And the winner is......................

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HAI's Executive Committee met and executed a full agenda on October 24, 2004. HAI's Awards Committee met October 25-26, to select the winners of HAI's prestigious "Salute to Excellence" Awards.

The Salute to Excellence awards program, now in its 44th year, recognizes outstanding achievement performed by individuals or companies in the civil helicopter industry. Winners will be recognized during the HAI "Salute to Excellence" banquet and awards ceremony to be held on February 7, 2005, at HELI-EXPO 2005 in Anaheim, California.

THE WINNERS ARE:

AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN AWARD: Richard C. Barnett; Gulf Coast Maintenance Manager, Air Logistics, LLC, New Iberia, Louisiana

AVIATION REPAIR SPECIALIST AWARD: Luis F. Garcia; Director of Maintenance, Papillon Airways Inc., Grand Canyon, Arizona

IGOR I. SIKORSKY AWARD FOR HUMANITARIAN SERVICE: Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Air Rescue 5 Program; Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Long Beach, California

THE JOE MASHMAN SAFETY AWARD: Timothy C. Tucker; Chief Instructor, RHC Safety Course, Robinson Helicopter Company, Torrance, California

OUTSTANDING CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AWARD: Randal L. Bechtel; Chief Flight Instructor/Owner, Flight Check Ltd., Fort Worth, Texas

AGUSTA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD: Stephen M. Hickock; President, Hickock & Associates, Inc., Orange Beach, Alabama

EUROCOPTER GOLDEN HOUR AWARD: County Rescue Services, Green Bay; Crew of Eagle III: George Miller, Lt. Shaun Stamnes, and Michael Orlando, Green Bay, Wisconsin

EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNICATIONS AWARD: Claire ap Rees; Managing Editor, Avia Press Associates, Somerset, United Kingdom

HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE AWARD: John Kiesler; Vice President of Maintenance & Operations, Evergreen Helicopters, Inc., McMinnville, Oregon

MD HELICOPTERS LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD: Lt. Craig Neubecker, Lt. Shawn Koch, and Avionics Electronics Tech, 1st Class, William Greer; HITRON Jacksonville, United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security

LAWRENCE D. BELL MEMORIAL AWARD: Elling Halvorson; Chairman, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, Inc., Grand Canyon, Arizona

ROBERT E. TRIMBLE MEMORIAL AWARD: Harry Rogers; President, Heavy Lift Helicopters, Apple Valley, California

PILOT OF THE YEAR AWARD: Thomas A. “Bud” Roberts; Rotor Wing Pilot, Evergreen Helicopters International, Inc., Galveston, Texas

For information about the 2004 “Salute to Excellence” Awards banquet and ceremony, contact HAI’s communications department,
tel: [phone]; fax: [phone];
e-mail: [email protected].

For complete details on HAI’s HELI-EXPO 2005, visit the HAI home page at www.heliexpo.com, telephone: [phone], fax: [phone] or write: Helicopter Association International, 1635 Prince St., Alexandria, VA 22314-2818.