About
salmon river helicopters
women owned and family operated
Salmon River Helicopters (SRH) was incorporated in 1993 by Cindy and Guy Carlson. SRH is a small unique women owned and family operated business with three generations working for the company. SRH’s headquarters is located in Riggins, Idaho; a small community of less than 450 residents.
Co-founder, Cindy Carlson, holds majority ownership of SRH. SRH conducts a variety of aerial operations including power line construction, firefighting, fire rehabilitation/stabilization, ag services, heavy lift construction, concrete transport, repeater placement, remote non-scheduled freight delivery, logging, and much more.
SRH has been accident free in our 30+ years in business. Safety is very important to us, and we are proud of our accident-free safety record.
Cindy serves as the Secretary on the HAI Restricted and Experimental Category Aircraft Committee and is an active member of the UPAC Committee. SRH is committed to safety and contributing to the aviation industry where we can.
SRH’s management, pilots, mechanics, and support personnel are committed to safety, professionalism, quality of work, and integrity.
Srh KEY PERSONNEL
Cindy Carlson
President
Cindy moved to Riggins, Idaho as a teenager and met Guy in High School. Guy and Cindy are high school sweethearts. Guy and Cindy started a conventional logging company in 1989. By 1993, Guy and Cindy went all in and purchased their first helicopter, a retired (Green Hornet) UH-1F Huey. They called her Blue and hand painted a Blue Ox on her nose.
Cindy and Guy have four children, all having worked for the company at one time or another. Three of their children work for the company currently, all in management roles: Christy, Chief Pilot, Cody, Director of Operations, and Niki Controller.
In 2022, Cindy decided to run for an elected office. She was tired of seeing Idaho’s leadership fall short of her expectations. She said, “there is going to come a time for all of us to get involved in politics, if we want to see changes, we might have to step it up make the changes ourselves.” Cindy was elected Senator of District 7 for the State of Idaho in November 2022. This is a two-year term. Cindy can be found at the Idaho Statehouse January through March during the Legislative Session.
Cindy and Guy have eight grandchildren. When Cindy isn’t working at headquarters, touring a jobsite, or dabbling in politics she can be found in her garden, watching and loving on grandchildren, camping, RZRing, boating, or some kind of water sport.
Guy Carlson
Vice President
Guy grew up on the Carlson family ranch where part of SRH’s headquarters currently resides. Guy’s grandpa Gus started a sheep ranch when he first moved into the Salmon River area over 100 years ago. At one time, the ranch had over 3000 head of sheep. Guy herded sheep and worked at the ranch in his early years before he started a logging company with Cindy. Today, the sheep are gone and what remains is a small cattle operation.
On the rare occasion you find Guy not working, he can be found tinkering with irrigation, checking on his cows, RZRing, hunting, or chauffeuring Cindy around.
Christy Frisby
Chief Pilot
Christy is Guy and Cindy’s oldest child. Christy knew in high school she was going to be a pilot. She started off working for the company as a teenager conducting various duties then logging setting chokers and driving log truck. She can chain up a semi-truck faster than just about any man! Christy is one of a kind. She talks tough because she is!
Christy is married with two (almost teenage) children. Christy’s husband is also a pilot which makes him fit right in with the rest of the crew. When Christy isn’t working you can catch her chauffeuring her kids around to their numerous sporting/school functions. She also enjoys working out, boating, snowmobiling, dirt biking, bow hunting, and camping.
Cody Carlson
Director of Operations
Cody is Guy and Cindy’s youngest child. Cody literally grew-up living and working around helicopters. Cody started setting chokers and hook logs with Guy in the woods when he was young.
After graduating high school, Guy and Cindy talked Cody into going to school to become an A&P Mechanic. SRH can always use another GOOD mechanic. He headed off to school in the fall. He made it one day, called home and told us he was not going to waste money he wanted to go to flight school. He enrolled in flight school the following week and hasn’t looked back or regretted it since. At least he knew what he really wanted to do!
Cody is now married and has three adorable and rambunctious girls. When Cody isn’t working, he enjoys boating, RZRing, snowmobiling, water sports, jet skiing, hunting, and rafting.
Niki Greig
Controller
Niki is Guy and Cindy’s second oldest child. Niki also grew up helping Guy and Cindy with their helicopter logging projects, logging setting and coiling chokers. Niki went to college in Lewiston, Idaho and received a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Paralegal. She started working for Guy and Cindy full-time shortly after college. You could say she started at the bottom and worked her way up. Her first office job was shredding paper and mowing lawns when she was 9.
Niki is married to a local rancher and has three children. When Niki is not working, she can be found helping her husband (she enjoys riding horseback when she can), dirt biking, RZRing, camping, boating, beach days, and just sitting around a campfire.
Srh KEY PERSONNEL
Cindy Carlson
President
Christy Frisby
Chief Pilot
Cody Carlson
Director of Operations
Mike Arnold
Director of Maintenance
Niki Greig
Contract Administrator
Jamie Johnson
Safety Officer
Guy Carlson
Vice President