Claude Vuichard, a former line pilot and flight instructor who developed the Vuichard Recovery technique, will receive the HAI 2018 Salute to Excellence BLR Aerospace Safety Award. The award, which will be presented during Heli-Expo’s Salute to Excellence Awards in Las Vegas, acknowledges individuals who promote safety in the helicopter industry.
The Vuichard Recovery technique trains helicopter pilotsto recover from a vortex ring state with minimal loss of altitude. In the vortex ring state, helicopters lose the ability to maintain lift and begin to drop. For more than 30 years, pilots have used Vuichard’s method to adjust their controls and exit the ring state by moving the aircraft to the side.
While various helicopter operators have adopted the Vuichard Recovery, several organizations have publicly supported this technique. Both the International Helicopter Safety Team and the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team have published Airmanship Bulletins supporting this maneuverer. Meanwhile, Robinson Helicopters integrated the Vuichard Recovery into its safety course.
Vuichard currently teaches around the world and continues to develop new techniques to improve helicopter safety. He has dedicated his retirement from the Federal Office of Civil Aviation in Switzerland to reducing helicopter accidents. Vuichard also serves as founder and president of the Vuichard Recovery Aviation Safety Foundation.