HAI is proud to announce the 2009 Helicopter Maintenance Award recipient, Rich Higgins; Helicopter Crew Chief, Cablevision Systems Corporation, Farmingdale, New York.

Higgins began his aviation career in 1982 at the Academy of Aeronautics in Flushing, New York, while also working line service with Island Helicopter. At Island he progressed to heavy maintenance, performing complete teardown and rebuilding work. He was later promoted to Inspector/Records Manager, responsible for records on 35 aircraft, including final inspections and maintenance releases.

Higgins is currently Cablevision’s lead Crew Chief on the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter, working on all models of the aircraft from the B to the current C++. Tasked with consistently providing a safe, airworthy aircraft, Higgins understands the concept of “Zero Tolerance” and has a long history of providing “Zero Error” maintenance. The aircraft he oversees fly over 600 hours and 2,000 cycles per year, and he maintains an overall availability rating for his aircraft of 99.6 percent — an achievement requiring a great deal of determination and resourcefulness.

Higgins has an extensive training record and strongly believes in continuing professional education. His training at Flight Safety International has included Maintenance Initial and Update for the S-76A and S-76B, S-76C Differences, Gulfstream GIII Maintenance Initial, Advanced Troubleshooting, Composite Repair, Composite Structure Update, Maintenance Resource Management, and Maintenance Manager. His additional advanced training includes Turbomeca 2S Line Maintenance, Honeywell 7000 & 7600 Auto Pilot systems, Pratt & Whitney PT6-36 Line Maintenance, Allison 250 Series Engines, and HAI Human Performance/Helicopter Maintenance.

Although having worked in aviation for nearly three decades, Higgins exhibits the same eagerness and excitement for the job as someone just starting out. He is an extremely popular and reliable mechanic, and he prides himself on his ability to develop and maintain solid working relationships with vendors, aircraft manufacturers, colleagues, and the FAA. In 2000, Flight Safety International awarded Higgins their Master Technician Certificate.

All winners will be recognized at HELI-EXPO 2009’s annual “Salute to Excellence” Awards Banquet on February 23, 2009 at 8:00 p.m. in Anaheim, California. For more information about the 2009 “Salute to Excellence” Awards Banquet, contact HAI’s Communications Department at 703-683-4646, fax: 703-683-4745, or email: rotor@rotor.com. For more information on HELI-EXPO 2009, visit www.heliexpo.com.