Aviation students can now apply for an opportunity to attend the 12th-annual CHC Safety & Quality Summit, through grants which honour Dr. Peter Gardiner, a long-time advocate of excellence in aviation safety training.

The Dr. Peter Gardiner Student Grant, worth more than C$4,000, covers: admission to the Summit; and a choice of one of the pre-event courses; as well as C$1,500 in hotel and travel reimbursement.

The Summit, hosted by CHC Helicopter, the operating company of CHC Group Ltd. (NYSE:HELI), is recognized by many as the most important helicopter-safety conference in the world.

This year’s event will be focused on the theme “Back to Basics: Prioritizing Safety in a Challenging Economy.” The 2016 summit will be held April 04-06 at the Westin Bayshore Resort in Vancouver, with pre-summit courses starting April 01.

This will be the sixth year Drs. Wiegmann and Shappell, of HFACS Inc., have sponsored a student to participate in the summit, in recognition of Dr. Gardiner. In addition, the Westin Bayshore – the host hotel – has generously matched the grant for a third time, enabling a second student to attend.

The late Dr. Peter Gardiner was president and chief executive officer of the Southern California Safety Institute (SCSI). The objective of SCSI is to provide people in aviation with the best possible tools and training, to reduce accident rates and ultimately increase the safety of those that fly.

The focus on the human side of aviation safety and the development of safety management systems attracted Dr. Gardiner to the CHC event, where for three years he brought a unique blend of professionalism and humour to the sessions he taught. The student grant is a tribute to Dr. Gardiner’s commitment to aviation safety, and is intended to help inspire excellence in aviation students.

Students interested in this year’s grants must apply and submit a 500-word essay by the Dec. 09 2015 deadline. More information about the grants and access to the application are available at www.chcsafetyqualitysummit.com.

About CHC

CHC Helicopter is a leader in enabling customers to go further, do more and come home safely, including oil and gas companies, government search-and-rescue agencies and organizations requiring helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul services through the Heli-One segment. The company has a fleet of more than 230 aircraft and operates in approximately 20 countries around the world.