Heli-Expo is the venue for the presentation of nine Salute to Excellence Awards, honoring the best and brightest in the helicopter industry. This year’s Appareo Pilot of the Year Award goes to New Zealand-born Jason Laing, a 6,400-hour helicopter pilot with more than 5,000 hours of mountain flying experience, along with NVG operations, SAR and firefighting skills. Operating from his home base in New Zealand, Laing has flown business, touring and missions in New Zealand, Australia, Antarctica, Kashmir (India) and Nepal. He is a highly respected high-altitude pilot who is often called upon for difficult mountain rescues.
Most recently, after a devastating avalanche at 19,000 feet on Mt. Everest in April 2014 that trapped some 30 climbers, Laing saved lives. He used an Airbus H125 (formerly the AS350B3e) outfitted with a 100-foot long line–doors and extra seating removed–to fly to the icefall at 20,000 feet. He lowered the line, and climbers on the ground strapped their injured colleagues to a stretcher. Laing lifted them in the air and flew them to safety. He single-handedly evacuated four injured Sherpas and 12 other victims.
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