Helicopter Entrepreneur
John Stonecipher grew up in Southern California where he was a certificated flight instructor by the age of 19. In 1988, John became a police officer assigned to the patrol division in the City of Newport Beach.
Frank Robinson, the president and founder of the Robinson Helicopter Company, hired John as a manufacturer’s test pilot and company instructor. Throughout the years, John worked in off-shore passenger service, utility, law enforcement, search and rescue and firefighting.
John moved to Arizona in 1993 and founded Guidance Helicopters, Inc in 1998. Guidance Helicopters became one of the nation’s largest collegiate pilot schools by serving its’ collegiate partners at Yavapai College and Baton Rouge Community College.
John was named the Small Business Person of the Year in 2013 by the Small Business Administration in Washington, D.C.
He has started several other companies including Guidance Air Service (helicopter tours in Sedona), Cowboy Copters (aerial livestock gathering and other ranch related support and services), X-Copter (helicopter training simulator), and Helius (helicopter powerline construction).
In 2012, John gave a Rescue One to the search-and-rescue team of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. Under the sheriff’s supervision, the helicopter has been used to save lives and fight crime to make our communities a safer place to live. He has also sponsored many community activities and donates annually to community non-profit organizations such as YEI, 100 Men of Prescott, Heights Church and Agape House.
6540 Crystal Lane | Prescott, AZ 86301
928-443-9370 | www.helius.aero
www.guidanceair.com | www.guidance.aero
