The rotorcraft community demonstrated an eagerness to put the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting social and business disruptions behind them. The four-day HAI HELI-EXPO 2022, produced by Helicopter Association International, welcomed 13,083 helicopter professionals from 72 countries.
Attendees packed a show floor that hosted 590 exhibitors featuring the latest aircraft, engines, avionics, and other goods and services for rotorcraft and uncrewed aircraft businesses. More than 40 rotorcraft were spread across the show floor. From the largest manufacturers to the smaller businesses that are the backbone of the industry, each company had the opportunity to share their products and services with eager buyers.
“This was such a dynamic event, thanks to the extremely positive response by the industry,” says James Viola, HAI president and CEO. “I can see that our industry — and our people — could not wait to get together in person.”
Safety, networking and education remained a focus for attendees. As is traditional, HAI HELI-EXPO kicked off with the HAI Safety Symposium, featuring first-person stories about pilots who survived accidents — and the lessons that others can use to avoid similar experiences. Directly inside the main entrance to the show floor was the HAI Rotor Safety Zone, which included virtual-reality training devices, a helicopter configured to test preflight inspection capabilities, the 56 Seconds to Live IFR training program, and representatives of aviation safety programs from around the world. More than 2,000 attendees took advantage of the Rotor Safety Challenge education sessions.
“Sharing safety information throughout our industry and around the world is critical to the ongoing health of rotorcraft operations. We have got to have a safe industry to have a prosperous industry,” says Viola. “The active interest in our safety programming shown by attendees is a sign of our strengthening safety culture.”
Plans are already under way for HAI’s 75th anniversary celebration at HAI HELI-EXPO 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. Featuring a theme of “Celebrate!” HAI is holding the show in Halls B through C at the Georgia World Congress Center, March 6-9, with exhibits open March 7-9.
