Kathryn Purwin is the CEO and Owner of Helinet Aviation Services. She has been involved in the aviation community for over 30 years and has flown both private jets and helicopters professionally.

Kathryn’s late husband, Alan Purwin, co-founded West Coast Helicopters in 1987 and merged it with Helinet Aviation in 1998. Working alongside her husband, Kathryn was involved in the company’s strategic direction and growth since its early years. She stepped in to lead the company in March 2016 and remains committed to continuing its legacy of safe operations and outstanding customer service. 

Looking to the future of airborne transportation, Kathryn has recently partnered with Urban Movement Labs to explore integrating emerging eVTOL technology into Helinet’s operations to work toward bringing more sustainable and accessible air transportation to Los Angeles.

Kathryn is active in the Los Angeles and Van Nuys aviation community and serves on the Van Nuys Airport Association’s (VNAA) Board of Directors. She also serves on the Board of Trustees at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, an organization with which she has a long history. Helinet has transported more than 11,000 critically ill children for CHLA, and since 1999, Helinet’s CHLA pilots have been on-site, ready to launch 24/365. Helinet the costs associated with our two dedicated CHLA Sikorsky S-76s and all related expenses, including maintenance, pilot salaries, and insurance. There is no cost, ever, to the hospital or its patients. 

Helinet actively supports first responders and, in partnership with the Airborne Public Safety Association, Kathryn established the Alan Purwin Memorial Scholarship, awarded annually to a qualified high school senior from a law enforcement family. 

Kathryn is a shareholder in the technology company Shotover Systems. Shotover designs and manufactures high-performance gyro-stabilized camera systems for the motion picture, broadcast, law enforcement, and surveillance industries and has won several design awards, including a Scientific and Engineering Academy Award. 

Numerous publications have recognized Kathryn’s leadership, including the Los Angeles Business Journal, which named her a top female business owner.  

Kathryn graduated with Honors from UCLA with a double major in History and Political Science. Her flight ratings and certificates include Commercial Multi-Engine, Instrument Airplane, and Rotorcraft.