Celebrate excellence in vertical aviation Time is running out—submit your nominations to VAI’s 2026 Salute to Excellence Awards by Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Learn more about the Humanitarian Service and Harold Summers Legacy Awards in this installment of a continuing series of articles about the program. VAI’s 2026 Salute to Excellence Awards program is now open. This is your chance to recognize colleagues, mentors, and trailblazers who have raised the bar in the helicopter, unmanned aircraft system (UAS), and advanced air mobility community. The program’s 11 award categories honor individuals and organizations worldwide for excellence in operations, safety, leadership, innovation, and service. Two of the categories, the Humanitarian Service Award and the Harold Summers Legacy Award, are highlighted below. Our next installment about the Salute to Excellence Awards will feature recipients of the 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award. To read about previous honorees in all categories, visit our gallery of winners from past years, which appears directly below the 11 award categories on our Salute to Excellence web page. Featured Scholarships • Humanitarian Service Award: This award is presented to the individual(s) who best demonstrate(s) the value of helicopters or UAS aircraft to the communities in which they operate by providing aid to those in need. The award may be for a particular mission or for outstanding service over time. • Harold Summers Legacy Award: This award acknowledges significant, long-term achievement in the vertical flight industry. It honors the spirit and legacy of Harold “Hal” Summers, a longtime association employee who was renowned for his dedication to improving the rotorcraft industry. Don’t wait. Nominate someone extraordinary today. The Salute to Excellence Award winners will be honored during VERTICON®, which takes place Mar. 9–12, 2026, (exhibits open Mar 10–12), in Atlanta, Georgia. Send in your nomination now! The deadline for nominations is Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. Submit Your Nomination
