Avionics News June 2015 - 34

industry

BY R. FRED POLAK,
PRESIDENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION
OF HELICOPTER MAINTENANCE PROFESSIONALS

A new helicopter maintenance
association is born

t Heli-Expo 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Safran
Turbomeca played host to the first symposium on
the global helicopter mechanic shortage. As the
then editor of Helicopter Maintenance magazine, I was
asked to attend. It was a great symposium, and by invitation some of the best-known companies in the helicopter
industry were represented. The problems discussed and
their responses were eye opening. I wrote an article about
the symposium published in
the December 2013
issue of Helicopter
Maintenance magazine,
and that's how it all began.
In November 2013, I received
a phone call from Jean-Louis
Mostajo, corporate training director
for Safran Turbomeca, and we discussed jointly developing a survey
that would begin at Heli-Expo 2014
in Anaheim, California.
The survey was endorsed by both the Helicopter Association
International and the European Helicopter Association. Besides
information about the survey being distributed at Heli-Expo
2014, access to the survey also was available through the HAI,
EHA and Turbomeca websites. The response was truly fantastic and global in reach. In a 90-day period, we received more
than 1,600 responses from more than 64 countries.
After evaluating the survey responses, the decision was
made to hold a second symposium at Heli-Expo 2015 in
Orlando, Florida. Again, some of the best-known companies in
our industry attended. I was asked to be the moderator for this
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avionics news

june

2015

symposium. The discussion focused on the six survey questions that garnered the most responses. Again, the discussions
were lively and on target as to what the industry can do to
reduce the global helicopter mechanic shortage.
One of the six survey questions that drew a huge response
was: "Do you see a need to create an international organization dedicated to the helicopter maintenance professional? If
yes, would you want to
become a member?"
From the answers
received, 86 percent of
the respondents were not
only in favor of creating an
international association for
helicopter maintenance professionals, but also said they would join the association.
This association would be designed to work with
other international trade associations and not be in
competition with them.
At the conclusion of the symposium, all of the attendees
agreed it would be worthwhile to pursue the formation of a
nonprofit association to benefit the global helicopter industry as a whole. Additionally, I was elected the first president
of the newly formed International Association of Helicopter
Maintenance Professionals. We expect to have the association
up and running at Heli-Expo 2016 in Louisville, Kentucky.
If you are interested in sharing your experience, expertise,
professionalism and commitment in this endeavor, we welcome you to join us. I encourage you to contact me with your
thoughts and/or questions at 623-696-5088 or via email at
rfredpolak@gmail.com. q

Avionics News June 2015

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