Rotorcraft Report: Summit Draws Civil, Military, Government SAR Leaders

SERVICES

Civilian, military and public service leaders will discuss and debate the challenges and benefits of helicopter use in emergency operations at Rotor & Wing’s Search and Rescue Summit 2008,

Slated for Sept. 18 in Reston, Va., the event will feature panel discussions on the organization and integration of and training for SAR operations around the world, as well as presentations of R&W’s 2007 Helicopter Heroism Awards. A special webinar, held concurrently with the summit, will focus on how different organizations make the "Go/No Go" decision in SAR operations.

Panelists include Michel Pawlowski, chief of catastrophic planning for the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency; Cmdr. James O’Keefe, chief of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Aviation Platforms Div, and Captains Michael Chan and Ardis Tang, controller and senior pilot, respectively, of the Government Flying Service of Hong Kong, the organization that won R&W’s 2006 Helicopter Heroism Award. Also participating in the event are R&W columnists Ernie Stephens and Steve Colby. You can find the full program and other information at www.searchandrescuesummit.com.

The summit is sponsored by Sikorsky Aircraft, Goodrich Corp and Aviation Research Group/U.S.