Bizav Owner-Operator Reflects on the Rewards of Leadership

With a single rotorcraft, Nicole Battjes founded Rainbow Helicopters in Oahu, HI, when she was just 27 years old. Now, less than 15 years later, she operates 11 helicopters with 55 employees.

Battjes began her aviation journey by learning to fly in high school, envisioning a career as a fixed-wing pilot. But in college, she fell in love with helicopters.

After graduating Eastern Michigan University with a degree she created herself, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business, Aviation and Communications, she moved to southern California to complete flight school. Working for a helicopter charter service in the Bay Area, she supervised the company’s Part 135 certification process.

Later, Battjes worked for a helicopter flight operator in the Napa and Sonoma Valleys. There, she learned how to operate a small aviation business and decided to pursue the entrepreneur bug. She completed her helicopter training with the help of the Amelia Earhart Memorial Scholarship from the Ninety-Nines.

“It was a small operation, so I answered phones, taught ground school, flew tours and marketed to wineries,” Battjes said. “I fell in love with that type of business and was running that business as the main manager.”

A short year later, she realized she could run a similar business for herself. “I felt like the world was at my fingertips,” she said. “There’s a kind naiveté to it.” But that naiveté, simply believing in her own capabilities to run a small business, led Battjes to Hawaii where she launched an air tour business.

“Hawaii has beautiful weather and beautiful scenery. I realized if I could sell a helicopter tour in Sonoma, I could sell one in Hawaii,” said Battjes.

Helping Others

Battjes doesn’t just love the aviation side of her business, she truly enjoys leading people, especially young people, and watching them grow in their careers.

“It’s not just leading the pilots or mechanics, people who have chosen aviation. Some people come to Rainbow Helicopters without aviation experience, and I get to help them learn, turn them into a huge asset and see their growth,” she said. “It’s also fun and rewarding to train and mentor reservations. customer relations and other employees.”

Before age 40, Battjes was named chair of the board of directors at Helicopter Association International. She led the organization through its rebranding as Vertical Aviation International and developed the association’s strategy to support emerging technologies.

“As a young woman in a male industry, and particularly a woman entrepreneur in business aviation, I love being able to make an impact and, hopefully, better the industry,” Battjes said.

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Realistic Expectations for AAM

Battjes is measured in her optimism on the emerging eVTOL/AAM industry. She is supportive of the emerging eVTOL/AAM industry, while recognizing the challenges ahead.

“There’s so much hype around the idea, similar to the hype around commercial space,” she said. “It’s exciting, but the industry will face many of the age-old legacy helicopter problems including infrastructure and integration challenges. The helicopter industry has over 75 years of history in tackling these problems.”

Local ordinances will continue to be a challenge for both industries, she said, offering an example that Los Angeles has infrastructure for vertical lift aircraft but San Francisco’s local ordinances generally prohibit it.

Battjes said she doesn’t see many of these issues being immediate issues as the AAM industry launches, “but as the industry grows and the reality of integration sets in, you’ll have the same or more issues as helicopters. Hopefully, new technology helps us move the needle, with capabilities of new aircraft can help sell it more – but not expecting a paradigm shift in use – will improve access.”

That said, Battjes thinks it’s important to have realistic expectations, saying these aircraft will not completely replace traditional helicopter operations.

“I see eVTOLs in aviation as similar to the evolution of cars over the years. We had cars over 100 years ago. Now they’re more sophisticated, more attractive, more efficient. eVTOLs are an evolution of a helicopter in some ways,” Battjes said. “They’re an exciting addition to the industry but it will be many years before we see full implementation of their capabilities.”