One Hell of a Ride: How Craig Dobbin Built the World's Largest Helicopter Company

The hell-bent-for-leather story of helicopter magnate Craig Dobbin, a larger-than-life figure and one of Canada''s greatest entrepreneurs.

One Hell of a Ride traces the life, triumphs and tragedy of Craig Laurence Dobbin, weaving a tale that is inspiring, amusing, tragic and, like its subject, never less than gripping. Dobbin was an irrepressible Newfoundlander who counted prime ministers and U.S. presidents among his friends, teetered on the edge of bankruptcy for much of his life, and remains a legend among all who knew him.

Born during the Great Depression, Dobbin built a small empire in real estate and discovered the joy of fishing in remote salmon pools. To reach these he bought a helicopter. Ten years later, he was running CHC Helicopters, a public corporation earning hundreds of millions of dollars annually, most from ferrying men and equipment to offshore oil platforms. He soon grew the company into the largest operation of its kind in the world.

When he died in October 2006, Dobbin left behind a legacy of business and personal achievements unmatched by any Canadian of his time. Everyone who dealt with him agrees: they will never see his like again.