From The Desk of The Editor Final Thought for 2016:
Meet the Jetsons! I recently got to thinking about how far the helicopter has come. Reflecting on that led me to think about Rotorcraft Pro magazine and how far we too have come since becoming its owner in 2012. Those thoughts led me to remember that several years ago I purchased an original copy of the first helicopter magazine ever printed.
I recently dug out my 71-year-old collectible: the December 1945 (Vol. 1, No. 1) issue of American Helicopter magazine. On the cover it reads: MAN’S NEWEST CONQUEST. The advertisements inside are for Bell Aircraft Corporation, Ticonderoga pencils, Harman watches, and the Edison Voicewriter Ediphone. The back cover promotes the purchase of U.S. Government Victory War Bonds as the perfect Christmas gift.
In the magazine’s letters to the editor segment appears this gem: “Sirs, I was very glad to learn of the magazine and I wish you every success with it. I am attaching a check for my personal subscription. ‒ I. I. Sikorsky, Sikorsky Aircraft”
Today, Rotorcraft Pro is not “the only periodical” in the helicopter industry, but we work hard to be unique, and also aspire to advance our amazing industry as “the sound wholesome voice of helicopters!” If the staff of that 1945 magazine could travel through time and see our 21st century multimedia publication with its digital editions, embedded videos, and images of modern aircraft, it would surely look to them like something from The Jetsons futuristic cartoon.
As the curtain closes on 2016, in this issue we honor some of our industry’s best who have advanced helicopters. This special feature focuses on four areas: innovative products, safety efforts, people (living and deceased) who left a legacy, and operators who made an exceptional difference through their work. Our industry is light years ahead of where it was in 1945. The innovative efforts of rotorcraft entrepreneurs, employees, and enthusiasts have dramatically improved the manufacturing, technology, safety, and performance of the machines we fly today.
From the Rotorcraft Pro team, we wish our readers, writers, photographers, and advertisers a safe holiday season. May you all have a smooth takeoff into the new year. Just don’t fly too close to the Jetsons!
Lyn Burks, Editor In Chief
Publisher Brig Bearden
brig@rotorcraftpro.com Editor-In-Chief Lyn Burks
lyn.burks@rotorcraftpro.com Account Executive Teri Rivas
teri.rivas@rotorcraftpro.com Layout Design Bryan Matuskey
info@woosahdesigns.com Online Accounts Manager Lynnette Burks
lynnette.burks@rotorcraftpro.com Copy Editor
Rick Weatherford
rick@rotorcraftpro.com Social Media Guru Laura Lentz
Contributing Writers
James Careless Sharon Desfor
An ad placed by Bendix Helicopter reads: “Best Wishes to American Helicopter. As the only periodical dedicated to the advancement of this new industry, we extend the owners and staff our sincere best wishes. May they prosper as the sound wholesome voice of helicopters!”
2 Nov/Dec 2016
Rick Weatherford Eric Lian
Matt Johnson
Randy Mains Brad McNally Tim Pruitt
Randy Rowles Scott Skola
Rotorcraft Pro®
is published six times
a year and mailed out on or around the 10th of every other month by: Rotorcraft Pro Media Netwok, Inc. Rotorcraft Pro® is distributed free to qualified subscrib- ers. Non-qualified subscription rates are $57.00 per year in the U.S. and Canada, $125.00 per year for foreign subscribers (surface mail). U.S. postage paid at Fall River, Wisconsin, and additional mailing offices. Publisher is not liable for all content
(including editorial and illustrations pro- vided by advertisers) of ads published, and does not accept responsibility for any claims made against the publisher. It is the advertiser’s or agency’s responsibility to obtain appropiate releases on any item or individuals pictured in ads. Repro- duction of this magazine in whole or in part is prohibited without prior written permission from the publisher.
Subscription / Circulation Manager Pam Fulmer
Corporate Officers Brig Bearden / COO Lyn Burks / CEO Mailing Address
367 SW Bluebird Ct., Ft. White, FL 32038
Toll Free: 877.768.5550 Fax: 561.424.8036 www.
rotorcraftpro.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86
