The NAHF President has called for a special Membership/Board meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 9, 2013 at the National Aviation Hall of Fame Headquarters Board Room at 1100 Spaatz Street, Dayton, Ohio, at 9:00 am Eastern time.  The specified purpose of this meeting is to adopt changes to the NAHF by-laws in accordance with Article XIX, Section One and Article V, Section Two, of the current NAHF by-laws as amended and current on November 11, 2010.  E-mail NAHF@nationalaviation.org to request a copy of the proposed amended by-laws.

Founded by famed research test pilot Scott Crossfield in 1986, the award is a juried competition open to current classroom teachers in grades K through 12. Nominations will be examined by a review committee of aerospace industry and education professionals for documentation of a teacher’s effectiveness, creativity and ability to maintain high standards for their students and themselves with aerospace being the part of the core subject matter.

The Crossfield Award winner will be honored during the NAHF Enshrinement events held during the first weekend in October in Dayton.   The winning teacher and a guest will also receive an all-expense paid trip to Dayton and be a guest at the Hall of Fame’s 51th Annual Enshrinement Ceremony on October 4,  2013.

Jim McCarter, a Sycamore Elementary School teacher from Kokomo, Indiana was unanimously chosed by the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s selection committee to receive the 2012 A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Education Teacher of the Year Award.

His classroom is a mock  space shuttle.  During his acceptance speech Mr. McCarter  explained to the aviation community that kids who want to be in your classroom: are going to show up, have good behavior, and are going to learn something.

“What made this award even more special for Mr. McCarter, a self-proclaimed astronaut/science nerd, was the fact that the Sycamore 5th-grade KEY teacher met Scott Crossfield in 1993 at a Space Camp in Huntsville, AL.

“Scott was one of the speakers at an International Space Development Conference (ISDC) conducted at Space Camp,”Mr. McCarter explained. “Scott was such a friendly guy. To receive an award that Mr. Crossfield started because he felt educators were very important; and then to be honored in the same building where Wilbur and Orville Wright are memorialized.

In addition, Mr. McCarter enjoyed meeting some of the astronauts and aviators he has followed over the years, such as Hoot Gibson (5 shuttle flights), Dr. Rae Sedan (3 shuttle flights), Eileen Collins (first female shuttle commander), Joe Engle (commander on 2nd shuttle flight) and Dick Rutan (first non-stop and unrefueled flight around the world).

This award is named in honor of Scott Crossfield (1921-2006) who was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1983 in recognition of his contributions as a naval aviator, aerospace engineer and test pilot.  He was the first man to successfully fly at speeds above Mach 2 and Mach 3; the first man to fly the X-15; and contributed to the safety of manned spaceflight, among many other achievements.   Scott Crossfield believed that teachers make the difference.  He established the award  to recognize

The deadline for nominations is June 1, 2013.  The winner must be able to attend the Enshrinement weekend.

For more information and submission forms, go to www.nationalaviation.org or call 1-888-383-1903, ext. 11.

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NAHF Request for Proposal Final Jan 1 2013

(Dayton, Ohio – Dec. 17, 2012)  Tonight the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) Board of Trustees revealed the names of four individuals who have been elected for enshrinement at its annual formal ceremony that will be held in October of 2013.  The four will be joining the roster of 215 men and women air and space pioneers who have been inducted by the NAHF since its founding in 1962.

The names and photos of the incoming Enshrinee Class of 2013 were unveiled at a dinner hosted by Dayton-based Aviation Trail, Inc. (ATI) in celebration of the 109th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ historic first powered flight, December 17, 1903.  Serving as the dinner’s emcee was Marvin Christian, President of ATI, and making the Class of 2013 announcement was NAHF Enshrinement Director, Ron Kaplan.

Each year, the NAHF Board of Nominations, a voting body comprised of over 120 aviation professionals nationwide, selects a handful of U.S. air and space pioneers to be recognized for their achievements by enshrinement into the NAHF.  The NAHF Class of 2013 is a diverse group representing a broad range of significant contributions to the advancement of flight.  The four to be enshrined next year are:

	The late Charles Alfred Anderson – In 1940, Anderson, who is widely recognized as “the father of African-American aviation,” helped develop a civilian-pilot training program for blacks. His 1941 flight with first lady Eleanor Roosevelt aboard was the catalyst that led to the training of the first African American military pilots, the Tuskegee Airmen, for whom Anderson served as chief instructor.
	Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady, USA (Ret) – His highly decorated 34 year-plus Army career includes developing foul weather and tactical techniques for helicopter air ambulance rescue in combat. Brady flew over 2,500 missions during two Vietnam combat tours and rescued over 5,000 wounded. His numerous service awards include the Medal of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross.
	Capt. Robert L. “Hoot” Gibson, USN (Ret) – As a Navy fighter pilot, Gibson flew combat in Southeast Asia, graduated from “Top Gun,” and served as a flight test pilot before joining NASA’s astronaut corps in 1978. He flew five Shuttle missions (four as Commander) and participated on the Challenger accident investigation team. Also an aeronautical engineer, record-setting pilot and air racer, Capt. Gibson has logged over 14,000 hours in over 130 types of aircraft.
	The late Dwane L. Wallace, After 41 years with the Cessna Aircraft Company, Wallace retired in 1975 as its Chairman and CEO. During the Depression, Wallace used money won by air racing to meet payroll. After the company served WWII military aircraft demand, Wallace directed Cessna’s development and growth of extensive corporate and general aviation product lines. He was a founder and first chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.

The enshrinement dinner and ceremony will take place on Friday, October 4, 2013 at the National Aviation Hall of Fame Learning Center and the adjacent National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.  Often referred to as “America’s Oscar Night of Aviation,” the black-tie ceremony is open to the public and reservations are available by advance purchase from the NAHF.

The NAHF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in Dayton in 1962 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964.  Its mission is to honor America’s outstanding air and space pioneers, which it does through a 17,000 square-foot public Learning Center featuring interactive exhibits, a youth education program, its annual enshrinement ceremony, other public outreach programs, and collaboration with like-minded organizations.

For more information visit the NAHF website at www.nationalaviation.org or call 937-256-0944 ext.10.

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Media Contact:

Ron Kaplan                                           TEL: (937) 256-0944 x16
NAHF Enshrinement Director                           CEL: (937) 212-8847
rkaplan@nationalaviation.org

(Dayton, Ohio – Dec. 17, 2012)  Honor Flight is a non-profit organization that transports America’s veterans, at no cost to them, to Washington, D.C. to visit those memorials that honor their service and sacrifices.  Top priority is given to the most senior heroes – those who served in WWII.  The group estimates that an average of 900 WWII vets die every day, so their mission is urgent.

The concept of Honor Flight was the brainchild of Earl Morse, a retired Air Force captain and private pilot from Enon, Ohio.  In 2005, six small aircraft flew out of Springfield, Ohio, taking 12 WWII veterans to visit their memorial.  By the end of 2011, with a growing nationwide network of hubs and the support of commercial carriers, Honor Flight had transported over 81,000 WWII veterans to their Washington, D.C. memorials.

Tonight, Honor Flight Network founder Earl Morse, director Diane Gresse, and the participants in the eight-year-old organization were the ones being honored, receiving the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s prestigious Milton Caniff “Spirit of Flight” Award for 2012.  NAHF Board of Trustees Awards Committee Chair, Dr. Vince Russo, presented the award to Morse and Gresse who accepted on behalf of the Honor Flight Network’s nearly 120 hubs in 40 states.  The ceremony took place at a dinner hosted by Dayton-based Aviation Trail, Inc. (ATI) in celebration of the 109th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers’ historic first powered flight, December 17, 1903.

Among those in the audience were several original volunteer Honor Flight pilots and aircraft owners, and numerous veterans who had previously taken their Honor Flights.  Also in attendance was a representative of Arby’s, which provides each veteran a free lunch on their Honor Flight trip. In May 2008, Southwest Airlines became the official commercial carrier of Honor Flight, donating thousands of tickets annually to the cause.  Today, Honor Flight missions are flown almost exclusively using commercial or chartered jet aircraft. For more information visit www.honorflight.org.

The NAHF Milton Caniff “Spirit of Flight” Award was created in 1981 to annually acknowledge significant contributions to aviation made by a group or organization.  It is named in honor of noted artist and aviation enthusiast, the late Milton Caniff, a longtime NAHF supporter.  Among previous recipients of the “Spirit of Flight” Award have been the Doolittle Raiders, Apollo Crewmen, Tuskegee Airmen, and Women Airforce Service Pilots.

The dinner also featured the NAHF’s unveiling of the four names of individual air and space pioneers who will be inducted into the Hall next year.  They are the late Charles Alfred Anderson; Maj. Gen. Patrick Henry Brady, USA (Ret); Capt. Robert L. “Hoot” Gibson, USN (Ret); and the late Dwane L. Wallace.  Their formal enshrinement will take place at a dinner and ceremony held in Dayton on Friday, October 4, 2013.

The NAHF is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in Dayton in 1962 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1964.  Its mission is to honor America’s outstanding air and space pioneers, which it does through a 17,000 square-foot public Learning Center featuring interactive exhibits, a youth education program, its annual enshrinement ceremony, other public outreach programs, and collaboration with like-minded organizations.

For more information visit the NAHF website at www.nationalaviation.org or call 937-256-0944 ext.10.

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Media Contact:

Ron Kaplan                                                                 TEL: (937) 256-0944 x16
NAHF Enshrinement Director                            CEL: (937) 212-8847
rkaplan@nationalaviation.org

NAHF Board Chairman Phil Roberts said, “It is a significant achievement and honor for the NAHF to be recognized in our 50th year of service to the aerospace community with the Engen Trophy.  The NAHF has faithfully recognized our nation’s air and space pioneers since 1962.”

When the U.S. Congress chartered the NAHF in 1964 to be the only U.S. organization responsible for recognizing those persons who have been responsible for the U.S. leadership in aviation and space, it thereby endorsed the first two enshrinees honored by the organization, the Wright-Brothers – Orville and Wilbur – who from their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, designed, built, tested and flew their creation of the first powered airplane.

NAHF President Bill Harris added, “Therefore, it is fitting that the common beginnings of honoring the Wright Brothers shared by the Aero Club and the NAHF result in a common heritage and purpose to honor those who have paved the way for flight and all the business aspects associated with that invention”.

(Dayton, OH – October 24, 2012)  The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) today announced the recipient of its 10th Annual Combs Gates Award will be first-time author, Regina Wirtanen Buker, of Baltimore, Maryland.  Buker is being recognized for her as yet unpublished book, The Skytrain Pilot: Flying a C-47 into Combat.  Ms. Buker will receive the $20,000 cash award in a formal presentation on the morning of Wednesday, October 31, at a special opening session of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) 65^th Annual Meeting & Convention in Orlando, Florida.

Presenting Ms. Buker her award will be NAHF Chairman of the Board, Philip A. Roberts, accompanied by Hall of Fame enshrinees including former astronaut and the last man to walk on the moon, Eugene Cernan; business aviation pioneer and aerial cinematographer, Clay Lacy; Tuskegee Airman, Charles E. McGee; former Chairman and CEO of Cessna Aircraft, Russ Meyer, Jr.; and air show legends Bob Hoover and Sean D. Tucker.  NAHF Enshrinement Director, Ron Kaplan, will lead the ceremony.

The Skytrain Pilot is the story of Ms. Buker’s late father, Lieutenant George Neale Wirtanen, who flew the military version of the venerable twin-engine Douglas DC-3 transport, the C-47, with the 442^nd Troop Carrier Group (TCG) in World War II.  The first of his 87 missions in the European Theatre of Operation was the D-Day invasion, flying unarmed and unarmored.  Using wartime letters, flight logs and other documentation Ms. Buker found after her father’s death in 1999, the author has crafted a tribute to the courage of thousands of unsung troop and transport crews of the ETO as much as finding a compelling way to preserve her father’s legacy.

Ms. Buker points out that General Dwight D. Eisenhower once cited the C-47 as one of the four pieces of equipment that won WWII, but her book spotlights the people that flew them in harm’s way.  “The acts of valor and self-sacrifice demonstrated by the C-47 crews are equal to those of any other fighting men, regardless of their assignment,” said Ms. Buker in her award application.  “The contributions of the TCGs significantly impacted the final outcome of the war in Europe.  The Skytrain Pilot serves to commemorate their role in aviation history and ensure it is not forgotten.”

NBAA convention attendees are invited to stop by the Hall of Fame’s show exhibit (Booth #3631) after the Wednesday, October 31st award ceremony to meet Ms. Buker.

The prestigious Combs Award, its original title, grew out of a donation to the NAHF by the late Harry Combs, a 1996 enshrinee of the Hall of Fame.  As part of his generous $1.3 million gift for the creation of a NAHF research center, Combs stipulated that the Combs Award be established to encourage and support relevant aviation history research and preservation efforts.  A panel of expert judges reviews each submission based upon criteria such as historical accuracy, creativity, potential for long-term impact, and value to the Hall of Fame mission of honoring America’s outstanding air and space pioneers.

Combs was instrumental to the growth and development of business aviation. Consequently the NAHF partnered with the NBAA to host the award presentation at its annual meeting and convention, the largest purely civil aviation event in the world.   The inaugural award was presented at the Opening General Session of the NBAA Meeting & Convention in 2003, the 100^th anniversary of the first powered flight.

John Gates and his sister, Diane G. Wallach, are co-trustees of the Gates Frontiers Fund, created by their late parents and philanthropists, Charles C. and June S. Gates.  The late Mr. Gates, who passed away in 2005 at age 84, was a partner with Combs in several aviation businesses including the Combs Gates FBO chain and Gates Learjet.  This year marks the tenth year for the award and the seventh year with the name changed to reflect a multi-year commitment by the Gates Frontiers Fund to fund the award.

The award pays homage to Gates’ belief in the benefit of historic preservation and study, and to Combs’ own research efforts behind his acclaimed 1979 book, Kill Devil Hill: Discovering the Secrets of the Wright Brothers.  Combs was inspired to write the book after close friend and fellow NAHF enshrinee, Neil Armstrong, presented him a bound collection of the Wright Brothers’ personal papers.

Combs died in December 2003 at age 90.  During the inaugural award ceremony at the NBAA convention held a month before his passing, Combs remarked, “Just as Neil’s gift inspired me to discover the secrets of the Wrights, I want to motivate a new generation of historians, researchers and preservationists to continue the process of clarifying and preserving our nation’s amazing air and space history for generations to come.”

To find out more about the NAHF or to secure an application for next year’s Combs Gates Award, please contact the NAHF Harry B. Combs Research Department at (937) 256-0944, Ext. 10, or visit www.nationalaviation.org.

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Media Contact:

Ron Kaplan
Enshrinement Director
TEL: (937) 256-0944 x16
rkaplan@nationalaviation.org

Neil Alden Armstrong

August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012

Enshrined in 1979

The National Aviation Hall of Fame joins the entire world in mourning the loss of 1979 Enshrinee Neil Armstrong, who passed away on August 25, 2012. When the NAHF Board of Nominations formally recognized Mr. Armstrong for his achievements, it was not only for his having been the first man to step foot on the lunar surface, but also for his contributions preceding and following that pivotal milestone event.

Having learned to fly as youngster in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Neil earned his pilot’s license at age 15, before passing his driver’s test. Becoming a Naval Aviator at the age of 20, he soon found himself flying F9F Panther jets in Korea – 78 combat missions in all.

His military service interrupted studies in Engineering at Purdue University, to which he returned and earned a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering in 1955 (and eventually a Master of Science from USC in 1970).

Soon after graduation Armstrong became a test-pilot for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics High-Speed Flight Center (now known as the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, at Edwards AFB, California). There he participated in the testing of early versions of the most sophisticated experimental aircraft types and systems of the jet age, including the rocket powered X-1B, the X-15 and numerous other supersonic jet aircraft.

In September 1962, the highly experienced pilot-engineer Armstrong’s application was selected by NASA for its “New Nine” group of astronauts. His first flight into space was in March 1966 as command pilot of Gemini 8 with David Scott as pilot.

As is now well documented and celebrated, as Commander of Apollo 11, Armstrong led the mission that captivated the world and changed history. With Command Module Pilot Michael Collins orbiting above, Lunar Module (LM) Pilot Buzz Aldrin and Armstrong descended to the lunar surface. After unexpected and potentially disastrous conditions forced Armstrong to manually pilot the LM to a safe landing, he became the first human to step foot on the moon, July 20, 1969.

Despite the world’s recognition of Armstrong as the courageous moonwalking astronaut, his contributions to aviation and science continued after the historic Apollo program, as an engineer, educator, and public advocate for advancing science. He humbly yet powerfully served in his unintended role at the top of the pantheon of exploration, using deliberate thought as to how best to appropriately encourage others to dream and achieve big, without personally exploiting his iconic status. This included serving 8 years as a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, near his home.

It was for all of this that Armstrong was honored with induction to the National Aviation Hall of Fame in July 1979, joining other trailblazing air and space pioneers so honored with enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. He was quietly pleased to join a roster that included fellow Ohioan’s Orville and Wilbur Wright, two of his personal heroes who founded that trail Armstrong and his contemporaries blazed to another world.

Since that time, the NAHF has been blessed to have Mr. Armstrong’s participation in many of its programs and events, including his often serving to represent NAHF enshrinees at the National Aviation Heritage Invitational at Dayton and Reno, and at the Combs Gates Award held annually at the NBAA Convention. The NAHF was appreciative of his 2010 testimony before Congress in support of the U.S. continuing human space operations.

He often returned to Dayton for the NAHF Enshrinement weekend, such as last July when he served as the Presenter of Enshrinement for his dear friend and fellow test-pilot, the late Ivan C. Kincheloe. Armstrong was looking forward to the induction of the late Richard T. Whitcomb at the 50th Anniversary Enshrinement Ceremony this October, having worked closely with the noted NASA aerodynamicist and his colleagues on overcoming some of the toughest challenges at the dawn of supersonic and space flight.

We are pleased to share with you here the accompanying images of several of these appearances, culled from the NAHF archives.

The entire NAHF Board and staff join the world in expressing our sincere condolences to the Armstrong Family. It will be the privilege of the Hall of Fame to share the legacy of Neil Armstrong – an exemplary gentleman, scholar and hero in every sense – with generations to come. The heavens have added a familiar bright star that now shines forever on earth.

A statement from the family said, in part, “For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.”

We most certainly will. Many of us have done just that, for years. Forgive us if tonight we do so with a tear in our eye. Godspeed, Neil Armstrong.

Dayton, Ohio 2012 – The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) loses a great enshrinee with the passing of safety industry legend, 95-year-old Albert Lee Ueltschi, founder and chairman emeritus of FlightSafety International, Inc. Mr. Ueltschi died on Thursday, October 18, 2012 in Vero Beach, Florida.

“Safety is the foundation on which our air transportation industry rests its operational record, and the US has the best training systems in the world because of Al Ueltschi’s pioneering leadership” said Phil Roberts, Chairman of the NAHF Board of Trustees.  “Al’s initiation and support of ORBIS, the flight enabled eye hospital which travels the world teaching and healing, is recognized as one of the greatest humanitarian efforts for all people world-wide,” added NAHF President Bill Harris.

Ueltschi was a significant force behind Project Orbis, an international nonprofit aircraft-based eye hospital that since the 1980s has traveled to the world’s less-developed areas to teach sight-saving techniques and surgical procedures. This flying hospital and teaching facility performs eye surgeries and teaches sight-saving techniques to local medical personnel.

The youngest of seven children, Albert Lee Ueltschi grew up on a dairy farm in rural Kentucky. A childhood fascination with aircraft blossomed into an obsession in 1927 as the 10-year-old breathlessly followed Charles Lindbergh’s transatlantic flight. Convinced that aviation was his destiny, a 16-year-old Ueltschi earned money for flying lessons by operating several hamburger stands when he wasn’t attending school.

This entrepreneurial spirit continued during his aviation career, from his days as a daredevil barnstormer to his role as a pilot for Queen City Flying Service and then into his dream job flying for the prestigious Pan American Airways. At Pan American, Ueltschi served as personal pilot for the company’s founder, Juan Trippe. Trippe introduced his young pilot to the movers and shakers in industry, politics and aviation.

During his early days at Pan American, Ueltschi was struck by the lack of continuing training available to most of the corporate pilots he met in pilot lounges and FBOs. He dreamed of creating a company that would offer corporate fliers the same high quality, on-going education available to airline and military pilots. After receiving Juan Trippe’s blessing to develop the concept in his off hours, Ueltschi started FlightSafety. In the 50 years since FlightSafety opened its doors, the company has expanded to many training centers worldwide and has earned a reputation as one of the world’s top safety training facilities.

Today, FlightSafety trains a broad spectrum of military, corporate, regional and airline pilots. Ueltschi continues to oversee the company, now called FlightSafety International. In recognition of his contributions to international aviation safety, Albert Lee Ueltschi was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2001.

The National Aviation Hall of Fame sends their condolences to the Ueltschi family.