HAI Now Accepting Nominations for 2023 Salute to Excellence Awards Program
Helicopter Association International (HAI) announces that it is now accepting nominations for its annual Salute to Excellence Awards program. The deadline for all nominations is Wed., Sept. 14, 2022. Award descriptions and criteria, as well as additional information about the awards process, are available at rotor.org/salute.
These awards recognize superior achievement across the rotorcraft industry and are open to individuals, teams or organizations who work with helicopters or remotely piloted aircraft systems (UAS or drones). Anyone may submit a nomination, and anyone may be nominated. HAI membership is not required.
“Our selection committee looks for people whose passion and desire for excellence has made a difference for their colleagues, their community or the industry,” says Dan Sweet, HAI’s director of public relations and communications as well as Salute to Excellence program coordinator. “Nearly every one of us knows a person who meets that qualification. Did they make others better through guidance, instruction or example? Did they perform a heroic act, or did they produce exceptional work over the course of their career? Tell us about them, and we may be able to honor their contribution to the industry with a Salute to Excellence award.”
The Salute to Excellence program includes the following categories:
- Matthew S. Zuccaro Land & LIVE Award
- Communications Award
- W.A. “Dub” Blessing Flight Instructor of the Year Award
- Maintenance Award
- Law Enforcement Award
- Golden Hour Award
- Safety Award
- Humanitarian Service Award
- Pilot of the Year Award
- Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Here’s a pro tip,” adds Sweet. “To produce a nomination package with the best chances of success, we strongly recommend that you explain HOW their work demonstrated the highest level of professionalism. Tell us WHY their work was important to their colleagues, their customers, their community or the industry. It’s not enough to simply say, ‘This person is great and deserves an award.’ Winning nominations include supporting materials, such as letters of recommendation from others who support the nomination, news stories, video clips, etc., that make a solid case for the nominee’s selection as the outstanding entrant in the chosen category.”
The Salute to Excellence winners will be honored at HAI HELI-EXPO 2023 in Atlanta, Mar. 6–9 (with exhibits open March 7–9).