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 Mr. Beers received his A&P license in 1977. In July of 1981, he joined Geisinger Medical Center's new flight program as its first helicopter mechanic. With the exception of an 18-month sabbatical to work for Textron Lycoming, Mr. Beers has spent his entire career with Geisinger. During his long association with the medical center, he has worked for four different vendors. Each time the vendor has changed, Geisinger has insisted that he be retained.
In 1983, Mr. Beers and Geisinger became the first to operate the Kawasaki BK 117 in the United States, on an EMS contract. In 1996, he was awarded the Eurocopter Master Technician Award for 15 years of excellence in helicopter maintenance. In the words of a former Geisinger director: "Richard's dogged determination and commitment to safety would never allow him to fly unless the aircraft was 150 percent able to do so."
Over the course of his career, Mr. Beers has been responsible for the management of two maintenance technicians, three remote EMS site operations, and three different types of medium, twin IFR helicopters. His legacy of maintenance excellence, dedicated service and having a "can do" attitude has contributed overwhelmingly to the safety record of Keystone Helicopters, and the EMS helicopter industry. HAI is proud to recognize him with the 2002 Aviation Maintenance Technician Award. |
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 Graduating from Toronto's Royal York Collegiate Institute, Mr. Wile entered the Canadian Armed Forces in 1972. In 1976, having excelled in avionics and electronic training, he went to work as an installer for Ducey Avionics in Edmonton. Mr. Wile spent the next seventeen years at Ducey, developing the skills in parts, sales, shipping and receiving that are necessary to provide critical customer support.
Mr. Wile's reputation as a man who could "pull the guts out of an aircraft, build new harnesses and rewire any piece of electronics given to him" quickly preceded him wherever he went. Based on that reputation, he joined Northern Airborne Technology, Ltd. (NAT) in 1996 as a Product Support Technician.
Now Maintenance Director at Northern Airborne Technology, Mr. Wile's tireless efforts include assisting and teaching helicopter technicians, and consulting with police and
firefighting agencies. His technical knowledge and commitment to outstanding customer support reflect a personal dedication to professional excellence. HAI is proud to recognize his service to the industry with the Aviation Repair Specialist Award for 2002.
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 The Government Flying Service was officially established on April 1, 1993, after having functioned as the Royal Hong Kong Auxiliary Air Force for over 20 years. Headed by Captain Brian Butt, Controller, the GFS is one of the disciplined services of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSARG). They provide a full range of emergency aviation services both within Hong Kong and extending out 700 nautical miles into the South China Sea.
On September 11, 2002, those emergency services were desperately needed when tropical storm Hagupit brushed the coast of Hong Kong, capsizing and sinking fishing boats. Under extreme conditions, the GFS was tasked to provide search and rescue services to several vessels in distress.
Flying through the eye of the typhoon, GFS crews located two sinking fishing boats with a combined crew of 21 onboard. Upon beginning the rescue procedure, weather conditions were so violent that the team's hi-line rescue ropes snapped. The crew modified their procedures, utilized their remaining equipment, and then fought torrential rain, severe turbulence, low visibility, mountainous seas and failing equipment to rescue all 21 fishermen and transport them to safety.
That feat of courage and heroism, conducted while selflessly risking their own lives, is just one example of the dedication to excellence that the Government Flying Service of Hong Kong brings to every call of distress. As a result, HAI is proud to award them the 2002 Igor I. Sikorsky Award for Humanitarian Service.
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 Mr. Culver's professional aviation career spans over 38 years of accident-free flying. During that time, he has made many unique inventions and pioneered several new operational procedures in the helicopter industry.
In 1977, he acquired the first civilian IFR 135 certification for ERA Helicopters, where he served as Chief Pilot and Chief Instrument Pilot. In 1979, he developed and implemented IFR sling load operations for ERA. He was instrumental in the NVG program at Salt River Project, where he served as external load Chief Pilot and Bell 212 Program Manager. Mr. Culver also pioneered many powerline construction and maintenance techniques, including the use of a helicopter rescue hoist to place electrical crews onto transmission towers. In particular, he helped to develop and implement the first night vision goggle procedures for utility helicopters, allowing personnel to access remote hydro stations at night.
Mr. Culver accomplished several landmark achievements in his career. He was the first pilot in the United States to fly an instrument helicopter offshore, the first pilot to make a radar approach offshore, the first pilot to fly with an external load under instrument conditions, and the first pilot to transport an external load under instrument conditions at night.
Mr. Culver holds an ATP certificate with type rating for a Sikorsky 61 and Bell 212, an A&P certificate and journeyman agriculture license, and is airplane single and multi-engine rated. In addition to those qualifications, he holds an airline transport rating in helicopters, is a flight instructor for both rotary and fixed-wing aircraft, and is an instrument flight instructor.
Mr. Culver has spent his entire aviation career teaching and promoting safety and safety awareness. He continues to mentor the pilots that work with him and still come to him for advice. Many of these pilots credit him with saving their lives during situations in which they have applied his lessons. They, along with HAI's Safety Committee (of which Bob is currently Vice Chairman), recognize the outstanding contributions he has made to the helicopter industry, and are proud to recognize him with the 2002 Joe Mashman Safety Award.
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Mr. Bedford's 35-year career as a helicopter pilot began with the British Royal Navy in 1967, when he successfully completed Pilot Aptitude and Officer Selection tests. Shortly thereafter, he began flight training, where he earned his Fleet Air Arm Helicopter Pilot wings. After retiring from the Royal Navy in 1977, Mr. Bedford joined Bristow Helicopters as Ab Initio Flight Instructor of their flight training school. He later served as company training captain and Chief Pilot for Offshore Operations in Eket, Nigeria, in support of a Mobil operation. In 1983, he returned to Bristow's flight training school as Principal, where he was responsible for managing the school, maintaining company and civil aviation authority standards, developing flight and ground training syllabi, and supervising license and instructor examinations.
In 1999, he joined Helicopter Adventures as European training program manager, where he presently manages the only Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Joint Aviation Authority (JAA) helicopter training and licensing program in the United States. To date, he has flown a total of 8,500 flight hours, including 4,500 instructional flight hours.
For Mr. Bedford, flight instruction has always been a vocation rather than an occupation, and he has dedicated his life to raising the standard of that training. His students have gone on to become pilots serving every area of the world, from the North Sea to Southeast Asia. Through his intensive programs - which emphasize not only safety but professional skill development - he has instilled a generation of pilots with a commitment to excellence, and contributed significantly to the advancement of the helicopter industry. HAI is proud to recognize him with the 2002 Outstanding Flight Instructor Award.
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 A graduate of Boston University and Suffolk University Law School, Mr. Grassia grew up in and around Massachusetts, Vermont, and Ontario, Canada, and currently resides in Sherborn, Massachusetts. He is a senior and Managing Partner at the law firm of Grassia, Murphy & Lupan, P.A., of Natick, Massachusetts, where he specializes in business, corporate and property law. He has been a practicing attorney for more than 28 years.
As a pilot, Mr. Grassia has served the New England helicopter community for over fifteen years. He frequently attends school "career days," often flying in on his helicopter. His expressed goal in this endeavor is to introduce children to aircraft, and to educate future generations to be tolerant and accepting - if not appreciative - of what helicopters can do for society. In addition to being a conscientious pilot, he has also served as an attorney-advocate for fellow aviators, as well as a member of the New England Helicopter Council (NEHC). He has been elected president of NEHC six times, and has served as their Chairman of the Board for the past four years.
Mr. Grassia has tirelessly supported fly-neighborly programs, meeting with community groups and local and state officials. He is a recognized and respected liaison within the helicopter industry, and has resolved countless noise-sensitivity disputes by initiating dialogue with even the most vocal anti-helicopter groups. His pursuit of a reasonable balance between the needs of helicopter operators and the concerns of the public is indicative of his commitment not just to advancing the helicopter industry, but to promoting that industry as an asset to society. HAI is proud to recognize him with the 2002 Agusta Community Service Award. |
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 STAR Flight is a public safety helicopter program operated by a unique partnership between Travis County and the City of Austin, Texas. As part of the Austin-Travis County EMS System, STAR Flight provides emergency helicopter services to a 19-county area, centered around Austin. Founded in 1985 as an EMS service for Travis County and the greater central Texas region, the program has evolved over the years to provide a broad-based set of services, which includes helicopter EMS and transportation, search and rescue, law enforcement, and aerial fire fighting.
Those capabilities were brought to bear in November of 2001, when the Austin area experienced its worst flooding on record. Rains during the November storm fell at the rate of five inches per hour, and winds gusted up to 60 knots. The resulting flood left hundreds not only in life-threatening situations, but in areas inaccessible to ground rescue crews. Over the course of the flood, the pilots, nurses, paramedics and mechanics of STAR Flight 1 and STAR Flight 2 performed 24 short-haul rescues. Austin residents concede that without the effort and dedication of STAR Flight's rescue professionals, 24 Texans might have lost their lives that night.
STAR Flight's tireless commitment to the central Texas community, as well as their dedication to providing informed, experienced and state-of-the-art air rescue services, embodies the standard of courage and professionalism that HAI's Eurocopter Golden Hour Award seeks to reward. HAI is proud to recognize the staff and crews of STAR Flight for their selfless service and invaluable contributions to the helicopter industry.
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 Mr. Kirkland began his aviation career as a fighter pilot in World War II, where he flew P-38's and P-47's with the "Flying Knights" squadron in the South Pacific. Shortly after the war, he had his first flight in a Sikorsky R-5A helicopter and was "hooked for life."
Since that time, he has been a helicopter medevac pilot (flying battlefield missions in Korea with the 8055 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit, made famous on the TV show, "M.A.S.H."), as well as a commercial pilot and an executive at Hughes, McDonnell Douglas, and HeliSource. Over the course of his career, he has been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and both the U.S. and Korean Presidential Unit Citations.
Mr. Kirkland has written numerous short stories, the most recent of which were published in Classics and Air and Space Magazine. His most recent book, Tales of a Helicopter Pilot, is a volume of true stories collected from his experiences flying and working with helicopters. The sixteen tales include incredible accounts of how helicopters are used by firefighters, law enforcement officials, and paramedics. A previous book, Tales of a War Pilot, was published by the Smithsonian Institution and received exceptional reviews.
He has given speeches for the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and has been a guest on the G. Gordon Liddy radio show. He is presently at work on a new book, War Pilot, which is a collection of short stories about helicopter pilots and crews in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. War Pilot will be published by Random House-Ballantine in April of this year.
Through a lifetime of flying, story telling and communicating with the media, Richard Kirkland has greatly contributed to the promotion of the helicopter as a safe, efficient and world-changing tool in society. HAI is proud to recognize his service to the industry with the 2002 Excellence in Communications Award.
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 Mr. Amedeo began his maintenance career in the U.S. Army, where he completed the UH-1 helicopter maintenance course and the UH-1 crew chief and leadership school. He later worked hangar maintenance on Huey's and Cobra's, before gaining flight status as a Huey crew chief supporting the 82nd Airborne Division. Upon leaving the Army in 1974, he received his Airframe & Powerplant licenses at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and entered the world of civilian aviation.
Working for Petroleum Helicopters, Mr. Amedeo maintained Bell 205's and 212's at the main hangar facilities. He was soon promoted to senior mechanic and transferred to Morgan City, Louisiana, where he performed maintenance on Petroleum's larger Bell helicopters. Leaving Petroleum Helicopters in 1981, Mr. Amedeo accepted a position as floor mechanic with Chevron Aircraft Operations. After five years there, he was promoted to lead mechanic. Shortly thereafter, he was promoted to the inspections department, where he currently serves as Aircraft Inspector.
Today, Mr. Amedeo maintains both the part 135 Approved Aircraft Inspection Program and the Continuous Airworthiness Program for Chevron USA. Chevron's mechanics rely on the accuracy of the data in these programs for their procedures, and their pilots rely on that data for the safe operation of their aircraft. As a result, Mr. Amedeo is never satisfied with the status quo. He relentlessly probes his data, seeks out new ideas, ensures that all regulatory requirements are met and provides accurate, well-documented answers for personnel with questions. In all his duties, he has an unwavering commitment to operational excellence.
With numerous awards under his belt from the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Business Aviation Association, the Helicopter Association International, and Bell Helicopters, Robert Amedeo is a true asset to the civil helicopter industry. HAI is proud to recognize him with the 2002 Helicopter Maintenance Award.
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 A graduate of West Point and retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, Mr. O'Sullivan presently directs and oversees operations for the aviation wing of the Department of State's counter-narcotics program. His jurisdiction spans countries in both Central and South America, as well as a newly established site in Pakistan.
During 2001 and 2002, Mr. O'Sullivan directed the counter-narcotics aviation wing in destroying over 120,000 hectares of coca. In Columbia, he personally flew more than 70 missions, directing and evaluating helicopter air crews as they performed aerial eradication and interdiction missions. He was the lead official in developing the aerial eradication concept for the poppy crop in Afghanistan, as well as the implementation plan for the border security program in Pakistan.
Mr. O'Sullivan is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College, holds a Masters in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration as a Flight Instructor. He holds a Commercial Pilot, Rotor-Craft, Helicopter certification as well as Commercial Pilot, Glider and Private Pilot, Single Engine Land certifications.
Through his disciplined, innovative and dedicated approach to management of the State Department's aviation counter-narcotics program, Mr. O'Sullivan has made an invaluable contribution to the aviation component of the "War on Drugs." HAI is proud to award him the 2002 MD Helicopters Law Enforcement Award.
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 Fifty years ago, Mr. Chadwick started Chadwick-Helmuth with his partner, Jim Helmuth. Their principal product was the "Slip-Sync" strobe lighting system and camera for observation of items undergoing vibration testing. In the mid-1960's, Chadwick-Helmuth developed the legendary Vibrex /Strobex, the world's first portable helicopter Rotor Track and Balance system, of which over 10,000 remain in service across the world today. In the mid-1980's, Chadwick-Helmuth introduced the model 8500 Balancer/Analyzer with Smart Chart Rotor Track and Balance technology. The company still produces the 8500 model today, and also offers new state-of-the-art vibration management systems.
Chadwick-Helmuth became a business unit of Honeywell International in July of 2002. Today, at 81, Mr. Chadwick continues his work on a daily basis, maintaining the company's traditions while exploring new opportunities with the Honeywell relationship.
For nearly half a century, Mr. Chadwick has devoted himself to the study of vibration in aircraft, and to the resolution of vibration problems in the aviation industry. This devotion has benefited civil helicopter operators, manufacturers, field personnel, and the military by helping resolve vibration problems efficiently, accurately, and most importantly, safely.
Due to his tireless commitment to improving both the standard of safety and quality of operation in the helicopter industry, HAI is proud to recognize Mr. Chadwick with the 2002 Lawrence D. Bell Memorial Award.
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 During his flying career, Mr. Makkonen has supported research projects, mining, law enforcement, forest fire suppression, tourism, and search and rescue. He is a key player in a multi-year bear research project, has flown over 70 immobilization flights involving grizzlies, and performed countless hours of follow-up telemetry flying. He has also been the rescue pilot on numerous missions to assist climbers and hikers in the Kluane National Park. He is currently very involved in a glacier coring research project on the upper plateau of Mount Logan (17,000-19,000 feet), and has flown approximately 100 flights moving equipment onto and off of the Logan Plateau.
As Base Manager and Pilot, one of his full-time duties is working with the Kluane Park Mountain Rescue Team. In addition to assisting in the training of all new Park Wardens involved with the team, he helps direct the planning, execution, and completion of all rescues. Many of his days on are spent transporting climbers and equipment to some of the inaccessible, rarely climbed faces on Mt. Logan. A good portion of his time is also spent picking less fortunate climbers off of those same faces, when weather or accidents have led to disaster.
Mr. Makkonen has been flying with Trans North Helicopters for 30 years, and has been their Company Check Pilot for the past 22 years. He has received the Commissioner's Award for Bravery, the Bell Safety Award for 15,000 flight hours, and remains accident free at 18,000 hours. His peers consider him to be the finest mountain pilot in the industry. HAI is proud to recognize him with the 2002 Robert E. Trimble Memorial Award. |
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 Mr. Orlaineta has been Chief Pilot for Evergreen since 1996. In this role, he oversees a team of full-time and contract pilots that fly varying types of missions, including construction, firefighting, aerial applications of fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides, seeding and rehabilitation work, search and rescue, and helicopter logging.
Mr. Orlaineta began his flying career in Vero Beach, Florida, where he received his Commercial License, Single and Multi-Engine Land, Instrument Airplane, and Rotorcraft helicopter add-on licenses. His first commercial position was with Protexa Corporation in Campeche, Mexico. He then flew for MAR-PAC Corporation for eight years as a tuna spotter. After moving to Evergreen Helicopters, Inc., he flew UN missions for the referendum on Western Sahara in Africa. He then moved to Columbia Helicopters where he performed helicopter logging operations for a year before returning to Evergreen in 1996. He is presently their Chief Pilot.
It is his most recent rescue that makes Mr. Orlaineta most deserving of HAI's 2002 Pilot of the Year Award. While on standby for initial attack at the Timbered Rock wild fire, Mr. Orlaineta overheard a mayday call for downed helicopter pilot, Scott Dunn, and passenger Mike Coffel. The initial rescue plan for Dunn and Coffel was to get as close to them as possible with ground vehicles and then pack the victims out. This was because the canyon was steep and covered with tall timber, which prevented a helicopter from landing. Mr. Orlaineta explained to the rescue team on the ground that he was certified in search and rescue operations. He then devised a plan to airlift Dunn and Coffel out.
He hooked a long-line and litter to his Lama helicopter, and then demonstrated his skills as a pilot by placing the litter between the trees, and hovering amid the treetops while the victims were loaded on the litter. He then short-hauled them safely to the canyon rim, where they were transferred to an EMS helicopter.
The helicopter community recognizes Mr. Orlaineta both for his exceptional skill as a pilot, and his effective leadership under daunting conditions. Because of his courage and determination in rescuing those in need - often at great risk to himself - HAI is proud to recognize him with the prestigious Pilot of the Year Award for 2002. |