The Leonardo International Fellowship Award is given for significant contributions to international vertical flight cooperation. Established in 1989, the award honors the memory of Paolo Bellavita, whose career at Gruppo Agusta was marked by his dedication to furthering international cooperation in the world of vertical flight. The honoree receives a scale replica of the award, a statue of Pegasus.
Read more about Paolo Bellavita at Vertipedia.
2024
- Apache Attack Mission Systems Team
- Boeing Defense Systems Software Engineering
The team designed and developed a mission systems product line that incorporated all domestic and international customer requirements, supports compile- and run-time detection of the Apache configuration, and was fielded for multiple domestic and international customers simultaneously.
The overall effort spanned multiple parallel contracts, containing software re-use from Apache Operational Flight Program (OFP) software, Link 16, Data Correlation, Geospatial Embedded Mapping software and Geographic Data Server (GEM/GDS).
2023
- MH-139A Supplemental Type Certification (STC) International Test Team
- Leonardo and Boeing
For the team, across multiple sites, executed flight testing in support of the MH-139A expanded envelope and did so amid challenging programmatic and schedule constraints. The test planning and development effort involved over a year of technical collaboration between Boeing engineers in Philadelphia and Seattle, and Leonardo engineers in Italy and the UK.
2022
- Turkish Utility Helicopter Program (TUHP) Systems and Test Team
They conducted an extraordinary international cooperative effort to design, develop and test a new avionics system with state-of-the-art industry standards. The avionics system was then integrated into the prototype and production line of the T70, the Turkish Aerospace-produced variant of the S-70i Black Hawk.
The Turkish Utility Helicopter Program (TUHP) Systems and Test Team, consisted of Sikorsky Aircraft in the US, Aselsan in Turkey, and Turkish Aerospace in Turkey.
2021
- No Award Presented
2020
- Subaru-Bell 412EPX Co-Development Team
- Bell Textron Inc.
This year’s winner is the Subaru-Bell 412EPX Co-Development Team, representing the culmination of several years of close international fellowship and cooperation between design, certification and production teams in Japan, Canada and the United States.
This award is given in recognition of significant contributions to the extension of fellowship and accomplishment in the international rotorcraft arena.
2019
- S-70i Chile Air Force Program Engineering Team
- Chile Air Force, Sikorsky's Stratford and PZ Mielec- Poland
The Team conducted an extraordinary international cooperative effort to design, develop, test, qualify and deliver six highly-configured search and rescue (SAR) variants of the S-70i International Black Hawks in less than 2 years.
Collaboration between the design, manufacturing and test teams at Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut, plant and its PZL Mielec facilities in Mielec, Poland, along with the FACh team’s contributions to refining the attributes of several major aircraft systems, was the key reason these aircraft were delivered ahead of schedule and to the FACh’s satisfaction.
S-70i Chilean Air Force Program Engineering Team — comprised of members of the Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh, the Chilean Air Force), plus manufacturing and test teams at Sikorsky’s Stratford, Connecticut, and PZL Mielec, Poland, facilities. In photo, Stephen Owen (middle) from Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, accepted the award on behalf of the team.
2018
- Canadian Maritime Helicopter Combined Test Force Team
- Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) and Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company
For conducting an extraordinary, international cooperative effort to demonstrate the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter shipboard capability for conducting flight operations in Sea State 6 conditions.
This required the safe expansion of the Cyclone flight envelope on board a Canadian frigate in conditions up to 20 foot (6 m) waves and 55 knot (100 km/h) winds. Sikorsky noted that “This is likely the most challenging test environment ever faced by a combined Industry and Government flight test team.”
2017
- NH90 Program
- Airbus Helicopters; Leonardo Helicopters; Fokker Technologies
For its successful cooperative assembly lines in 6 countries supplying
orders of more than 500 helicopters to 13 countries.
2016
- UK Search and Rescue (SAR) Team
The SAR missions conducted by Bristow Helicopters Ltd for the United Kingdom's Maritime and Coast Guard Agency involves an extensive international team to design, develop, train the crews, support, maintain
and equip the specially-commissioned Sikorsky S-92 and AgustaWestland AW139 and AW189 fleet
2015
- William E. Chiles
- CEO Emeritus of the Bristow Group
- HeliOffshore
Chiles drove a safety culture within Bristow, and by working in partnership with the manufacturers, his customers, and his competitors, he demonstrated a commitment to safety that has become the industry standard
2014
- US/France Project Agreement on Helicopter Aeromechanics and Human Factors Integration Research
Established in 1971, the international collaboration is heralded as the longest-running, continuous scientific cooperation in rotorcraft for both the US and France. Its goal has been to tackle difficult and complex
scientific research problems, to advance basic fundamental knowledge, and to perform precompetitive technology development, all to the benefit of the rotorcraft research and development community
2013
- S-92 Cabin International Transition Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and TATA
The team progressed from a true "green-field" start-up, built an assembly factory, hired and trained an aerospace workforce, established all supporting processes and procedures and successfully established a helicopter cabin assembly line producing at the required rate to support operations
2012
- HART II International Workshop Team
For assembling a worldwide effort to conduct analysis of higher harmonic control of rotors. This has led to numerous achievements such as validation of solvers and a deep understanding of blade vortex interaction mechanisms and their impact on rotor noise and vibrations
2011
- Bell 429 CertificationTeam
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
For succeeding in certifying the Bell 429 for Day/Night VFR, Single and Dual Pilot IFR, and Category A by all three of the regulatory agencies involved during 2010.
2010
- International Helicopter Safety Team
This team now represents the leading worldwide government/ industry/ operator safety initiative to reduce helicopter accidents.
IHST was created in 2006 with the goal of reducing the worldwide helicopter
accident rate by 80 percent within ten years – 2016.
2009
- International Rotorcraft Capability
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and PZL Mielect
This year’s winner, the Sikorsky / PZL Mielect International Rotorcraft Capability, a collaboration that transformed the PZL Mielec, Poland factory from an airplane manufacturer into a state-of-the-art manufacturing center to build UH-60M Black Hawks and Black Hawk components.
2008
- Dr. Pietro Alli
- Chief Technical Officer
- AgustaWestland
This year’s winner is Pietro Alli, Chief Technical Officer, AgustaWestland. During the past two years, Mr. Alli has been highly active in the design of the VH-71 Increment 1 and Increment 2 helicopter for the President of the United States.
In addition, he united Agusta engineering in Cascina Costa and Westland Helicopters engineering in Yeovil into a single, integrated organizational unit.
2007
- The Bell-Agusta Civil Tiltrotor Team
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. and AgustaWestland
This year’s winner is The Bell/Agusta 609 Civil Tiltrotor Team represented by Ross Menger, BA609 Technical Director and Silvano Scorbati, BA609 Deputy Technical Director and Agusta Chief Project Engineer. This award highlights the successful first flight of the second 609 prototype at the Agusta facility in Italy in 2006.
This unique program will have developmental and certification flight testing in both countries and involved real-time data sharing and vehicle configuration management on a concurrent basis.
2006
- The Boeing/CIRA (Italian Aerospace Research Center) Team
For their significant achievements in advancing the process and procedures for icing prediction using state-of-the-art CFD codes.
2005
- The Fly-by-Wire Research Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation and Canada National Research Council
Significant achievements in developing advanced Fly-by-Wire flight control laws.
2004
- No Award Presented
2003
- The Black Hawk Individual Blade Control Team
- NASA Ames Research Center, Sikorsky Aircraft, the US Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate and ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH
Representing the team were Tom Norman, NASA Ames Research Center; Gary deSimone, Dr. Andy Bernhard and Dr. Michael Torok of Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.; Patrick Shinoda, US Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate and Dipl. Ing.. Axel Haber, ZF Luftfahrttechnik GmbH.
2002
- The Singapore Apache Team
- The Boeing Co., Singapore Technologies Aerospace, Lockheed Martin Missiles & Fire Control, General Electric Aircraft Engines, Longbow Internatinal, Defense Science & Technology, US Army Aviation & Missile Command
In the picture - Dr. Jake Rutherford, Milly Tay, Michael Taylor, Ed Birtwell, Michael Taylor, Lim Wee Kheng, Colonel Ralph Pallotta.
2001
- The International WAH-64 Apache Team
- GKN Westland Helicopters, The Beoing Company, Rolls-Royce Turbomeca, Lockheed Martin and Longbow International
The Fellowship awarded for the most significant contribution to international vertical flight cooperation by this group.
In photo, representatives accepting the awards (from left to right) are Alan Johnson, Westland Helicopters, Al Winn, The Boeing Company, Brian T. Allen, Rolls-Royce Turbomeca, and Dr. William F. Foster, representing Longbow International, from Roger Krone, Society chairman and Dr. Robert Budica, president of Agusta Aerospace corporation.
2000
- The S-92 International Development Team
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Gamesa Aeronautica, Embraer, and Jingdezhen Helicopter Group.
The S-92 International Development Team consisting of Sikorsky Aircraft, Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Gamesa Aeronautica, Embraer, and Jingdezhen Helicopter Group.
1999
- Somen Chowdhury
1998
- Barney O'Shea
For his active and continuing promotion of international vertical flight cooperation. He is also the founder of the AHS Australia Chapter.
1997
- Helmut Huber
(Award given Posthumously) For the important role he played in risk sharing and cooperative helicopter development efforts.
Award accepted by his associate and close friend, Michael Stefan of Eurocopter.
1996
- The Higher-Harmonic Control Aeroacoustic Rotor Test (HART) Program Team
The team generated a highly valuable test database for understanding the basic mechanisms which generate and control noise caused by helicopter rotor systems.
The team was comprised of 50 members from four nations.
1995
- International Individual Blade Control Program
- ZFLuftfahrttechnik GmbH, Eurocopter Deutschland, DLR Braunschweig Institute for Flight Mechanics; US Army Aerofligh-dynamics Directorate; and the NASA Ames Research Center
The International Individual Blade Control Program which successfully demonstrated simultaneous rotor noise and vibration reduction with a full scale rotor system.
1994
- US Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate
- US Army
For more than twenty years of actively promoting and being involved in cooperative international research and development programs.
1993
- Sergei I. Sikorsky
- Sikorsky
For his thirty years of dedication to enhancing cooperation in the world vertical flight community.
Edward J. Renouard, left, Society outgoing president and Dean Borgman, right, AHS (now VFS) chairman present Sergei I. Sikorsky with the statue of Pegasus.
1992
- Marat Tishchenko
1991
- James Erickson, John J. Shapley, Robert Weaver and the FAA Rotorcraft Directorate Regulations Group
For their efforts to harmonize
FAA and European Joint Airworthiness
Authority standards.
1990
- Ian C. Cheeseman
Selected for his leadership in international vertical flight cooperation, exemplified by the ERF Award named for him.
Cached February 5, 2025 5:31:06 AM CST