WAVY-TV 10 welcomed veteran helicopter pilot Scott Abbott to its arsenal of newsgathering resources at the end of 2017. Abbott will pilot Chopper 10; a Bell 206L-3, the region’s only news helicopter. Abbott is an accomplished pilot with 30-years in both military and civilian rotary-wing flight operations.
Abbott knows Hampton Roads’ skies. He piloted for the Virginia Beach Police Department for 17-years. He was assigned to the VBPD Aviation Unit and served as a Patrol/EMS Pilot. He assisted ground units in apprehending numerous felons and performed the first MEDEVAC in VBPD history. Abbott’s experience as an airborne law enforcement officer provides WAVY-TV 10 a unique perspective in covering breaking news scenarios on WAVY News 10.
“I embrace the opportunity and challenge of being part of the legacy Chopper 10 crew,” said Abbott. “Our number one mission is to report accurately from the air. I’m one of a few who can say they have their hobby as a full-time job. I’m blessed.”
Abbott’s love of flying started as a young boy. Abbott’s father, a private pilot who worked for Boeing, found him a part-time job at the local airport.
Abbott enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1977. He was selected and attended Officer Candidate School and then flight school in Pensacola, Florida before retiring as a Lieutenant Commander/Naval Aviator. As Officer-In-Charge of HC-11 Detachment 8, Abbott’s unit flew more than 200 hours in support of 59 multi-national forces during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Abbott also directed and evaluated rotary-wing flight instructors as the Helicopter Standardization and NATOPS officer for the Navy’s undergraduate helicopter training pipeline. He also clocked 885 hours as a helicopter flight instructor for HT-18 pilots.
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