Anthony Melvin 'Mel' O'Reilly, Founder Of Eagle Copters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Is This Year's Winner

International helicopter pilot organization, Twirly Birds, has announced the 2016 recipient of the prestigious Les Morris award as Anthony Melvin "Mel" O'Reilly, founder of Eagle Copters in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

O'Reilly began his long aviation career in eastern Canada in 1955 with the Royal Canadian Air Force in field helicopter maintenance and later saw extensive duty as an engineer and pilot around the world. Maintaining, leasing, managing, flying and selling helicopters from the Yukon Territory to Southeast Asia for over sixty years, Mel O'Reilly is an aviation pioneer worthy of the coveted Les Morris award.

In 1975, O'Reilly took his skills as an engineer and aviator and founded Eagle Copters Ltd. (ECL) and, a short time later, Eagle Copters Maintenance Ltd. (ECML). For over forty years, the two companies have specialized in leasing and sales of helicopters around the globe along with maintenance overhaul, spare parts support and innovative product development for helicopters.

O'Reilly was presented the Les Morris award by  Sergei Sikorsky at the annual meeting of the Twirly Birds on 1 March 2016. The Les Morris award is presented annually by the Twirly Birds as lifetime achievement recognition to an individual that has made a significant contribution to the helicopter community.

Aviation pioneer Les Morris is recognized as an early helicopter test pilot and innovator responsible for the early refinement and development of helicopters while at Sikorsky Aircraft.

(Source: Twirly Birds news release)

FMI: www.twirlybirds.org