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EL native named Director of Safety at HAI

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Helicopter Association International (HAI)  has appointed Dr. Steve Sparks, formerly of East Liverpool, as Director of Safety.

Prior to joining HAI, Sparks was an Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) with the General Aviation and Commercial Division in Michigan.

As Director of Safety, Sparks is responsible for managing the association’s existing aviation safety programs, and developing new safety initiatives to benefit HAI’s membership and the international helicopter community.

“HAI is thrilled with the addition of Steve to our team,” said Ed DiCampli, chief operating officer for HAI. “I have worked with Steve on the USHST for a number of years and found his passion for safety is boundless. We are pleased that Steve will continue to strive for a zero accident vision and I am confident that his extensive background, training, and experience will be a huge asset in achieving that goal.”

Sparks said “I’m looking forward to helping HAI continue its leadership in providing strategies for strengthening the safety of the helicopter industry. I am honored to be part of such a fascinating industry that’s full of dedicated professionals always wanting to take safety to the next level.”

In addition to his position with HAI, Sparks also serves as a coordinator with the U.S. Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) specializing in flight training, pilot development and helicopter operations. He also chairs the USHST Human Factors “Staying Alive” Working Group, which focuses on mitigating helicopter accidents resulting from human error.

Sparks’ experience includes flight training education, corporate aviation marketing, professional pilot development along and experience in customer relations and Part 142 Training Center operations. He is qualified on both airplanes and helicopters, couple with an MBA in Corporate Finance and an earned Doctorate in Applied Aviation and Space Education.

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