Introduction

Currently living in Central Otago, New Zealand - Oran has a strong passion for music, as well as anything that can defy the laws of gravity. He also has an experienced background in the field of ICT.

Background
As a qualified fixed wing and helicopter pilot with over 15 years of flight experience, Oran took to the skies before even being behind the wheel of a car. He flew solo at 16 with less than 10 hours of flight training and obtained his Private Pilots licence at 17; the minimum age to be granted a JAA-PPL in the UK.

Oran has been amongst many challenging flight conditions and has accumulated a diverse range of geographical locations over his time as a pilot. Some of these areas include the UK, North & Central America, East Africa and the South Island mountain ranges of New Zealand.

In April 2015, he left the UK to embark on three months of travelling before arriving in Portland, OR in the USA. From there he completed his fixed wing Commercial and Instrument Rating with Hillsboro Aero Academy. His first three months of 2016 were then spent in the Hawaiian Islands, where he successfully completed training of his Commercial rotary licence with Mauna Loa Helicopters.

In October 2016 Oran joined Mokulele Airlines as a First Officer, flying scheduled routes throughout the islands of Hawaii. Eight months later in June 2017, after accumulating his required hours, he upgraded to Captain with the company.

From November 2017, after his US work visa expired, Oran signed a contract with Coastal Aviation and took a one way ticket to Tanzania, East Africa. His first year was spent living in the city of Dar Es Salaam, flying the coastal routes of Zanzibar, Pemba, Mafia and Songa Songa island. He was then released for flights into the Selous and Ruaha National Parks. After the year, he relocated to the companies northern base, in the town of Arusha. From there, he flew the legendary plains of the Serengeti, as well as international flights into Kenya and Rwanda.

After completion of his contract in Africa, his work then took him to the Central American country of Belize. Based on the island of Ambergris Caye in the town of San Pedro on the Caribbean ocean, he flew single pilot scheduled services across Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico for the airline Tropic Air.

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, he relocated back to the UK. There, he returned to work for Bridge Partners part time as an ICT Service Desk Engineer.

In February 2021, Oran moved to Queenstown - New Zealand. He spent six weeks travelling the North & South islands before returning to work at Bridge Partners, as their New Zealand based ICT Support Technician and Representative.

Whilst working part time he converted his overseas pilot license to a CAANZ Commercial. When the Covid19 pandemic was coming to a close and aviation was starting to make a come back, he joined Air Milford in November 2022. Based out of Queenstown International airport, he flew tours around the Fiordland National Park and landing in the legendary aerodrome of Milford Sound.

In May 2024 Oran started a carrier with Hevilift Aviation, FIFO based within Papua New Guinea and is now flying as a First Officer on their DHC-6 Twin Otter fleet.

Music Tuition & Session Drumming
Oran has been playing drums since the age of 9. What started out as a bashing of his mothers pots and pans, with a lot of broken chopsticks, soon progressed into his own acoustic kit allowing him to broaden his knowledge, confidence and technique behind the drums.

He started taking lessons from the age of 11 and joined a band at 13. After playing his first shows within local villages and schools, 10 years later Oran and band Violet Bones have played well in excess of a thousand shows - ranging from UK and European tours to large support slots with the likes of ASH, Tribes, The Stranglers, New York Dolls & Cage The Elephant.