The Helicopter Association International (HAI) is proud to announce its “Salute to Excellence” award winners for 2005. The “Salute to Excellence” awards program, now in its 45th year, recognizes outstanding achievement performed by individuals or companies in the civil helicopter industry. Winners will be recognized during the HAI “Salute to Excellence” banquet and awards ceremony to be held on Monday, February 27, 2006, at HELI-EXPO 2006, in Dallas, Texas.
THE WINNERS ARE:
AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN AWARD
Robert A. Jones; Aviation Maintenance Technician, Air Logistics of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
AVIATION REPAIR SPECIALIST AWARD
Bruce Currier; Vice President of Avionics, Evergreen Helicopters, Inc., McMinnville, Oregon
IGOR I. SIKORSKY AWARD FOR HUMANITARIAN SERVICE
All Participants in the Hurricane Katrina Rescue and Relief Effort
THE JOE MASHMAN SAFETY AWARD
David S. Whyte; Vice President (retired), Alpine Helicopters Ltd., Kelowna, British Columbia
OUTSTANDING CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AWARD
Ric Juve Forns; Senior Flight Instructor, Bell Helicopter, Fort Worth, Texas
AGUSTA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Whirly-Girls International
EUROCOPTER GOLDEN HOUR AWARD
Robert McMullan; Chief Pilot, West Michigan Air Care, Kalamazoo, Michigan
EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS AWARD
William Wagstaff; Senior Editor, Aviation International News, Midland Park, New Jersey
HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE AWARD
Gary Grage; Senior Technical Specialist, Columbia Helicopters, Portland, Oregon
MD HELICOPTERS LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD
Captain Don R. Roby; Baltimore County Police Department, Baltimore, Maryland
LAWRENCE D. BELL MEMORIAL AWARD
Dr. Walter B. Comeaux; Lafayette, Louisiana
ROBERT E. TRIMBLE AWARD
John Quackenbush; Pilot, Hillcrest Aircraft Company, Lewiston, Idaho, and Helicopter Express, Atlanta, Georgia
PILOT OF THE YEAR AWARD
John Holland; Regional Aviation Director, Air Methods Corporation, Macon, Georgia
For information about the 2005 “Salute to Excellence” Awards banquet and ceremony, contact HAI’s Communications Department by telephone: 703-683-4646, fax: 703-683-4745, or email: rotor@rotor.com.
For more information on HELI-EXPO 2006, visit www.heliexpo.com.
