The VFS Philadelphia Chapter is opening abstract submission for the 2025-2026 Lichten Competition!
The Lichten Award was established to provide an incentive to VFS members who have not previously presented the results of their work at a technical forum to begin presenting their work at local and regional VFS meetings. The award was established in 1976 to honor the memory of Robert L. Lichten, an outstanding rotary–wing engineer and the Society’s 22nd president.
The winner of the Lichten Award will be invited to present his or her paper at Forum 82 and receives the following:
- Air fare up to $1,500 to the Forum scheduled for May 5th-7th, 2026, in West Palm Beach, Florida.
- Complimentary Forum registration and lodging
- $500 honorarium sponsored by Bell and a plaque
In addition, the first runner-up is given an opportunity to present at the Forum and receives complimentary Forum registration, along with a certificate.
The competition starts locally in each VFS chapter where each candidate gives a 20-minute presentation before a panel of judges. This may be an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event depending on candidate(s) location and schedule.
If you are interested in pursuing this opportunity, please reply to Dr. Robert Brzozowski with a signed copy of the Eligibility Statement (attached below) as soon as possible. Please include “2025-2026 Lichten Competition” in the subject line of your email. An electronic copy of your abstract is due by Wednesday, November 26th. Note, this deadline will not be extended. We recommend early submission to allow sufficient time to prepare for the regional competition in mid-December 2025 (exact date TBD). The regional winner will be required to write a paper and submit it to VFS Headquarters no later than February 28th, 2026. All candidates should refer to the Lichten Award Procedures (attached below) for the full scope of the competition. Further guidance will be provided for candidates that submit an abstract. Please feel free to forward this email and information about the Lichten Competition to anyone you know who may be interested in competing. On behalf of the Executive Board of the VFS Philadelphia chapter, we hope you take advantage of this special opportunity, and good luck!