Pete Chaisson receives final clearance to take off, pushes the throttle and effortlessly guides a Cessna 172 into the air. “It’s the best office with a view,” said Chaisson, who is chief instructor and owner of Portland Flight Services, located at Portland International Jetport. “It’s a really fun job.” From the cockpit of the two-seater, he’s in constant communication with air-traffic control towers as he brings the single-engine plane to cruising altitude. At first, the many instruments can seem intimidating, but Chaisson insists learning to fly isn’t as hard as it seems. “I’ve been able to teach people from all walks of life,” he said. Chaisson’s business consists mostly of instruction, with some scenic and photo flights mixed in. As a kid spending summers on Little Sebago Lake, Chaisson fell in love with float planes – a love that led him to earn his pilot’s license in 2000 before receiving a bachelor’s degree in aviation from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida. After time in Florida, Chaisson returned home to Maine to start his business.
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