The Leading Helicopter Organization

Jeffery Smith holds the position of Vice Chair on the HAI Board of Directors. He is chief helicopter pilot for ROP Aviation and has worked with the Eastern Region Helicopter Council for more than 15 years, having served as the group’s chairman for 5 years. Jeff is a US Army veteran and has accumulated more than 10,000 flight hours, including over 700 hours in military and commercial helicopter air ambulance missions.

James A. Viola joined Helicopter Association International (HAI) as President and CEO in January 2020. Prior to joining HAI, he most recently served as a Senior Executive for the Federal Aviation Administration, in the office of Aviation Safety, as director of General Aviation Safety Assurance. He was responsible for maintaining consistency and standardization in the application of safety oversight activities for the GA community. He was a government representative on both the International Helicopter Safety Team and the United States Helicopter Safety Team.
Viola’s aviation career began with the US Army, with the majority of his flying done as a special operations MH-6 and MH-47 helicopter pilot. He was promoted through positions of increasing responsibility, achieving the rank of colonel. His final military assignment was as Division Chief for Army Aviation Current Operations in the Pentagon.

A strong advocate for GA, Viola flies as often as he can. He splits his time flying between a Robinson Helicopter and an AG-5B Tiger airplane, depending on whether or not a runway is involved. He holds airline transport pilot ratings for helicopters and airplanes and is a dual-rated certificated flight instructor. He has accumulated more than 6,500 flight hours, which includes 1,100 with night-vision goggles.

Viola holds a Master's degree in Strategic Studies from the United States (U.S.) Army War College in Carlisle, PA; a Master's degree in International Relations from Auburn University in Montgomery, AL; a Master's degree in Military Operational Art and Science from Air University in Maxwell AFB, AL; and a Bachelor of Science from East Stroudsburg University in East Stroudsburg, PA.

Viola holds professional membership of the Pi Sigma Alpha, National Political Science Honor Society; Lifetime member of the Army Aviation Association of America; the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association, the Veterans of Foreign Wars; Military Officer Association of America; Society of Aviation and Flight Educators; National Association of Flight Instructors; and the Theta Chi Fraternity.

Stacy Sheard’s aviation career began as a US Army Huey and Black Hawk pilot. After leaving the military to pursue a commercial flying career, Stacy flew in the charter, tour, news-gathering, air ambulance, and corporate aviation sectors; she was also a production test pilot for Sikorsky. She is currently an AW139 corporate captain with Fanatics/EJM. Stacy was first elected to the HAI Board of Directors in 2016 and is the 2020–21 chair.