HAC NEWS The HAC Virtual Event was a success and well attended. Thank you for the support during a challenging time for so many. We look forward to greeting and gathering again soon. Sessions are being posted to the Virtual Event page as they become available. Virtual Event 2020 Sometimes "Bringing the Industry Together" means taking a moment to pay tribute to our own. Two trail blazing icons, founders of Okanagan Helicopters, inspired the creation of the Carl Agar/Alf Stringer Award for outstanding contribution to the Canadian Helicopter Industry. From time to time HAC bestows that Award upon someone who has followed their lead. HAC Announces the 2020 Agar/Stringer Awards to the following: MIKE ALDERSEY TONY WALKER TERRY DIXON Photos and bio’s can be seen on the Virtual Event Page HAC also bestowed an Honorary Life Membership to William (Bill) Clark of YYZ Law. Bill is one of a very few lawyers that has devoted his time to the full-time practice of commercial and legal requirements of aviation and travel companies. His photo and bio can be seen here. Congratulations to all award recipients and thank you for your contributions to our Canadian rotary industry. HAC NEWSLETTER PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE New Minister of Transport Appointed February 18, 2021 - If you follow the media at all on the subject of COVID-19 its hard not to slip in to depression. Every small piece of good news is followed by half a dozen pieces of bad news. News that Canada had purchased five times as much vaccine as it required was followed quickly by news that we weren’t likely to receive it anytime soon. When it started to arrive – there wasn’t nearly enough of it to go around and now the government has announced that people in the general population won’t be starting to receive their first vaccinations until at least August. In the meantime, back-at-the-ranch, we have new variants of the virus arising that are more transmissible, and could be more fatal, and from which the existing vaccines offer less protection. Does the fun ever stop? Most helicopter operators that I speak with - ever the optimists - offer “At least I have my health, so far.” There are small pockets of activity that seem to be sustaining some operators, but most are facing the worst year in their history, and hoping that this summer offers some essential services work. Virtually everyone is hunkering down. Layoffs are endemic, and many pilots and maintenance-related staff are out of work or facing reduced wages. I console myself by remembering that the demand for vertical lift services will return. For operators that are able to hunker down and survive this, they will be stronger and well positioned to capitalize on the opportunities that the recovery phase will present. While I wouldn’t say that we are in the recovery phase, yet - we are on its doorstep. Read More MOST RECENT NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE New Procedures and training for the Reservation of Aircraft Recorded Data February 18, 2021 - Notice to CARAC Members, Please find attached AC 700-013, Issue No. 02, Procedures and Training for the reservation of Aircraft Recorded Data, effective March 1, 2021. Read More New PHAC Border Measures February 18, 2021 - Please find attached documents shared by the Public Health Agency of Canada regarding the new Order In Council on border measures. Read More Transport Canada Re-Issues MD-500 Torque Event Inspection Exemption February 18, 2021 Read More COVID-related Exemptions February 18, 2021 - COVID-19 exemptions are made available upon request via email, in PDF format on the Transport Canada COVID-19 web page. Read More HAC Welcomes New Members New HAC Associates: Airble Aviation Inc. Richmond, BC Recoil Aerospace, LLC Grants Pass, Oregon, USA Seastar Aviation Ltd. Campbell River, BC TKP Aviation Support Services Inc. North Lancaster, Ontario New Operator Members: Transwest Helicopters Ltd. Oliver, BC New INDIVIDUAL Members: New CUSTOMER Members: