Bryan Baeumler
HGTV star is a passionate pilot
He now lives in a flying community in Florida near the equestrian center where his son, Quintyn is a competitive rider. While very popular in Canada where his DIY shows first premiered, Baeumler and his wife Sarah became famous to Americans through their show Renovation Island, which chronicled their adventures and challenges renovating a hotel on South Andros in The Bahamas. Purchasing the resort immediately before the pandemic, the family of six had to hunker down and live on the island and in the demolition and rebuilding of the resort for seven months. Always interested in learning to fly, Baeumler purchased a Cessna 172 (which he of course “renovated”) and earned his private pilot certificate so he could fly from his Florida home to the island once the pandemic was over and the resort reopened. Today he flies Cindy, his Cessna 172, the 45-minute flight to Caerula Mar, delighting in the scenery and joy of flight and has added a Republic RC–3 Seabee amphibious aircraft to his growing fleet, which soon will also include a Cessna 210 so he can get his entire clan over to the island. “I love flying,” he said. “It is a great feeling mentally and emotionally and a great high. To me it’s very therapeutic.”
How did you get started in aviation? My father had an aircraft sheet metal shop in Toronto, so I basically grew up in the hangar. I worked for a cargo company in dad’s hangar for a few years assisting with maintenance, ground equipment, and loading operations on Convair 580s and 737-200s and flew a lot in the right seat with friends. I finally tackled my private pilot in 2020, currently working on my IFR and have just cracked 500 hours!
Biggest challenges? I think the biggest challenge for me was that I was overcomplicating everything! I tell friends that learning to fly is like watching a thousand stars slowly coming together….It can be frustrating and slow at times, but one day everything just clicks, and your hands and feet conduct the symphony of flight without even having to think about it.
Favorite aircraft? It’s hard to pick just one….I have a favorite for every mission. It’s hard to beat my Cessna 172 for a fun, fair weather exploring machine, but my RC–3 Seabee is a blast, too. I’m adding a Cessna 210T to the hangar shortly; excited for that one too.
Favorite aviation-related activity? Just exploring new places and finding great places to meet friends for a coffee or meal; so many great little restaurants and new airfields to explore.
Advice for students? Keep at it! Enjoy the process, and don’t worry about hours or specific milestones when it comes to training. Stay consistent, go at your own pace, and save the checkrides for when you’re feeling proficient and confident.
