Europe’s largest rotorcraft show—European Rotors, co-organized by the European Helicopter Association (EHA) and Helicopter Association International (HAI)—begins Monday at the IFEMA Madrid Fair Centre in Spain. The exhibit hall, with more than two dozen helicopters, opens on Tuesday and will feature rotorcraft manufacturers, suppliers, and operators.
Attendees are invited to view presentations that will include hoist and sling load demonstrations, Spanish Day, helicopter emergency medical services, Parapublic Day, and global humanitarian aid projects. The Spanish Day event will be hosted by Spanish helicopter association ATAIRE and will focus on public-service programs such as firefighting and EMS.
“Rotors are the sounds of service,” said EHA chairman and technical director Christian Müller. “Citizens…know assistance is at hand when they hear the sounds of helicopters approaching. Due to the unique capabilities of our aircraft, the vast majority of helicopter flights perform missions that support humanity. These aircraft might be conducting search-and-rescue, fighting fires, supporting electrical grids, or performing airborne law enforcement support, and we are excited to feature this versatility at our show.”
HAI president and CEO James Viola added, “Igor Sikorsky, who developed the modern helicopter, famously stated, ‘If you are in trouble anywhere in the world, an airplane can fly over and drop flowers, but a helicopter can land and save your life.’ Our world would look vastly different today if helicopters were not here to serve.”