For Immediate Release: Sept. 23, 2015
Contact: Liz McBain, media@knowbeforeyoufly.org, (202) 777- 3511
WASHINGTON —Helicopter Association International (HAI) is the latest supporter of the Know Before You Fly campaign, an initiative to promote the safe and responsible use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
“For the past 60 years, HAI has worked to foster public confidence in the safety of helicopter operations,” said Matt Zuccaro, president of the Helicopter Association International. “We are excited to become a supporter of this important campaign and continue to do our part to enhance the safety and awareness of responsible flying for both the manned and unmanned aviation community.”
The Know Before You Fly campaign was created by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) and the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA). The campaign was launched in December 2014 in partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to provide UAS users with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly.
“We welcome the support of the Helicopter Association International and its diverse group of members from the manned aviation community to embrace the campaign and help us spread the message about safe and responsible flying,” said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. “HAI‘s dedication to safety and education perfectly matches the mission of the Know Before You Fly campaign.”
AMA President Bob Brown added, “We are thrilled that HAI has joined Know Before You Fly. AMA represents approximately 180,000 modelers and 2,400 flying clubs around the country, and safety for us has always been a core principle and one we share with the manned aviation community. As a co-founder of the campaign, this is a unique and important opportunity to show others that flying model aircraft can be a fun experience and best when done as safely as possible.”
HAI joins 22 other organizations that support Know Before You Fly, which include retailers, manufacturers, and distributors of UAS as well as several organizations representing the manned aviation community. For information, visit KnowBeforeYouFly.org or follow @FlyResponsibly on Twitter.
About HAI
For more than 60 years, HAI has provided support and services to its members and to the international helicopter community. Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, HAI members safely fly more than 5,000 helicopters some 2.3 million hours each year. We are dedicated to advancing the international helicopter community by providing programs that enhance safety and encourage professionalism and economic viability, while promoting the unique contributions vertical flight offers society. For more information, visit www.rotor.com.
About AUVSI
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International is the world’s largest non-profit organization devoted exclusively to advancing the unmanned systems and robotics community. Serving more than 7,500 members from government organizations, industry and academia, AUVSI is committed to fostering, developing, and promoting unmanned systems and robotics technologies. For more information, visit AUVSI.org.
About AMA
The Academy of Model Aeronautics, founded in 1936, continues to be devoted to national airspace safety. It serves as the nation’s collective voice for approximately 180,000 modelers in 2,400 clubs in the United States and Puerto Rico. Headquartered in Muncie, Indiana, AMA is a membership organization representing those who fly model aircraft for recreation and educational purposes. For more information, visit www.modelaircraft.org.