Heritage Helicopter Display Among The Most Dramatic Of The
Show
Helicopter Foundation International was very busy at Heli-Expo
2012. The foundation held its annual golf tournament, hosted
mentoring panels, and shared a great deal of information with
attendees about our mission and goals. New additions to our plans
for the show this year were a silent auction, heritage helicopter
display and historical interviews.
The third annual Scholarship Fundraising Golf Tournament was the
foundation’s most well-attended golf outing to date.
Twenty-nine teams totaling 116 participants played on the beautiful
Cowboys Golf Course in nearby Grapevine. Sponsors and participants
helped raise more than $50,000 for HFI’s scholarship program.
A Bell 429 graced the tee box of the 17th hole, reminding players
of the versatility and practicality of our industry. Players
participated in a putting contest, long drive contest, hole in one
contest, and of course aimed for the lowest score.
HFI’s mentoring panels were well attended. Students and
those new to the industry were able to attend Pilot, Maintenance,
and Industry Outreach to Students panels. All panelists are expert
and successful leaders in their fields and were happy to speak with
so many eager minds. Immediately following the panels, attendees
could make their way to the HAI Job Fair, where they were able to
put their newly acquired knowledge to work.
New to this year was a Fundraising Silent Auction, in which HFI
documented bids for donated goods. This event was a great success,
netting more than $17,000 for HFI’s scholarship and
educational programs. HFI looks forward to having even more items
for participants to bid on next year.
In one of the most dramatic displays at the show, HFI unveiled
its Heritage of Helicopters display and showcased a Bell OH-13, a
Huey, and a Mil Mi-24 Hind. Three museums in central and east Texas
were kind enough to get their helicopters to the convention center,
and each day of the show featured a question and answer session
with a representative of each of the museums. The event was capped
off with a photo-shoot of the helicopters, attended by active duty
military personnel, reservists, and veterans. HFI is looking
forward to another great display in Las Vegas in 2013.
HFI was also able to catch up with Hal Symes, an industry
pioneer who worked for Bell, Sikorsky, and Evergreen – where
he spent a great deal of time with the Skycrane. Symes helped
construct the Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan; put the antenna on
top of the Sears Tower; and even worked locust eradication in
Argentina. HFI recorded an interview with Symes on the last day of
the show. Look for it in an upcoming issue of ROTOR magazine and on
HFI and HAI’s website soon.
ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.17.24): Very High Frequency
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