Home / Advocacy / Industry Advisory Councils Industry Advisory Councils Evaluating current problems and issues that affect the international vertical aviation community. Part of VAI’s mission is to address the problems and issues that affect its members—a vital function of any association. For more than 30 years, much of this effort was conducted through VAI’s working groups. These volunteer advisory entities, made up of VAI members and established by the VAI Board of Directors, met several times a year to contribute their industry expertise toward topics such as safety or training or to address issues in specific industry sectors, such as aerial firefighting or helicopter tours. To better serve the needs of its members, the Board of Directors reconstituted the working groups as industry advisory councils (IACs). The new structure imposes fewer administrative tasks and allows council members to focus on their vital role as advisors to the VAI Board and staff. The purpose of all IACs is to inform and assist VAI in its overarching strategic efforts to provide enhanced benefits and services to VAI members. The current IACs appear below including a summary of the issue or sector they cover. If you have questions about any of the IACs please contact Amber Harrison, director of regulatory affairs. Please fill out the form below to apply to serve on one of the IACs. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Industry Advisory Council✓ Identifies issues, develops solutions, and advances initiatives to address industry’s most pressing AAM challenges while fostering a foundation for cooperative communication among all sectors of the aviation industry. Aerial Firefighting & Natural Resources (AFFNR) Industry Advisory Council✓ Assists in providing enhanced benefits to aerial firefighting and natural resources members and participates in activities that promote safety and training in the global aerial firefighting and natural resources community. Air Medical (AIR MED) Industry Advisory Council✓ Assists in providing enhanced benefits to air medical members, participates in activities that promote safety and training in the global air medical community, acts as a resource to the VAI Board, and collaborates with other IACs. Aviation Insurance (AVI INS) Industry Advisory Council✓ Identifies aviation industry insurance issues and develops recommendations, programs, and best practices to ease industry burdens and improve collaboration between operator and insurance industry stakeholders. Restricted & Experimental Category Aircraft (RECA) Industry Advisory Council✓ Facilitates the safe integration of restricted and experimental category aircraft into the vertical aviation industry by identifying safety, operational, and support issues and developing policies and best practices Safety (SAFETY) Industry Advisory Council✓ Supports VAI’s strategic Safety objective; develops safety resources to ensure all stakeholders possess the knowledge and skills to manage risk, secure solutions, and prevent accidents; collaborates with other IACs. Small Business Initiatives (SBI) Industry Advisory Council✓ Develops business resources to help companies elevate their operational performance, including resources that streamline business operations for small- and medium-sized companies. Technical & Maintenance (TECH & MAINT) Industry Advisory Council✓ Encourages development of technical and maintenance and administrative standards for improved safety and efficiency in the global vertical aviation industry, serves on scholarship selection panels, and collaborates with other IACs. Tour Operators (TOUR OPS) Industry Advisory Council✓ Monitors safety, regulatory, and legislative / political issues with potential to affect the global air tour industry and makes recommendations to the VAI Board, provides relevant information to tour operators, and collaborates with other IACs. Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Industry Advisory Council✓ Facilitates the safe integration of UASs into the international vertical aviation industry by identifying safety, operational, and support issues and developing policies and best practices; advises the VAI Board of potential concerns. Utility Patrol & Construction (UPAC) Industry Advisory Council✓ Promotes the safe use of vertical lift aircraft for aerial patrolling, construction, and maintenance in the global utility industry by identifying safety, operational, and support issues and developing policies and best practices. Vertical Aviation Operations (OPS) Industry Advisory Council✓ Evaluates the full scope of industry issues including safety, flight procedures, training, traffic routes, charting, and community engagement and develops policies and best practices to enhance vertical aviation operations worldwide. Vertical Flight Infrastructure (VFI) Industry Advisory Council✓ Encourages, supports, and helps promote and develop vertical aviation infrastructure meeting the needs of civil vertical aviation aircraft worldwide and provides technical guidance to VAI regarding infrastructure design criteria. Workforce Development (WFD) Industry Advisory Council✓ Facilitates the creation and review of programs to expand the international vertical aviation workforce and addresses projected shortages of pilots, engineers / maintenance technicians, and crew. Yes! I’d like to apply to serve on an IAC
