HAI President Matt Zuccaro personally extended the thanks of HAI members to Jim Oberstar this week for his longstanding commitment to and support of aviation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“In his 50 years of public service, Congressman Oberstar had a major influence on some of the most significant legislative decisions relating to aviation, particularly general aviation,” Zuccaro said. “His vision and clear understanding of the value helicopters bring to society has been instrumental in our ability to operate.”

Zuccaro and Oberstar were together this week during the Aviation Issues Forum, a prestigious annual gathering of congressional, governmental and aviation industry leaders hosted each year by the American Association of Airport Executives. HAI was a sponsor of the Jan. 9-13 conference in Kona, Hawaii, at which Oberstar was a featured speaker. Zuccaro also served as a speaker on two panels during the conference.

During the session, “Making ATC Modernization a National Priority,” Zuccaro discussed HAI and helicopter operators’ pioneering role in implementing Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)—the backbone of the FAA’s Next Generation Air Traffic System—in the Gulf of Mexico. In the session “Maintaining a Viable National Aviation System,” Zuccaro highlighted the importance of integrating heliports and helicopter-specific routes in that system and the safety benefits of making IFR flight more accessible to helicopters.

Oberstar, a Democrat, represented the 8th Congressional District in northeast Minnesota from 1975 to 2010. Since his first term, he was a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which he chaired from 2007 through 2010. His service on that committee and its aviation subcommittee gained Oberstar an international reputation as an aviation and aviation safety expert. Oberstar lost his bid for re-election in November 2010. Minnesota’s 8th District is now represented by Republican Chip Cravaack.

“Jim Oberstar’s absence in the House is a great loss for the aviation community,” said Zuccaro, who offered HAI’s assistance in any future aviation-related endeavors the former congressman might pursue.