Timberline's Staff & Crew

Ammy Jorgenson CEO, CAO

Co-founder of Timberline Helicopters in 2004. Ammy is CEO and responsible for the Timberline Helicopters branding, including web, social media, apparel, and other marketing items. In 2016, she supervised a complete re-branding of the company’s media profile. She has an eye for style and has built a catalog of apparel that is well known in the industry. In 2020, she took on the role as CAO, a department that supports HR, IT, Security, and Special Projects. In addition to her work at Timberline she is a full-time mom raising two busy and growing kids.

Brian Jorgenson Chief Operating Officer

Can fly helicopters - willing to travel. Brian has had a fascination with helicopter flight since he was four years old. After working in every job position on a helicopter logging site and completing a Bachelor of Business of Administration in the spring of 2004, he was able to realize his goal of becoming a helicopter pilot flying for Horizon Helicopters. In late 2004, Brian and his wife Ammy formed Timberline Helicopters with a single Kaman K-Max helicopter providing helicopter logging services in the Pacific Northwest. Since then, he has participated in growing Timberline from the single K-Max into a well-known and successful utility helicopter company with a fleet of 8 helicopters ranging from the MD530 to the UH-60 “Black Hawk.” Along the way, he acquired over 17,000 utility flight hours before transitioning to his current role of Chief Operating Officer with responsibility for all of Timberline’s operations including helicopter operations, FAA Approved Repair Station, and Timberline Aerospace.

Constantine Koutas Business Development & Sales Manager

Constantine has 17 years of experience developing innovative and consultative business development opportunities and sales strategies across five industries: oil and gas, wind energy, maritime, aerospace, and automation & control. Constantine has a mechanical engineering degree coupled with extensive aeronautical experience having worked for Cobham, Qantas, Honeywell, Australian Aerospace and the Australian Air Force in various roles and capacities which gives him a very broad perspective and a large set of skills to draw upon.
Constantine’s energy and passion combined with a strong work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit gives him a natural strategic ability to see and excel at the long game. He enjoys building and maintaining high-profile client relationships and pursues constant improvement by not being afraid to challenge the status quo with internal and external stakeholders.
In his spare time Constantine plays soccer and tennis and enjoys fishing, cooking, skeet, watching motorsports and participating in High-Performance Driving events. He teaches car control for the Porsche Club and is also training to be a high-performance driving instructor.

Brandon Hahaj Director of Operations

Brandon started his aviation career in 2004 at Hillsboro Aviation where he graduated with his CFII. In the spring of 2007, he attained his ATP rotorcraft, after which he spent the next 3 years working in Alaska flying everything from tours to powerline construction. By the fall of 2012 he was working as a Safety Manager and Project Manager. In November of 2013 Brandon began working for Timberline Helicopters and the rest is history. His mechanical and commercial construction background mixed with his aviation experience makes him a valuable member of the team when drawing a line between “Safety” and “Reality”. He also carries with him an associate’s degree in math from MSU and in the summer of 2019 he graduated from the Aviation Safety Management and Securities Program at USC. This is the first program of its kind officially recognized by the FAA.

Andy Platte Chief Financial Officer

Andy graduated with a degree in accounting from Central Washington University in 1993 and began his career as a CPA working for various accounting firms in the Pacific Northwest including LeMaster & Daniels and Ernst & Young. During this time, he frequently visited Sandpoint Idaho to go snowboarding at Schweitzer Mountain Resort and wakeboarding on Lake Pend Oreille. He later moved to Sandpoint, started his family and opened his accounting practice. Brian and Ammy Jorgenson were one of Andy’s first clients and he helped them navigate the accounting and tax aspects of starting Timberline Helicopters. Over the years, the Company grew and so did Andy’s involvement to the point where he sold his accounting practice and joined the Company as its Chief Financial Officer.

Jerry Swanson Certification Manager

Jerry began his helicopter career in 1985 as a shop mechanic on Bell UH-1's. He has worked for several different companies filling positions including Shop Foreman, Chief Inspector, Director of Maintenance, Certification Manager, and General Manager. With experience including Bell, Agusta, MDHC, Sikorsky, and Kaman, he has a well-rounded background with rotary-wing aircraft. Jerry has also developed a PMA program and served as an FAA DMIR in the past. His extensive background with Restricted Category Helicopters and experience obtaining Type Certificates and several STCs for modifications makes Jerry a key part of our operations. He joined THI in 2014 to guide the Type Certification program for the UH-60A. In 2019, he assumed the duties of Repair Station Accountable Manager which he has since turned over in 2021 in order to focus on managing certification activities at our affiliate Timberline Aerospace, LLC. He currently functions as Certification Manager for both companies.

Hank Miller Executive Vice President & General Counsel

Hank comes to Timberline Helicopters with over 20 years of aviation experience.  He is a graduate of Vermont Law School with both a Juris Doctor and master’s degree in Law.  He attended the United States Military Academy at West Point and Michigan State University but is a staunch Auburn fan.  He began his aviation career as a civilian helicopter flight instructor and continued his professional development as a commercial pilot.  His passion for aviation, and specifically helicopters, has led to successful leadership roles throughout the aerospace industry.   
Hank has enjoyed a successful career and gained valuable experience across a wide array of industries to include corporate flight departments, 135/121 air carriers, health care systems, public utilities, MROs, private equity, and asset financing.  Additionally, Hank has enjoyed time on “the Hill” lobbying for patients’ rights, aviation safety, and environmental issues.  Hank’s business, operations, and legal acumen are widely recognized in the aerospace industry.  As a result, he maintains strong relationships and access to industry experts.  Hank has been retained as an expert witness and executive advisor in aviation-related products liability, safety, operations, compliance, and strategic planning.  He has served as a board member for several aviation industry trade groups and associations.   
Hank believes in integrity, above all, and treating people with respect.  He typically seen as a “big picture” strategist with a keen eye for managing risk and reducing liability exposure.  His approach to business and safety is best stated by Woodrow Wilson: “I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow”.

Dori Gordon Logistics Manager

Dori worked as the Administrative Manager for a doctor’s office for 11 years before joining Timberline in 2012. She has become Timberline’s primary point of contact in the office, serving as Logistics Manager, Part Procurement Specialist, Part Sales and assisting with Business Development. Dori also fulfills multiple administrative duties and responsibilities for the Repair Station and flight operations.

Cory Miller Compliance Manager

Cory is a self-described “plane geek” and joined Timberline Helicopters in 2018 after a 3-year stint with Quest Aircraft as the Aftermarket Sales/Customer Care Manager. At Timberline Helicopters, Cory leverages a 21-year United States Air Force career in leadership of logistics and compliance organizations and functions to ensure compliance of regulations from local to international affecting the full spectrum of Timberline Helicopters’ business operations. A native Montanan, he and his family love calling North Idaho home! 

Chris Saunders Chief Pilot

Chris began his flying career after graduating from Oregon State University and entering the United States Marine Corps. After leaving the Corps as a Captain he started his commercial career as a logging support ship pilot and copilot in the Sikorski S-61. Overall it has been a diversified career involving logging, Part 135 operations, fire-fighting, roof top precision work, power line construction, ship board operations, seismic, experimental satellite recovery, and even a bit of movie work. He has occupied the role of chief pilot with two previous employers and director of operations at a third. He looks forward to mentoring the talented group of pilots and working with Timberline as a whole.

Darrell Davis General Manager, MRO

Darrell has over 35 years’ experience in the helicopter industry. He began his aviation career in 1983, as a UH-60 Blackhawk mechanic in the US Army, and transitioned to civil aviation in 1994. Since entering the civil sector he has worked in most segments of the industry with operations utilizing many of the major helicopter manufactures aircraft; to include Bell, Aerospatiale, Airbus helicopters, and Sikorsky. Darrell has held positions both domestically and internationally as Overhaul Shop Foreman, Director of Maintenance – 145, and international positions as Maintenance Manager, Project Manager, and General Director.

Out Commitment to Safety

Safety is one of our core values. At Timberline, we are committed to safety in all that we do. We owe it to our employees, our families, our customers, and the communities we serve. To help meet this commitment, we implemented a Safety Management System in 2012. Since then, it has evolved and grown into the structured detail we have today. Safety Management Systems are an industry recognized standard for organized decision making.

Timberline Helicopters is pleased to announce that it has completed its Stage 1 IS-BAO certification as of August 26, 2020!

IS-BAO, which stands for International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations, is recognized in the business aviation industry as the standard for Safety. IS-BAO, developed by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) and its member associations, is a recommended code of best practices designed to help flight departments worldwide achieve high levels of safety and professionalism. IS-BAO is an industry standard built for operators, by operators that provides standards based on the ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS). The FAA and other authorities worldwide recognize IS-BAO as meeting the ICAO standard.

This ongoing commitment is a critical step in helping Timberline Helicopters improve our safety risk profile and operating effectiveness. Timberline Helicopters strives to maintain the highest levels of safety and is proud to be an IS-BAO participant. We remain committed to industry best practices, continuous improvement, and enhancing our SMS initiatives to ensure we are one of the best and safest operations in the utility helicopter industry.

Timberline's History

Timberline Helicopters, Inc. has grown from our roots as a helicopter logging company to a global provider of utility and emergency support. Formed in 2004 with one Kaman K-Max helicopter by Ammy and Brian Jorgenson, we have never stopped developing our skills and capabilities. Currently we operate a diverse fleet of 8 helicopters across the globe supporting many different industries and governments.

At present, Timberline employs approximately 100 people in the following operations:

  • Firefighting in the US, Australia, Chile, and Indonesia
  • Powerline construction and maintenance services
  • Helicopter logging
  • Helicopter rebuild and refurbishment services
  • Type Certification of former military UH-60A “Black Hawk” helicopters
  • Development of Supplemental Type Certificates for utility helicopters