The Helicopter Association International (HAI) today announced the recipients of its 2023 Salute to Excellence Award recipients for communications and maintenance. Rainbow Helicopters v-p of maintenance Mike Iven will get this year's maintenance award and Vertical magazine photographer and writer Lawrence “Skip” Robinson will posthumously receive the award for communications.
HAI's maintenance award “recognizes an individual for long-standing excellence in rotorcraft maintenance, maintenance instruction or supervision, or a single significant contribution to rotorcraft maintenance.” After immigrating to the U.S. from Germany in 1998, Iven became a shop hand and then a full-time maintenance technician at Concord, California-based Helicopter Adventures. He later became director of maintenance and a tour pilot at Hawaii's Rainbow Pacific Helicopters; opened his own general aviation maintenance shop; joined Makani Kai Helicopter Tours as director of maintenance; and then held roles with Safran and Schweizer. When not working in the hangar, Iven helps mentor the next generation of aviation maintenance techs.
The communications award recognizes Robinson for "creative distinction in disseminating information about the helicopter industry." Robinson was an aviation photographer with a passion for helicopters. Before he died in March 2022, he was a regular contributor to Vertical and Valor magazines.
These awards will be presented on March 6 during a ceremony at HAI Heli-Expo in Atlanta; a family member of Robinson will accept the award on his behalf.
