Have you made your hotel reservations for HELI-EXPO? With more than 700 exhibitors confirmed, HELI-EXPO promises to be after to be our largest show ever. Rooms are going fast and the hotel reservation deadline is only a week away: Thursday, February 7.Make your reservations online or contact Connections Housing at HELI-EXPOhousing@connectionshousing.com or  877-254-HELI.

Before Business Begins …
HELI-EXPO is, without a doubt, a place where the business of the helicopter industry gets done.But before business begins, the HAI Board of Directors and President Matt Zuccaro invite everyone — exhibitors and attendees alike — to join them for a Welcome Reception on Monday, March 4, at the Encore at Wynn Hotel.The reception gets underway at 7 pm and runs until 8:30. It’s a great place to catch up with friends and colleagues and make new acquaintances! Invitations will be included in your registration materials. If you arrive in Las Vegas too late to pick up those materials before the reception, your business card will get you in to the party.Before everybody dives into what promises to be a busy three days in the exhibit halls, be sure to join HAI’s Board of Directors for a casual get-together on Monday night at the Encore at Wynn.

Professional Education Courses for Pilots
HELI-EXPO 2013 will feature many development opportunities for pilots between March 2 and 5.HAI will offer nine education courses developed specifically for helicopter pilots, including —

• Flight Instructor Refresher Course, sponsored by the Bell Helicopter Training Academy
• Flying in the Wire and Obstruction Environment, sponsored by Magellan Aerospace
• Introduction to Vertical Reference Long Line, sponsored by Marenco Swisshelicopter
• Mountain Flying Ground School, sponsored by RAVCO

To find out more, visit the HAI Professional Education Courses at a Glance page and see your options. All pilot education courses also count toward the FAA Wings program.

HFI Mentoring Panels
On Tuesday, March 5, Helicopter Foundation International will offer special HELI-EXPO programming for students and anyone interested in aviation careers:

• Pilot Mentoring Panel (12:30 pm). Top industry professionals will share their advice and expertise with students, graduates who have just completed flight school studies at colleges and universities, and pilots already in the industry looking to obtain valuable information about the career from seasoned professionals.
• Industry Outreach to Students Mentoring Panel (1:30 pm).Panel members will answer questions posed by students, provide information on the general requirements of entry-level positions in various industry sectors, and assist students to better understand the scope of knowledge and skill required in the helicopter industry. The commercial helicopter pilot and helicopter maintenance technician fields are specifically addressed, along with other entry-level positions.
• Maintenance Technician Mentoring Panel (2:30 pm). Several key industry experts will share their stories and wisdom with prospective or current students, recent graduates, and maintenance technicians already in the industry looking to obtain information from industry professionals.

No registration necessary! Just mark your calendar to attend each of the hour-long panels on March 5.