Ever wonder what it’s like to fly into HAI’s Heli-Expo? Join Vertical Magazine for a backstage pass to the largest helicopter exhibition in the world. After some time away due to the pandemic, the event is back and the excitement level is high, as hundreds of exhibitors, OEMs, and industry members from around the world prepare to promote their business on the biggest rotary-wing stage.
Helicopters arriving for static display flew into the back loading dock of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas. Pilots staged at the nearby Dallas Executive Airport before making their way into the downtown core. A mandatory pilot briefing was held in advance of the fly-in to familiarize pilots and crew with procedures, waypoints, frequencies, and ground operations, to ensure the safe arrival of all aircraft.
Chris Hill, HAI’s director of safety, led the briefing, taking pilots and their crew through the approaches available, important considerations, and emergency procedures. One of the benefits of Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center is its heliport, which will play host to demo flights throughout the week. It also acts as a great alternative for aircraft that are not able to land in the loading area.
Once the briefing concluded, everyone walked the landing area, observing obstacles, potential areas for wind shear, and the alternate landing sight. The arrivals were split between two days — the Friday and Saturday before the show. Twenty-two aircraft arrived on the Friday, and 13 the following day. Among the many arrivals were a couple of Sikorsky Black Hawks, Sikorsky S-92s, Bell 429s, a Kaman K-1200 K-MAX, and an Airbus EC225.
To watch all of the arrivals, be sure to check out our YouTube channel.
We’ve got an exciting week coming up, so be sure to follow along on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
