USHST cochair meets with Brazilian Helicopter Safety Team Left to right: Nayane Silva Santana, Chris Baur, and Reynaldo Ribeiro. Chris Baur, US Helicopter Safety Team (USHST) cochair and incoming member of the VAI Board of Directors, recently toured Helipark in São Paulo, Brazil, with Reynaldo Ribeiro, president of the Brazilian Helicopter Safety Team, and Nayane Silva Santana, who specializes in helicopter quality control. During the visit, they discussed safety topics of mutual concern, including weather cameras, USHST’s new Peer Pilot Program, the creation of safety media, and COPTER IFR. They also spent time comparing fatal-accident data and similar identified threats. Helipark is an authorized service center for most OEMs, supporting Brazil’s significant population of helicopters. The facility includes 184,000 sq. ft. of space, comprising three hangars and a heliport that operates 24/7 with 10 parking pads supported by an illuminated taxiway. With around 500 registered helicopters and 700 flights per day, the metropolitan area of São Paulo has the biggest helicopter fleet in the world—even larger than in New York City, New York, and Tokyo, Japan. Helipark is the location of Heli XP 2026, which takes place May 13–14, 2026.
