Helicopter Association International (HAI) is pleased to announce Rotor Pro magazine Production Team Leader/Videographer Bryan Matuskey as the recipient of the 2024 Salute to Excellence Communications Award. The award recognizes an individual or organization achieving the most creative and distinct dissemination of information about the vertical aviation industry. It will be presented on Feb. 26, 2024 at HAI HELI-EXPO 2024 in Anaheim, California.

Matuskey grew up in a creative household. His mother was a photographer who regularly took photos and planned and filmed skits for her kids. Later, Matuskey’s older brother taught him about video editing, lighting, and art interpretation.

In high school, Matuskey made a video that so impressed the school that the administration hired him to create a promotional video of their own. He also filmed local sports, all while considering his video work to be just a fun side hobby. Then, word got out about his skills, and people kept recommending Matuskey for new projects. It wasn’t long before he realized he could develop his hobby into a career.

Matuskey formed his own business in 2006 and worked on a variety of projects, including his own cable television show, interdisciplinary art films at Arizona State University and Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Arts Center, and religious icon videos for the Episcopal Diocese.

Matuskey’s dad loved aviation and often took his children to the airport on weekends to have breakfast and watch aircraft. That exposure to aviation early in his life made it natural for Matuskey to say yes when helicopter flight training company Guidance Aviation called requesting a promotional video. That first assignment for Guidance Aviation led to training videos, followed by an offer of full-time work. While at Guidance, Matuskey created an online training school for uncrewed aerial systems and developed a maneuvers guide app for Robinson helicopters.

It was in the Guidance booth at HAI HELI-EXPO 2013 where Matuskey met Rotor Pro magazine Editor-in-Chief Lyn Burks. Burks initially hired Matuskey to make a few videos and eventually offered him a position to assemble the entire bimonthly magazine in addition to creating videos to accompany each issue.

“Bryan’s true gift to the industry lies in his ability to transcend traditional magazine articles,” writes Burks in his nomination letter for Matuskey. “He crafts video narratives that take viewers on immersive journeys, allowing them to perceive the intricacies of vertical lift operations from unique and uplifting perspectives. He has enabled countless operators to share their stories with the wider vertical lift community.”

Today, Matuskey designs six English-language and two Spanish-language editions of Rotor Pro each year, having helped publish more than 6,000 pages since he started. He has produced over 130 helicopter industry–specific videos with nearly 2 million total online views, as well as 80-plus educational, training, and safety-related videos for various vertical flight organizations around the world. After a decade with Rotor Pro, what stands out most to Matuskey is how his work shines a positive light on all facets of the industry.

“The projects I’m most proud of are those that show the unique ways helicopters save, serve, and protect people around the world,” Matuskey shares. “For instance, a video I did on helicopter EMS operations was instrumental in initiating foreign governments to adopt EMS helicopter operations. And a documentary I worked on successfully advocated for the continuation of the National Guard’s Apache AH-64 helicopter program. It’s very gratifying to learn the videos I make have a positive impact, and I’m honored to be a part of telling the industry’s story.”

The Communications Award will be presented during HAI HELI-EXPO 2024. HAI HELI-EXPO^®, the world’s largest helicopter trade show and exhibition, will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, Feb. 26–29, with the exhibit hall open Feb. 27–29. For more information on HAI HELI-EXPO 2024, visit heliexpo.com.