AHS at Work
AHS works to affect change to benefit the industry and create recognition of the benefits of vertical flight. AHS leads advocacy efforts to Capitol Hill, the Pentagon, FAA, and the public.
We are leading efforts to educate the public and decision makers through our outreach to the media. AHS worked with the Vertical Lift Consortium and the CEOs of the major US military rotorcraft manufacturers to sign a letter to the Secretary of Defense, on September 19, 2011 urging the approval of the Future Vertical Lift Strategic Plan, and we’ve recently helped get the Army Aviation Caucus kicked off. The Caucus also sent a letter to the Secretary of Defense on February 10, 2012, urging him to sign the FVL Strategic Plan.
Read the Commentary from the AHS Executive Director on critical issues facing our industry:
- Vertiflite magazine, Jan-Feb 2012: The Crisis in U.S. Army Aviation: "The V-22 Osprey is the only new combat rotorcraft that DoD has fielded in more than 25 years."
- Vertiflite magazine, Winter 2011: Wanted: Leadership: "The Europeans are showing leadership in their pursuit of next generation rotorcraft technologies. If America is to remain competitive, it must do the same."
- Vertiflite magazine, Fall 2011, September 11th – 10 Years On: "The September 11th attacks instigated a decade of unparalleled contributions by rotorcraft to national strategy objectives, but more investments in technology are still needed."
Our Legacy
AHS has been very successful over the past two decades championing the advancement of vertical flight technology. Here are a few examples of AHS leadership:
In 1994, AHS – working with George Singley of the US Army and Dr. Wes Harris of NASA – supported the creation of the National Rotorcraft Technology Center or NRTC, as well as the Rotorcraft Industry Technology Agreement, the predecessor of the current Vertical Lift Consortium. The AHS is a non-voting member of the VLC Board of Directors.
Beginning in 1997, the AHS VP of Infrastructure, Dr. John Leverton, was instrumental in leading necessary reforms to ICAO Annex 6 (Operations) and 14 (Heliports). Currently, AHS is working on reviewing new international proposed standards relating to helicopter sound and emissions.
In 2002, the Society, working with Congress and industry, was instrumental in restoring funding for NASA rotorcraft programs. Subsequently, when the National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex was closed in 2003, AHS championed the transfer of the NFAC to the Department of Defense and assisted in restoring funding for its operations.
In 2005, the AHS Montreal/Ottawa Chapter hosted a specialists’ meeting on helicopter safety. Subsequently, AHS joined with HAI, Transport Canada and the Federal Aviation Administration, EASA and many other agencies worldwide to create the International Helicopter Safety Team (IHST). IHST's goal is to reduce the worldwide helicopter accident rate by 80 percent in 10 years. AHS is the Secretariat for this international group and there has been demonstrable improvements in safety through the efforts of this important group.
In 2009, AHS worked closely with Congress and industry and succeeded in adding Section 255 to the 2009 Defense Authorization Bill. This legislation required a Capabilities Based Assessment on the state of vertical lift, the creation of a technology roadmap, and increased investment in vertical flight science and technology. It also called for the creation within the DoD of a Vertical Flight Joint Program Office for all the service branches. As a result of this Congressional action, the Office of the Secretary of Defense created a Strategic Plan for Future Vertical Lift.
We continue to be active in supporting IHST, VLC, Future Vertical Lift and many other critical initiatives.