HAI announces winner of 2019 Salute to Excellence BLR Aerospace Safety Award

Helicopter Association International (HAI) has announced that Chris Sharpe, project manager of HeliSOS in Guatemala, is the 2019 winner of HAI’s Salute to Excellence BLR Aerospace Excellence in Safety Award. With this award, HAI acknowledges outstanding contributions in the promotion of safety and safety awareness throughout the international helicopter community. The award will be presented at HAI’s Salute to Excellence Awards luncheon at HAI HELI-EXPO 2019 in Atlanta.

A native of the UK, Sharpe spent 18 years in the British Royal Navy before beginning his civilian aviation career in 2010. He has considerable expertise as a combat flight paramedic and search-and-rescue crewman, with more than 15,000 flight hours and approximately 6,000 rescues to his name. In early 2015, Sharpe began working as chief aircrewman, search-and-rescue specialist, and flight paramedic for helicopter operator Helicópteros de Guatemala and SOS Servicios Médicos, a provider of medical and emergency transport services and medical training. The two companies joined together to create the HeliSOS project, a licensed and accredited helicopter air ambulance and rescue service. Under Sharpe’s management, HeliSOS is the first helicopter fully licensed as an advanced cardiac life support air ambulance in Guatemala.

The award will be presented at the Salute to Excellence Awards luncheon during HAI HELI-EXPO 2019.