At an event otherwise dominated by the fixed-wing aviation community, HAI has a dominant presence with its HELI-CENTER^TM at EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. And the HELI-CENTER offers some great opportunities to HAI members who stop by.

When he’s not involved in other meetings or events, HAI President Matt Zuccaro can be found in the HELI-CENTER, extolling the value of helicopters and the myriad ways they benefit the general public – even those members of the public who never set foot aboard a helicopter. HAI members are welcome to stop by and spend some time with Zuccaro discussing any issue, whether it’s specific to their operation, the association, or the industry at large.

One exclusive benefit available to HAI members is a second-story observation deck that looks out over the airfield and directly at the afternoon air shows. HAI has the only two-story tent along the flightline, and the observation deck offers an exceptional view of the flight activities all day long. It is one of the best places on the field to see the air shows.

The HAI Membership Department is on hand to answer any questions and take care of membership issues for visiting members. The HAI Safety Department and the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST) are also on hand, as is the Helicopter Foundation International (HFI). HFI offers several scholarships to help would-be commercial helicopter pilots and technicians get the training necessary for a career in rotorcraft.

The HAI HELI-CENTER is open throughout AirVenture, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time through Friday; 9:00 a.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday (for the nighttime air show); and 9:00 a.m. until AirVenture wraps up for another year at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.

If you’re visiting AirVenture, we look forward to seeing you there!