OVER 100 YEARS OF AVIATION EXPERIENCE

HRH was founded in 2005 under the direction of Andy Gibbs. The goal was to create a company focused on providing safe flight operations, high quality aircraft maintenance, and expert sales advice, all with a personal touch.  

The HRH staff continues to combine its thousands of hours of pilot experience, aircraft maintenance expertise, and years of aviation knowledge into a full service aviation company.

With the growing demand for private aircraft transportation, training, and ownership, HRH strives to meet all the needs of our varied customers. HRH’s highly experienced staff allows for a unique, professional, and individualized customer experience. HRH is ready to serve you.

For more information about helicopter charters, special event support, aerial photography and videography, tours, flight training, maintenance, sales, aircraft management, or pilot services, email us at flying@hrheli.com or call 757-488-9044.   We look forward to partnering with you.

MEET OUR TEAM

Some of our HRH staff at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh

Dave Hynes resume

President & Co-founder of HRHHelicopter Pilot/Instructor/Designated Examiner and Airplane Pilot/Instructor
In 2005, Dave transitioned from flying for the Air Force to team with Andy Gibbs to start and grow HRH into a premier aviation services company.

Dave is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and served flying VIP’s in Learjets, international missions in the C-5 Galaxy, and navaid flight inspection in Hawker 800s.

However, his start in aviation and love for helicopters began at an early age, where in the 1970’s & 80’s he grew up around and worked for Brantly-Hynes Helicopters, at the time owned by his father Michael Hynes.

Dave is a believer that the family oriented business environment is key to HRH’s success, and his wife Shanda and two boys Mitchell and Ryan can all be found pitching in around the hangar.

With over 16,000+ accident free flying hours split almost evenly between helicopters and airplanes, Dave personally oversees all operations for HRH.

Patrick Hynes

Director of MaintenanceIA/A&P, Helicopter Pilot/Instructor, and Airplane Pilot
Patrick left American Airlines in 2014 as a maintenance technician to take over as Director of Maintenance for HRH.

Besides over a decade of maintenance experience in the airline industry, Patrick also grew up working in numerous roles at Brantly-Hynes Helicopters, served in the Army as a helicopter maintenance specialist, and ran his own Robinson helicopter maintenance company.  He also achieved his airplane pilot’s license and helicopter instructor certificate.

The family atmosphere of HRH played a major role in Pat’s decision to move to Virginia and team up with his “little” brother Dave.  He and his two boys, Braden and Chase, fit right in with the HRH family.

Patrick’s diverse maintenance background and thousands of hours of pilot experience give him a unique capability to superbly perform his DOM role for HRH’s customers.

Greg Doloresco

Operations Coordinator
Greg is our tireless Operations Coordinator. A Virginian born and raised, he is from the Hampton Roads area.

He attended Virginia Tech for Biology and Biochemistry and soon after graduation he decided to focus on a career in aviation. His interest in flying has been present since he was a child. Some of his first memories are from attending air shows at NAS Oceana with his grandfather, a retired US Air Force aircraft technician.

Greg enjoys a wide range of activities from hiking, to shooting, to video games and everything in-between.

Erwin Abella resume

Helicopter Instructor and Pilot
Erwin is a third generation native Californian but has called many places around the world home.

He’s lived several different lives: in one previous life, he was an art student, in another he got a graduate degree in political science.

In the longest of those incarnations, Erwin wore a Stetson as a Cavalry Officer in the US Army, a twice-spurred leader of scouts and infantrymen.

Erwin spent many a hot day in dusty, sweltering places like Kandahar, looking up with envy at the helicopters flying above him. It was in places like that where he realized he was blessed to have met his professional goals earlier than most, and was barely young enough for another profession. So, he earned his helicopter ratings in central Oregon, and flew clear across the continent to Virginia to chase his second dream of flying!

Erwin collects unfinished hobbies, but the ones with staying power include being a movie nerd, and wasting money on cars.

Erik Van Osten resume

Airplane Pilot and Instructor
Erik comes to HRH with over ten years of instructional and corporate flying experience. Having first soloed an airplane while in high school, he realized his dream of becoming a professional pilot after attending the University of Virginia, and has served in various pilot roles since, including Chief Instructor, Chief Pilot, and as a contract pilot.

A native Virginian, Erik was born and raised in Winchester and has lived throughout the state. A chance to move to the Tidewater Region eventually led him on a track to HRH and the future.

As a history buff, Erik relishes the storied past of the region and has been known to serve as a spontaneous guide from the air. However, the adventure of flight always keeps him yearning to see what’s over the next horizon. He also enjoys tall tales with family and friends, the mountains, the beach, watching and playing soccer, and taking on the world with his family.

Mitchell Hynes resume

Helicopter and Airplane Instructor and Pilot
With aviation being so ingrained in the Hynes family, it only made sense that Mitchell was flying helicopters and airplanes solo before he could even drive alone. Mitchell soloed both the airplane and the helicopter on his 16th birthday, and got his private pilot certificate on his 17th.

After high school, Mitchell moved to Blacksburg, Virginia to attend college at Virginia Tech, where he obtained an engineering degree in Computer Science.
Mitchell loves flying, instructing, and aircraft maintenance, all of which he does as much as possible!

Outside of flying, Mitchell enjoys competitive shooting, especially shotguns, and has competed across the country in shooting tournaments. Mitchell spends the rest of his free time hunting, being outdoors, and enjoying the company of friends.

Tom Dorl resume

Airplane Pilot and Director of Safety and Training
Tom joined HRCS in March 2022 bringing decades of aviation experience across many different organizations.

Tom, who was inspired by his father to pursue aviation, learned to fly at a USAF Aero Club at the age of 16 and graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Aerospace Technology and a commission in the US Air Force.

He spent 25 years in the US Air Force attending both fixed wing and rotary wing pilot training. He has traveled the world and spent the majority of his time flying combat rescue missions in the HH-60G PaveHawk. Tom has deployed overseas numerous times saving civilians and service members in harm’s way. After military service, he settled down in the tidewater Virginia area and continued working as a flight instructor and Check Airman at a Part 141 Flight School.

As he enjoys living in Virginia with his wife and two daughters, Tom can be found fishing and enjoying outdoor activities when he is not flying or spending time with his family.

Caleb Waite resume

Airplane and Helicopter Instructor and Pilot
Caleb joined the team at HRH in August 2022 with over a decade of aviation experience ranging from instruction, to utility work, and managing flight operations overseas.

Growing up in Vermont and later Florida, Caleb was instilled with a love of aviation from a young age by his father who loved all things airplanes. That love of flying was later realized when Caleb went to college to complete his fixed wing ratings as well as a mechanic certificate. After college Caleb moved to Virginia to work as an instructor and mechanic. He later worked his way up to flying and managing flight operations for government flight operations supporting the military overseas.

While flying airplanes was the first step in aviation, Caleb’s goal has always been to fly helicopters. Through the course of working in airplanes, he has slowly completed his training in helicopters and is now working on building rotary time as often as he can.

Outside of flying, Caleb enjoys riding motorcycles, shooting, and spending time with his wife on their land in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.

David Andrew Gibbs biography

David “Andy” Gibbs was the driving force behind establishing HRH in 2005. But Andy’s passion for flying combined with his diverse background in real estate, property management, and construction made him a success right from his start in the aviation business in the early 1990’s.

He started and grew Hampton Roads Charter Service into a Part 135 Charter Operator and Robinson Helicopter Service Center and Dealership. In 2000, Andy expanded his aviation interests to include becoming a part owner of the Hampton Roads Executive Airport and he helped guide the airport to becoming a premier regional airport.

While Andy’s passing in February of 2013 saddened everyone that knew him, his entrepreneurial spirit still drives us all here at HRH to be the best at what we do. His wife Sandie and his two boys Drew and Jake continue to carry on Andy’s legacy at HRH.