TO SUPPORT the international helicopter industry with operational and safety guidance, the Helicopter Association International (HAI), based in Alexandria, Virginia, has been providing assistance for almost 75 years.
One of their main events is Heli-Expo, the world's largest, most popular helicopter industry gathering, held every spring in the USA. This year's expo - with the biggest floor layout of any previous Heli-Expo - was held in the Georgia Convention Center in downtown Atlanta, where helicopter manufacturers and enthusiasts from around the world came together to showcase and marvel at the latest innovations and trends in the industry.
I had the privilege of attending Heli-Expo in March on behalf of Bidvest Protea Coin's Airwing and Drone Support Division to meet many of our suppliers and partners in person.
Being a Pretoria-raised, non-frequent international traveller, with OR Tambo, Cape Town International and Ivato Airport in Madagascar as my most recent references of international airports, I was blown away by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta - the world's busiest airport. Its sheer magnitude, spanning over 631,700 square meters across multiple terminals and handling over 100 million passengers per year, prepared me in some measure for the grand scale of everything I would experience at the expo.
This story is from the April 2023 edition of SA Flyer Magazine.
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This story is from the April 2023 edition of SA Flyer Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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