The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center (AHMEC) will bestow its prestigious Achievement Award during its annual gala fundraiser on Saturday evening, April 22. The museum, located at 1220 American Boulevard, West Chester, will present the prize to German-based evolo GmbH for the successful manned flight of its Volocopter VC200.

Alex Zosel, evolo GmbH’s managing director, made history by piloting the lightweight fiber composite multicopter over a field in Southern Germany last March. The Volocopter, an aerial vehicle designed for urban mobility, was extremely easy to fly due to its innovative flight control.

“The Volocopter employs technology with its 18 rotors powered by electric motors,” explained Bob Beggs, Co-Founder and Chair Emeritus of AHMEC. “It is truly a transformational vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. The design is simple, safe and green, which offers great potential for future air mobility

“(AHMEC’s) Achievement Award is recognizing the first successful manned flight of the Volocopter on March 30, 2016, but celebrates its unique and innovative design.”

Additionally, this year’s Roaring 20s-themed gala will honor Chief Warrant Officer Larry J. Murphy (Ret), who piloted a CH-47 in the infamous mountainside rooftop landing in Afghanistan, for his 38 years of military service, mostly in the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. It will also acknowledge his current employment with Air Methods Corporation as the Aviation Manager and Helicopter Emergency Medical Services pilot for the Lehigh Valley Health Network MedEvac in Allentown, PA.

Tickets and sponsorships for the 6 to 11 pm event are available on AHMECs website at www.americanhelicopter.museum. Contact the museum at 610-436-9600 for more information.

The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center, located in the land of industry innovators in the Philadelphia region, is the nation’s premier aviation museum devoted exclusively to helicopters. Established in 1996, the nonprofit organization collects, restores and displays rotary-wing aircraft, including over 35 civilian and military helicopters, autogiros and convertaplanes.