Mike Castillo is a veteran Baja pilot, well known in the surfing industry.[1] He is credited for spotting the world-famous surf break, Cortes Bank, by air in 1990 while flying over the coast of Southern California with photographer Larry "Flame" Moore.[2]
He is mentioned in the book Ghost Wave, a book by Chris Dixon, as a "gonzo surfer and bush pilot" that flew his Cessna alongside a giant, "mutant" wave as photographer Flame took pictures of the now famously dangerous surf break Cortes Bank.[3]
He was mechanic and pilot for an amphibious aircraft, the Grumman Albatross, for Billabong,[4] which he piloted for the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Project for GreenLandOceanBlue.[5]
He was the engineer and pilot for the 2010 Sylvester Stallone film The Expendables.[6]
He specializes in vintage, amphibious aircraft recovery, repair, and restoration.[7]
Flew 1944 Consolidated PBY 5A with Bob Franicola from Johannesburg, South Africa to San Diego, California December 2012.
Co-founder Seaplanes Panama, 2015. First commercial seaplane service in Central America in over 55 years.