When the FAA files an action or you’re named in a lawsuit, you need an attorney with a strong aviation-law background, one who can help you follow the rules and minimize your risk exposure. At our Feb. 23, 2023, webinar, attorneys Sarah MacLeod and Brett Levanto, along with HAI’s Zac Noble and Teresa Farmer, previewed a new legal resource benefit exclusively for HAI members. It includes a legal directory of lawyers and law firms referred by other aviation professionals and vetted by HAI.

New urban air mobility (UAM) aircraft and operations are like no other in existence today, and current IFR and VFR flight rules may not fully apply to their needs and capabilities. Terry McVenes, president and CEO of RTCA, discusses whether a new set of rules—digital flight rules, or DFR — is needed to accommodate this rapidly evolving technology. He also talks about needing collaboration between manufacturers and operators to avoid issues between legacy aircraft and new UAM aircraft, and the need for the same kind of collaboration between international civil aviation authorities.

Drone and helicopter pilots both share responsibility for avoiding accidents. Each pilot likely holds a preconceived understanding of the other’s location and operations, but without verifying that understanding, collisions will continue to climb. During our Jan. 26, 2023, webinar, John Meehan, a member of FAAST, analyzed several collisions between drones and helicopters and offered insight into how to prevent future accidents.

Are you a new exhibitor or one with more experience who is looking to simplify the process of exhibiting at HAI HELI-EXPO? Join our panel of experts as they share ideas and answer questions focused on developing and improving your exhibiting processes. Our panelists include: -Caitlin Mann, CEM, CMP, DES, Asst. Director, Exhibits & Experience for HAI​ -Emily Monahan, Conventions Manager for HAI​ -Amy Ellis, Senior Strategic Client Services Manager at GES​ -Katie White - Wyman Company - Sales Partner​ -Sarah Moore, CMP, Senior Account Executive, onPeak

Aviation consultant Rex J. Alexander sees unsafe heliports and risky heliport use far too often. At the Jan. 12, 2023, HAI@Work webinar, the founder and president of Five-Alpha LLC and cochair of the US Helicopter Safety Team Infrastructure Working Group demonstrated how normalizing unsafe design and behavior leads to catastrophe in vertical lift infrastructure—and how we can overcome it.

On Oct. 4, 2022, the rules authorizing US service members to transition to a civilian FAA A&P license changed significantly. In our Dec. 8, 2022, webinar, we hosted a panel of experts dedicated to helping military personnel transition from the military to civilian careers. They offered webinar participants education, career, and license-transition advice while answering their many questions.

In the Nov. 17, 2022, HAI@Work webinar, a retired US Coast Guard commander shared the story of how he and three crew members survived a crash into the Gulf of Mexico, waiting for rescue in alligator-infested waters.

The Nov. 10, 2022, HAI@Work webinar featured the complete recording of the EUROPEAN ROTORS 2022 Global Leadership Perspectives panel as its members examined major issues before the vertical aviation industry. The panel, comprising leaders from the HAI, the FAA, the European Helicopter Association, and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, also reviewed the many opportunities to support, influence, and collaborate on these issues in a way that benefits the global vertical aviation industry as a whole.

During the Oct. 27, 2022, HAI@Work webinar, FAASTeam Program Manager James Dangerfield discussed the human errors that make up the FAA’s Dirty Dozen–human factors that are leading contributors in human-caused accidents. In his presentation, Dangerfield told stories from the field; broke down a fatal 2010 helicopter air ambulance crash, identifying the dirty dozen errors responsible; and presented the identified Safety Net Solutions for each one. Watch the replay and tell us in the comments about your own experience with the Dirty Dozen!

If you’re currently flying helicopters or tiltrotors in the military and are considering training to be a helicopter pilot after your service has ended, there’s a great deal you can do right now to prepare for your post-military career. At our Oct. 13, 2022, HAI@Work webinar, we spoke with a panel of experts dedicated to helping others transition from the military to the civilian sector. Watch this replay to learn how you can prepare today for a civilian helicopter pilot career tomorrow.

Accidents continue to happen that could have been prevented with a thorough walk around the aircraft after preflight. In our Sep. 22, 2022, HAI@Work webinar, Scott Boughton, owner of Palisade Aviation, discusses preflight routines and checklists to employ before starting your mission for the day. In this replay of the event, Scott discusses what to look for, including some often-missed items and telltale signs that the pilot should look deeper. Joining Scott is Doug Downey, VP of safety for Air Methods, who provides his knowledge, experience, and advice on the importance of doing a thorough examination of your aircraft.

As the eVTOL industry evolves, lessons learned in helicopter history take on a particularly important significance. Between 1966 and 1968, over a million passengers flew scheduled helicopter airlines annually. By 1980, the airlines were extinct. What happened? During World War II, a burst of enthusiasm around the advent of the practical helicopter for urban air mobility fueled a massive wave of venture capital in rotorcraft manufacturing. But all the pieces and players that came together built the new transportation system unsustainably. The story of helicopter airlines is a cautionary tale of ambition and optimism operating beyond the capability of the aircraft, the marketplace, and the legislative space. In HAI’s next webinar, Roger Connor, a curator with Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, explores the rise and fall of helicopter airlines in the United States and how the relationships between manufacturers, operators, and the government both made and doomed scheduled helicopter transport. Roger Connor is an experienced fixed-wing commercial pilot with over 4,000 hours of flight time, including more than 3,000 hours in dual instruction given. He’s held flight instructor certificates in the United States and the United Kingdom and served as a designated private pilot examiner for the UK CAA. He holds master’s degrees in museum studies and American history and a PhD in American history. He currently curates the National Air and Space Museum’s vertical flight collection. Watch this replay of the Jul.14 HAI@Work webinar to hear from a National Air and Space Museum curator who’ll reveal how today’s UAM industry can learn from past mistakes.

You order fuel, then go inside to file your flight plan. When you return, the fuel truck has pulled away. Your quick sump confirms color and no contamination. You’re good to go, right? Not so fast. Did you know that straw-colored Jet A fuel won’t reveal whether it’s been mixed with avgas until more than half the tank is avgas? The good news is, what we know can save us. While pilots, operators, and even FBOs can’t control 100% of the supply chain, a little vigilance goes a long way in catching mistakes. During this Sep. 8 must-see one-hour HAI@Work webinar, two fuel experts will pulled back the curtain on everything that can go wrong with aviation fuel, from its time at the refinery to the moment you start the engine. They also discussed additives and blends, how to check for cross contamination, and how to safely store fuel. George Braly is co-founder of and head of engineering at General Aviation Modifications Inc. (GAMI), which was just awarded an STC for 100-octane unleaded avgas. Mike Mattern is the quality assurance manager at Titan Aviation Fuels. A 31-year veteran of the US Marine Corps, he has served in his current position for 23 years and has seen just about every mistake that can be made in fuel handling. Mattern travels the country putting on fuel-safety seminars for Titan clients and others.

Watch the Aug. 25 HAI@Work replay to hear how HAI President and CEO James Viola’s experience in the US Army led to careers at the Federal Aviation Administration and HAI, where the leadership and safety skills he developed while in the service have paid multiple dividends.