Christopher Horton

Christopher Horton is an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner based in the Santa Ana and Costa Mesa area of Southern California, operating out of HeliStream at John Wayne Airport (SNA). Because his FAA aircraft category on record is helicopter, he serves as a rotorcraft examiner and does not conduct airplane checkrides. He maintains a professional web presence at damselpilot.com, a name he chose humorously after making precautionary landings and waiting for a rescue crew, jokingly referring to himself as a 'Damsel in Distress.' Horton began his flight training at age 12 and later attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he minored in Safety Science to focus on accident mitigation and safety program management. Today, he is the Assistant Chief Flight Instructor, Check Airman, and Director of Safety at HeliStream. His previous roles include Helicopter Chief Flight Instructor at Hillsboro Aero Academy in Oregon, and Manager of Flight Operations at Guidance Aviation in Arizona and Louisiana, where he designed and implemented a custom Safety Management System training program. With thousands of hours of helicopter flight time, Horton has provided over 5,000 hours of dual instruction. His background covers initial pilot qualifications, Night Vision Goggle training, advanced emergency procedures like touchdown autorotations, instrument instruction, high-altitude mountain flying, and external load operations. He has also flown commercial missions for aerial firefighting, powerline patrol, filming, tours, and aerial surveys. Horton is an active Southern California FAASTeam representative, a member of the United States Helicopter Safety Team, and serves on committees for Vertical Aviation International. In 2014, at age 27, he received the Helicopter Association International AgustaWestland Safety Excellence Award. Outside of aviation, his interests include reading, watching documentaries, and brewing homebrew beer.