Helicopter Industry Awarded Collier Trophy.--The youthful helicopter industry recently acknowledged with "a deep feeling of pride" the award of the coveted Collier Trophy, one of aviation's highest tributes, to the "Helicopter Industry, the Military Services and the Coast Guard for development and use of rotary-wing aircraft for air rescue operations."
This expression was made by Harvey Gaylord, Vice-President of Bell Aircraft Corporation and Chairman of the Helicopter Council, Aircraft Industries Association of America.
"The Helicopter Industry is barely twelve years old and it is thus both gratifying and inspirational that rotary-wing aircraft have served so well in saving the lives of almost 12,000 of our fighting men," Mr. Gaylord said. "It is with a deep feeling of pride that the Industry shares the Collier Trophy with the Military Services and the Coast Guard. The full utilization of the helicopter in Korea could not have been possible without the pioneering efforts in previous years by the Military Services and the Coast Guard.
"Helicopters, in the hands of capable and courageious pilots, have provided the world's fastest and most effective method of evacuating wounded or stranded fighting men."
Concluding the statement in behalf of the Industry, Mr. Gaylord emphasized "We are hopefully anticipating and preparing for the day when peace will permit civil production to be resumed and our economy benefitted by the full utilization of the helicopter in the service of the public.