Helicopter Association International (HAI) has announced the hiring of Matt Callan as director of regulations and international affairs.
In this position, Callan is responsible for representing HAI members on all regulatory issues related to the international helicopter community. He recently retired from the U.S. Coast Guard after 31 years as an officer and helicopter pilot, with approximately 5,800 flight hours in five different military aircraft.
“We are grateful that Matt has joined our team,” said Matthew Zuccaro, president and CEO of HAI. “Staying on top of international regulatory affairs is necessary to support our global membership, and we think Matt is going to serve this community very, very well.”
Callan comes to HAI directly from the Coast Guard, where he had achieved the rank of captain. He was most recently assigned to the National Defense University (NDU), Eisenhower School, located at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, D.C., where he served as the designated lead for the Transportation Industry Study. He was also a member of the Defense Strategy and Resourcing Department, teaching strategic acquisition and resourcing.
“I’m looking forward to continuing to work in the aviation field, and particularly with helicopters,” said Callan. “I’ve already started working on elements of HAI’s new strategic plan and planning for HAI Heli-Expo 2018 in Las Vegas.
“I’m now the staff liaison for the Government Services and Fly Neighborly Committees, so some of my long-term goals are to develop methods of promoting and supporting HAI members through those venues,” continues Callan. “I will also seek to expand our international relations through the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Federation of Helicopter Associations.”
In addition to his tenure at the NDU, Callan’s assignments included increasing levels of responsibility throughout the Coast Guard and Department of Homeland Security. Before joining the Coast Guard, Callan also served in the U.S. Navy as a helicopter pilot. A native of California, he graduated from California State University, Chico, with a bachelor’s in criminal justice in 1981 and a master’s in public administration in 1986.
