Doug Loneman, Loneman Photography Photo From the Board: Reflection and Anticipation Our work in this past year sets up our future success. By Mark A. Schlaefli As my one-year term as chair of the Board of Directors of Vertical Aviation International (VAI) draws to a close, it’s natural to pause and reflect on the journey we’ve taken together, as a community and as an association. This past year has been transformational, marked by significant milestones, renewed connections, and resilient progress. Our industry has long been shaped by innovation, adaptability, and collaboration, and over the past 12 months, these qualities have been at the forefront of everything we’ve done. From our award-winning rebranding efforts to critical policy discussions shaping the future of vertical flight integration, VAI stands at the nexus of progress and industry evolution. A standout moment this year was our very first VERTICON, in Dallas, Texas—a city with strong ties to our industry, making it the perfect location for this event. VERTICON 2025 brought together under a single roof industry leaders, pilots, aviation mechanics and engineers, manufacturers and suppliers, and enthusiasts, revealing an industry running at pre-pandemic levels of activity. With nearly 15,000 attendees and hundreds of exhibitors from across the globe, VERTICON reaffirmed its status as the world’s largest, most dynamic vertical aviation conference and trade show. Our year wasn’t without change, which so often is the catalyst for growth. With James Viola departing in March to become president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), VAI was given an opportunity to identify the next leader who will guide the staff in their work to advocate, promote, and protect vertical aviation. And in the tight-knit community of general aviation, having a rotorhead such as James leading GAMA is an overall positive for our industry. After we learned of James’s impending departure, the Board of Director’s Search Committee in January initiated the process for selecting his successor. We started by developing a comprehensive proposal that summarized the role’s responsibilities and the desired qualities of the winning candidate, and then selected a top-notch recruiting firm to assist in the process. We’re now interviewing outstanding candidates and are looking forward to having the right person in place in the near future. Once in place, the new president and CEO will be tasked with continuing to drive our strategy to unite the industry and bring exceptional value to our members. The individual selected for this role will be ably assisted by VAI’s talented staff, all leaders in their respective positions but accustomed to working as one team, with efficiency and proficiency, to accomplish the association’s purpose. VAI continues to improve its value for members, launching new benefits and services and growing our list of education and networking opportunities. We now have six providers who can help you meet the FAA 2027 mandate for safety management systems, and we’re working diligently to create new workforce development programs, such as mentorship initiatives and expanded industry pipelines. As various groups come up with new tactics to limit our access to airspace, the VAI Government Affairs team ensures we stay informed and flying. Perhaps most importantly, this year reminded us of the resilience that defines the vertical aviation community. Whether responding to natural disasters, supporting wildfire suppression efforts, or delivering critical care via air ambulance services, we rose to the occasion time and time again. Behind every flight is a team of professionals—dispatchers, mechanics and engineers, and pilots—working tirelessly under pressure to ensure safety and success while providing enormous benefit to society. Although challenges remain, the future of vertical flight is quite bright. VAI is proud to lead the global vertical aviation community—not only as an advocate, educator, and gathering place but as a champion for every individual and organization working to elevate the standards of flight. Looking ahead, we are more committed than ever to fostering innovation, strengthening our community, and leading the way into a new era of vertical aviation. Here’s to a year well lived—and to an even more ambitious and inspired year to come. As I wrap up my last column for POWER UP as chair, I want to pass the torch to the incoming chairman of the VAI Board of Directors, Rick Kenin of Boston MedFlight. Rick was elected to the position, along with the rest of the board’s officers, at our board meeting during VERTICON 2025 (see “Jul. 1 Sees New Board, Officers”). Our association will be in great hands with Rick, and I’m excited to see him flourish in the role of guiding our strategy and furthering our initiatives in support of our membership. Thank you, Rick, for your willingness to serve and guide the Board of Directors, the association, and the industry. As for me, while I’ve been humbled by the experience of leading the association, it was also a great joy to serve our community of vertical aviators. I will be forever grateful for this opportunity granted to me by you, the VAI members.
