The Professional Helicopter Pilots Association International (PHPA), a council of the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), elected Steven Rush to serve as president at its board meeting in Dallas, Texas on Sunday. OPEIU represents approximately 3,000 helicopter pilots throughout the United States and Canada.
Rush is a founding member of the PHPA Council, and a force behind its establishment in 2002.
With a flight career that spans four decades and includes more than 12,000 aircraft hours and 8,000 hours in flight simulators, Rush began his career in the Army in 1970. After flight training at Fort Rucker, Ala., he served in Korea for a year and then returned to Rucker to serve as a military flight instructor until 1977.
After departing active duty, Rush traveled to Alaska to fly for the Alaska Pipeline and then returned to Rucker to work as a civilian flight instructor for 32 years. During that time he also spent 16 years in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Rush succeeds Captain Butch Grafton, who has served as PHPA president since its establishment in 2002.
PHPA is a professional, non-profit organization dedicated to improving air safety and protecting the interests of commercial helicopter pilots.
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