HAI s Associate members manufacture, repair, broker, insure and otherwise support the civil helicopter industry. To provide members with services that directly benefit their operations and to advance the civil helicopter industry by providing programs that enhance safety, encourage professionalism and promote the unique contributions made by helicopters to society. These are essential to industry growth, and will facilitate the use of helicopters for timely transport of priority cargo and of passengers, including scheduled services. This will help ensure the economic viability of the industry, including operators, manufacturers and all others. To cooperate with ongoing efforts, and where necessary, to initiate new programs to enhance the professional standards of training for all helicopter activities.
Helicopters face increasing restrictions in their operations, both in the air and on the ground.
These restrictions severely curtail the utility of the helicopter, and cause economic hardship to all concerned. HAI strongly believes that helicopters must have fair access to airspace and to landing sites, including those at airports as well as unimproved sites. With regard to airports, the Aviation Safety and Capacity Expansion Act of 1990 mandates fair and equal access to the nation s airports for all categories and classes of aircraft. With regard to airspace, the FAA, and its counterparts in other nations, must maintain singular control of the airspace, and must not allow this vital function to be relegated to other entities. Such action diminishes the very tax base upon which the governments must depend.