5 Questions with Garmin Ambassador Michael Goulian
We’re excited to welcome Michael Goulian to the Garmin family as our newest brand ambassador! Michael is a well known airshow pilot, Red Bull Air Race competitor, and all-around aviator extraordinaire – well known for his high energy performances at shows and air races around the world. We asked Goulian five simple questions to learn more about his aviation origins and passion for all things Garmin.
Q: How old were you when you first took the controls of an airplane?
A: My first flight was when I was 15 years old. What I remember most about my early flying was my first solo. That was a day I’ll never forget. It was my 16th birthday, and the weather was terrible for my solo. We waited out the weather all day, and it finally stopped raining. The ceilings lifted just enough for me to complete my three solo take offs and landings.
Lifting off and looking at the empty seat next to me in that Cessna 150 was such an amazing feeling. Oddly enough, I felt pretty calm through the whole process but I can’t say the same for my mom. She was on the ground nervous as could be. She couldn’t even watch.
Q: What bucket list airplane do you hope to fly someday?
A: I have been very lucky to have flown some pretty cool airplanes. However, I would like to spend some time in a Gulfstream G650 or a Falcon 7X. I’m type rated in Learjets and Citation 500s but nothing that can fly across the ocean. Gulfstreams and Falcons are simply beautiful machines and it would be fun to spend a little time in the front of one of those planes (being in the back is probably not bad duty either :-))
Q: What type of music do you listen to in order to prepare for an airshow performance or air race?
A: I have a lot of varied music in my pre-show playlist. If you were to put on my headset while I was getting prepared to fly, you would be listening to “My House” by Flo Rida, “I Hold On” by Dierks Bentley, “Made in America” by Toby Keith, “Life is a Highway” by Rascal Flatts, “Wheels” by Foo Fighters, “Jump” by Van Halen, and “Vertigo” by U2, just to name a few. Pretty eclectic I would say.
Q: What is the most beautiful location you’ve ever flown over?
A: We have raced in some pretty amazing locations and sometimes I have to pinch myself because I have been afforded some pretty amazing flying opportunities through aerobatics and racing. My favorite locations have to be Spielberg, Austria, and Budapest, Hungary. They are both very iconic locations in their own way and both amazing places.
Q: Why do you #flyGarmin?
A: I choose to fly behind Garmin because it’s a brand that I trust. Garmin is the predominant brand in my life. All of my planes (Cirrus SR22T, Extra 330SC, Edge 540) are Garmin equipped and I use Garmin for all of my recreational activity from golf to biking and working out.
Goulian is debuting our G3X Touch in both his air show and air race aircraft for 2016. Be sure to catch one of his performances throughout the year, and stay tuned to the Garmin Aviation Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels for upcoming projects.
