One of the first commercial helicopter pilots in the U.S. died June 15. Joseph Seward got his commercial helicopter certificate in 1947, while still a carrier-based Navy pilot. His company, Rotor Aids, did everything from crop-dusting to servicing oil platforms. He helped found the California Helicopter Association, which became the Helicopter Association of America (he was founding president) and finally Helicopter Association International. Seward retired from the helicopter business in 1980 and operated a hotel on Bora Bora for nine years, but the bug hit again and in 1991 he built and flew a kit helicopter. His ashes will be spread at sea from a helicopter.
Pioneering Helicopter Operator Dies
Key Takeaways:
- Joseph Seward, a pioneering U.S. commercial helicopter pilot who received his certificate in 1947, recently passed away.
- He founded Rotor Aids, a company that offered diverse helicopter services, and was instrumental in establishing what is now the Helicopter Association International (HAI).
- Seward demonstrated a lifelong passion for aviation, even building and flying a kit helicopter after his initial retirement in 1980.
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