for Classic Air Medical closer to home in Colorado.

A middle school teaching job offer for Kelli provided the stimulus to move to NC in 2019. It was a big change from living in a straw bale, timber framed home on the prairie with fantastic views of the mountains and the milky way. Dan met Andrew Baird at this juncture flying for the same charter company. This was fortuitous. With Drew’s vision to develop North Star Aero, and their continued friendship, Dan found his new place. It is his firm belief that medical care is greatly enhanced and supported by aviation.

When not living his dream job of flying,  Dan enjoys skiing, hiking, paddling canoes, and taking long motorcycle trips on his “Guzzi”.