HAI has grown over its 75 years, and to accommodate that expansion, so too have the offices that have housed the association’s work and staff.
In 1961, HAI hired its first employee, John Pennewell, as executive secretary. The new headquarters building opened soon after, in Washington, D.C.
HAI moved to its current headquarters at 1920 Ballenger Avenue in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2013. (HAI/P.J. Barbour)
The association, then known as the Helicopter Association of America, outgrew its offices by 1968 and moved to White Plains in Westchester County, New York. Twelve years later, the organization returned to the Washington, D.C., area, where it remains today, in Alexandria, Virginia. HAI did have a European office that opened briefly in 1982 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. But no matter the location, HAI WAS THERE for the past 75 years to represent the interests of vertical aviation through advocacy, communications, education, and networking opportunities.
This year, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of HAI, formed on Dec. 13, 1948.
Countdown to HAI’s 75th: 44 days!
