TOPS NEWSGRAM
July-August 2008
This Edition of the TOPS NewsGram contains the following:
- TOPS Fall Meeting in Hawaii
- Call for Chief Pilot Committee Chair
- Website updates
- Dates to remember
TOPS Meeting Set for November 7-8, 2008
This year, the Tour Operators Program of Safety will be holding its Fall Meeting at the Sheraton Kauai Resort at Poipu Beach. Rooms start at $175 for a Garden View Room and $255 for an Ocean View Room. To book your room with our preferred rate, please go to the TOPS website homepage for a link to the group page. Avis has offered a discount rate on rental cars as well.
A little about our host hotel: With golden sand beaches and misty sea breezes just footsteps away, you’ll feel right at home at the Sheraton Kauai Resort. The 20-acre resort is located on Kauai's sunny South Shore alongside Poipu Beach – “The #1 Beach in America” as designated by the Travel Channel and Dr. Beach in USA TODAY.
Sheraton Kauai Resort is located at 2440 Hoonani Road. Koloa, Kauai, Hawaii 96756, United States. Phone: (808) 742-1661. The deluxe, low rise, Hawaiian haven provides comfortable accommodations with a choice of mesmerizing oceanfront or colorful, tropical garden views. While on Kauai, enjoy a host of activities from water sports to tennis and nearby championship golf, a fitness center, massage and skincare salon, children's program, Hawaiian Cultural Center, and shopping. Stay in touch with the outside world via e-mail on one of four computers in the news library. Just relax and soak up the sun until the nightly sunset Torch Lighting Ceremony.
Book now as there are only a limited number of rooms available to us at this great rate. Once they're gone, they're gone. See you in Poipu November 7-8.
Fall Meeting Agenda
The agenda is undergoing revision at this time with a final agenda to be published soon. Look for it on topsafety.org.
In addition to the routine TOPS matters, there is a lot of TOPS new business to attend to during our meeting on Kauai. These important topics include:
Replacement of Secretary and Board Member(s)
Replacement of the fourth auditor
TOPS Best Practices and Incidents
Status and mentoring of new/prospective members
Safety Culture Survey Initiative - member reports
TOPS Special Report - marketing, web site and advertising efforts
Foreign membership
New Safety Initiative - Enhanced TOPS Audit Proposal
HAI HeliExpo 2009 - TOPS Booth - Request for member materials and staffing
Members are strongly urged to bring your Chief Pilot, Director of Maintenance and/or your Safety Officer to participate in important meetings during the event.
Committee Chairs Needed
There is a pressing need for a member volunteer to fill the Chief Pilot Committee chair and a member volunteer to fill the Audit Committee Chair. These critical positions serve a vital link in the safety posture of TOPS.
Website Sports New Look
Jen Boyer, TOPS new marketing and public relations representative, has been working to freshen www.topsafety.org. Please stop in and have a look. Jen will be making a presentation on the website as well as other marketing/branding initiatives she’s working on for TOPS at the Fall Meeting. She welcomes any feedback you may have to help her make the website more user friendly for all. She can be reached at jen@topsafety.org
Dates to Remember
September 1, 2008
- All audits must be submitted to the Audit Committee for review.
November 7-8, 2008
- TOPS/HTOC Meeting at the Sheraton Kauai Resort at Poipu.
December 31, 2008
- Deadline for each Regular Member to submit two Best Practices to the Executive Director.
February 22-24, 2009
- HeliExpo 2009 in Anaheim, California. TOPS will have a promotional booth at the event. There is a pressing need for member volunteer participation. Early commitments are encouraged to avoid missing this important function.
Thank you for your continuing efforts to promote helicopter air tour safety through TOPS.
See you all in Anaheim,
Bruce Mayes
TOPS Executive Director