To reduce the event's carbon footprint, Helicopter Association International (HAI) is providing sustainable aviation fuel to all aircraft flying into the 2024 expo. The annual conference and trade show takes place 26-29 February in Anaheim, California.

"SAF helps the entire aviation industry meet and exceed its sustainability goals while addressing climate change and energy security," says HAI president and CEO James Viola.

SAF is approved for use in most aircraft.

HAI Heli-Expo 2024 will feature more than 50 aircraft on display, including 40 helicopters that will be staged from Fullerton Municipal airport where HAI will provide the SAF.

Viola notes that the broader adoption of SAF must overcome availability issues and a price differential when compared to Jet A fuel but predicts that aircraft owners and operators will see improvements in both.

"As the use of SAF increases, so the cost and availability of this environmentally friendly fuel will decrease," he says. "As more people evaluate the carbon footprint of different modes of travel, it is important to remember that we have green options in aviation.

"HAI is doing what we can to bring down the cost of SAF and increase its use; we recognise the importance of reducing our industry's impact on the environment. Some aviation customers or clients will prefer using operators who utilise SAF as it upholds their corporate values or permits them to report a reduced environmental impact."