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HAI announces 2008 Pilot of the Year Award

Dec. 21, 2007 – HAI
is proud to announce this year’s Pilot of the Year Award recipient, Mr.
Franz Ivanovich Levitskiy, Pilot/Instructor, UTair Aviation, Surgut,
Russia. Levitskiy began his career in 1965 after graduating from
Kremenchug Aviation School of Civil Aviation. Beginning as an M-4
co-pilot, he advanced to pilot instructor with Flight Instruction Team
#2, Flight Directorate, UTair Aviation, JSc. UTair Aviation is a large,
well-known, respected helicopter operation, accounting for 14 percent
of the market share in Russia. The company primarily services oil and
gas companies such as Surgutneftegaz, Gazprom, Roseneft, and Slavneft.

Levitskiy was involved in the development, testing, and installation
of advanced navigation and landing aids on the Mi-8MTV and Mi-26T
models. During his 40-year career, Levitskiy has logged 27,500
accident-free flight hours. He became an authorized flight instructor
on the Mi-4, Mi-6, Mi-8, Mi-8MTV, and Mi-26T helicopter models.
Levitskiy was involved with subsurface exploration and development of
the largest Russian West-Siberian oil-producing complex and developed
the first routes to Cambodia, Canada, India, and East Timor. He has
flown peacekeeping support missions for the United Nations in
Yugoslavia, Somalia, Sierra-Leone, East Timor, Congo and Liberia.

Flying in the Arctic, Levitskiy’s missions included lifesaving
operations— rescuing people from starvation and freezing cold. In 1999
he participated in a unique endurance flight in a Mi-26 helicopter,
accompanied by scientists, geologists, crew, and television journalists
to the North Pole. The helicopter left Hatanga Airport, refueled at
Sredniy Island, and then flew to the North Pole where he landed at a
chosen spot and shut down the engines. On the return flight, Levitskiy
flew to a base on the Arctic Cape of Komsomol Island to refuel, and
then returned via Sredniy Island and back to Hatanga.

Levitskiy has been awarded a medal for “Excellent Service” and a
badge recognizing him as an “Aeroflot Expert.” In 2006, Levitskiy was
awarded the title of “Honorary Member of the Fight Safety Partnership”
at a ceremony of the nonprofit partnership, which took place in Moscow.
His experience, leadership, and professionalism are just some of the
qualities that have earned him the profound respect and admiration of
his crewmen, subordinates, and the entire industry.

All winners will be recognized at HELI-EXPO 2008’s annual
“Salute to Excellence” Awards Banquet on February 25, 2008 at 8:00 p.m.
in Houston Texas.  For more information about the 2008 “Salute to
Excellence” Awards Banquet, contact HAI’s Communications Department at
703-683-4646, fax: 703-683-4745, or email: rotor@rotor.com.  For more information on HELI-EXPO 2008, visit www.heliexpo.com.