Writer

Amy Laboda

After a moment of silence in respect for members lost in the past year, Jim Kettles, vice president of the venerable Twirly Birds brought to order the association's annual meeting. It's tradition, he explained, for the Twirly Birds to convene their meeting during Heli-Expo.


The group, comprised exclusively of men and women who soloed a helicopter more than 20 years ago, has claimed members as illustrious as Charles Lindbergh.


Each year the organization holds a silent auction in conjunction with the meeting to finance its efforts to provide archival material to the University of Texas, Dallas. The archives stretch back further than the history of the modern helicopter, and encompass historical material provided by members and their families.


Helicopter pilots interested in joining the organization can contact its principals at the <a href="http://www.twirlybirds.org/">Twirly Bird website</a>.