Episode Details

In Part 2 of this conversation, Captain Niels Olson takes us inside his first deployment as a CH-124 Sea King pilot with 443 Maritime Helicopter Squadron - and the reality of life at sea that no one fully prepares you for.

After completing his training, Niels went almost straight from the Operational Training Unit to deploying aboard HMCS Ottawa. 

Niels opens up about the moment he realized he might not want to be a maritime helicopter pilot at all, and how he realized he was right where he wanted to be.

This episode breaks down what life is really like on board a Royal Canadian Navy frigate - from how helicopters are loaded and maintained at sea, to the realities of food, sleep, and day-to-day routines during long deployments.

He also shares the challenges of landing on a moving ship, the steep learning curve of early deployments, and what it takes to adapt and succeed in one of the most unique flying environments in the military.