Transferred to Coast Guard Air Station Miami in the summer of 2006 and in 2008 I attended Heli-Expo in Orlando, Fla. At the time, I never even knew that “Vertical Magazine” existed. As luck would have it, Mike Reyno was passing out swag and magazines, and, not having any clue who I was talking to, I asked if he needed any articles written. Mike gave me his card, a free T-shirt and a subscription... I was stoked with the free T-shirt at the time.

I wrote a “There I Was” article about a Search and Rescue case; Vertical published the piece and asked if I wanted to cover a story on Bristow Academy, located on the Space Coast of Florida. I kind of scratched my head and thought, “Really?” But, as luck would have it, I took the offer, borrowed a decent camera with a big lens I knew nothing about, and borrowed a digital voice recorder. I interviewed some great people at the academy; then they took me flying in a Schweizer 300cbi with the doors removed and I actually got to take photos air-to-air. I was hooked.

I kept harassing Vertical with my ideas for articles. I got to fly with Chuck Aaron, the Red Bull aerobatic pilot, then covered Heli-Expo 2009 in Houston. I took the money I made from those articles and purchased a Nikon D300. I still didn’t really know the ins and outs of photography, but fortunately for me Vertical liked my writing and Mike Reyno maintained a large database of photos to make up for my lack of photographic prowess, which allowed me to improve over the past couple of years. With a few photography magazine subscriptions, a few books, an online class and my new passion for trying to take cool shots, I was off and running: writing stories and taking photos to illustrate the truly amazing work the helicopter industry is capable of. I still can’t believe I get to do this, and to see the spreads Vertical comes up with, well, it’s addictive.

I never had a passion for aviation or photography or writing until I just gave them a go — now I can’t really get enough of all three.  The best part of this gig is really getting to know what operators are capable of, and seeing their professionalism and passion for this industry. Showing up and doing these articles has been an eye-opening experience; being immersed in someone else’s world and telling their story through both writing and photography is truly incredible. My absolute favorite assignments have been with the guys who push the envelope, flying the helicopter at the edge of its abilities and theirs. Managing that intensity while remaining calm and in control — trying to capture that for Vertical is my constant quest and I get excited just thinking about it.

Editor’s Note: In addition to his passion, LCDR Bergan brings some impressive credentials to the job: he’s currently an instructor pilot with the U.S. Coast Guard at Air Station Humboldt Bay in Northern California, where he flies the HH-65 Dolphin. He graduated from Navy Flight School in 2001 and holds a master’s in aeronautical sciences from Embry-Riddle.