Drake Named HAI Director of Safety and Flight Operations

Alexandria, Va., Jan. 5, 2006 – HAI is pleased to announce its new Director of Safety and Flight Operations, John (Jack) Drake, who joined HAI on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd.

Jack Drake brings with him an extensive background in safety, having spent six years in the U.S. Navy as a rescue helicopter pilot, standardization flight instructor, and safety officer. He has served for 26 years with the NTSB as an accident analyst, regional and go-team investigator-in-charge, and as manager of the Board's Aviation Engineering Division. In addition he has worked for four years at a major airline, where he directed operations safety, safety education, and emergency planning programs. He has investigated more than 500 aviation accidents, participated in aviation safety studies, and initiated many recommendations to reduce accident risk.

Jack has taught at the NTSB's aviation accident investigation school. He has researched, written, and edited safety articles and safety newsletters, and will be contributing his expertise in ROTOR magazine.

Jack is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and holds an FAA commercial pilot certificate with airplane single and multi-engine land, helicopter, and instrument (airplane and helicopter) ratings. He resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

HAI is also pleased that Dick Wright, HAI's retiring Director of Safety and Flight Operations will continue to work with us, and particularly with Jack Drake, through HELI-EXPO 2006, in Dallas, Texas, Feb. 26-28, 2006. Dick will be in charge of the flight line and will assist with the auditing of HAI’s education courses.

HAI is the professional trade association for the civil helicopter industry. HAI's 1,350-plus-member organizations and 1,150 individual members, in more than 73 nations, safely operate more than 4,500 helicopters approximately 2.3 million hours each year. HAI is dedicated to the promotion of the helicopter as a safe, effective method of commerce and to the advancement of the civil helicopter industry.