Jackie Hamilton
Owner, President & Director of Operations
Jackie loves to fly and over the years has flown innumerable flights to, from, in and around the San Juan Islands. Aside from the legendary Roy Franklin, nobody has flown commercially in the islands longer than she. You can almost always find Jackie at the airport, but when she's not flying you can find her on her horse Ferrari.
Will is a forester by trade but has become an indispensible part of the Island Air operation. He is our go-to guy inspiring a common phrase around the hangar ‘where there’s a will there’s a way.’
Will is a graduate of the Safety Management Training Academy and is dedicated to safety and excellence at Island Air.
Ash Gosselin
Chief Pilot
Ashley grew up on Lopez Island near a grass strip called Windsock Farms, where he loved watching Aeronautical Services' DeHavilland Otter fly in and out.
He received an AirHawk Scholarship and learned to fly right there at Windsock. He went on to earn a BS degree in Flight Technology from Central Washington University, and prior to joining Island Air, Ashley flew a Cessna 172 and 206 throughout the San Juan Islands area for Billmeyer Enterprises.
He now lives in Friday Harbor.
Jim Gruneisen
Check Airman, Instructor Pilot
Jim first discovered the San Juan Islands in 1989 while on a flying adventure with his wife, Julie. Two years later they bought property on the water and build a vacation home.
After retiring from his engineering management job he joined Island Air in the summer of 2006. During the summer months you can find Jim at Island Air sharing his joy of flying with passengers. In the winter he flies his Beechcraft Baron south to his home in Palo Alto, CA.
He has over six thousand hours of flying experience, and over two thousand hours of that time is experience working as a flight instructor. He has flown single engine and multi engine aircraft across the US, Western Canada, Alaska, and Baja.
You can visit Jim's website at http://www.flyjim.com.
Craig Bailey
Air Ambulance Pilot, Safety Officer
Craig originally hails from southwest Washington and received an aviation degree from Big Bend College.
He is very well known throughout the San Juan Islands as almost all of his 8,000 hours of flying have been right here.
Craig is affectionately known as Mr. Butter because of his smooth landings.
Off duty Craig spends all his time at the golf course where his dedication has made him a scratch golfer. He can be found practicing or competing in local amateur tournaments whenever time permits. Craig also sits on the Board of Directors for the San Juan Golf & Country Club.
Ed “Griz” Griswold
Charter Pilot
Griz has lived and flown in the San Juan Islands for 15 years.
He began his flying career in high school, in 1969, and has a total of 5,500 hours including 4,000 hours in the islands alone.
He has a multi-engine Airline Transport Pilot rating and has owned several aircraft, including a pressurized Navajo (twin). Griz has attended Flight Safety courses for both initial and recurrent training and has been associated with Island Air since 2003.
He and his lovely bride, Mary, have two grown children and four grandchildren, and both have enjoyed doing volunteer work in S.E. Asia for the past 25 years.
Kent moved to San Juan Island in 2004 after retiring from the Nevada Highway Patrol in Las Vegas as their Senior Pilot. He had been an officer for 33 years and held a pilot position for the last 18.
He lives on his boat in Roche Harbor with his “Admiral” Barbara, also a retired Trooper from the NHP.
Kent has logged over 10,300 hours in his 40 years if flying, nearly all in Cessna aircraft.
After living most of his life in the desert he thoroughly enjoys the beautiful Pacific Northwest and spends much of his non-flying time cruising with his “home”, a 42' motor yacht or touring on his Goldwing motorcycle.
Kent has been a member of the Island Air family since May of 2008.
Having lived in San Diego, Cincinnati and Pensacola, Barbara is now back in her home state of Washington. A jack-of-all-[office]-trades, she is Island Air’s office manager and keeps everyone, and everything, organized.
Barbara spends her free time being a mom taxi to her blended family of four daughters [3 hers/1 his] and enjoys reading and quilting.