Within vertical aviation, there are pilots, mechanics/engineers, safety professionals, and others who go above and beyond to pursue professional excellence. Their dedication is an inspiration to us all. The HAI Salute to Excellence Awards recognize outstanding achievement in all forms of vertical aviation, including unmanned aircraft systems (UASs, or drones).

New This Year

HAI is debuting the Matthew S. Zuccaro Land & LIVE Award beginning in 2022. The new award will join the Salute to Excellence Awards lineup to honor the late former HAI president and CEO, who died in February 2020.

After growing frustrated with the growing number of preventable helicopter accidents, Matt wanted to send a clear message that helicopter crews would never forget, emphasizing his now famous quote, “Flight not going well? When safety is at stake, Land the Damn Helicopter!”

The new award recognizes outstanding aeronautical decision-making (ADM), crew resource management (CRM), and/or coordinated actions performed by a helicopter pilot(s), flight crew member(s), and/or maintenance personnel during the year. Depending on nominations received, the Matthew S. Zuccaro Land & LIVE Award may be presented to three recipients each year: one each for pilots, flight crews, and maintenance personnel.

To Nominate Someone

To submit a nomination for the 2022 HAI Salute to Excellence Awards, go to rotor.org/salute and nominate an exceptional individual or organization today. Anyone may submit a nomination, and anyone may be nominated. HAI membership is not required.

HAI strongly recommends that you think through your nomination thoroughly. It’s not enough to say, “This person is great and deserves an award.” Winning nominations must make the case for the nominee’s selection as the outstanding entrant of the year in the chosen category.

To give your nominee the best chance of selection, tell us their story and back it up with supporting material. Use this opportunity to illustrate your nominee’s passion for their job and the industry; tell us HOW they did their job so well and WHY that was important to their colleagues, their customers, or the industry at large.

With HAI HELI-EXPO 2022 in Dallas scheduled for Mar. 7–10, the deadline to submit 2022 Salute to Excellence Awards nominations is Thursday, Sep. 30, 2021.