Aero Club of Southern California awarded a record $131,000 to 15 high school students, college students and high school educators at the sold out event.

Our scholarship program assists passionate young people pursuing their aviation and aerospace career goals.

We are grateful to our generous scholarship sponsors; HEICO, Gary Burdorf & Helicopter Technology Company, Paulette & Henry Matson, Si Robin, Howard Hughes Memorial Award Gala sponsors and attendees and Marsha Toy Scholarship Endowment.

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• Network with fellow aviation and aerospace enthusiasts
• Meet the aviation and aerospace professionals of the future—the winners of our annual scholarship program
• Business meeting for Aero Club members
• Great Buffet
• Hosted wine, beer, and soft drinks
• Event details:
• Member Cost: $40
• Non Member Cost: $50

Venue:
Flight Path Museum and Learning Center
6661 Imperial Hwy
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Time: 5:15 pm – 9:00 pm

We hope to see you there!

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September 6, 2023 was an evening of celebration when Mr. Mendelson was honored with the 44th Howard Hughes Memorial Award at the California Club.

Hundreds of attendees enjoyed a memorable evening recognizing Mr. Mendelson and his HEICO team members’ extraordinary contributions to aviation and defense. Aero Club President George Butts and Board Member Stephen Perry presented Mr. Mendelson with the Howard Hughes Memorial Award medallion minted from the Howard Hughes silver mine in Nevada.

The JWST NASA and Northrop Grumman Team received the inaugural Howard Hughes Memorial Discovery Award. Aero Club President George Butts and Space Foundation Board of Directors Chairman Jeff Grant presented trophies to Mike Menzel, NASA JWST Mission Systems Engineer and Robby Swoish, NGC JWST Operations and Maintenance Program Manager. The JWST Team was lauded for the telescope’s international collaboration and advancing aerospace discovery.

Aero Club Scholarship Donors Henry and Paulette Matson and Gary Burdorf were recognized with scholarship winners Mary Cooper, Robert Suppelsa and Jammal Yarbrough.

ACSC has sponsored the annual Howard Hughes Memorial Award since 1978 honoring individuals with outstanding career achievements in the realms of aviation and space. The Club’s scholarship program assists passionate high school and college students pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace.

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Best known for his renowned acting career, Harrison Ford is a licensed pilot of both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

Ford shared his love of flying with young people serving as Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles program chairman for five years. During this time, he flew more than 280 children in his DHC-2 Beaver.

In 2010, he commanded an Operation Smile medical volunteer and supply airlift for Haiti earthquake victims. Ford is a volunteer search and rescue helicopter pilot in Teton County, Wyoming. He traveled to Washington, D.C. multiple times to advocate for pilots’ rights. He serves as an honorary board member of the humanitarian aviation organization, Wings of Hope and as Vice Chair of Conservation International.

“It is an honor to celebrate Harrison Ford, the illustrious actor, pilot, and passionate aviation advocate for his volunteer work with Young Eagles, humanitarian and aircraft rescue efforts,” states George Butts, President of Aero Club of Southern California. “The Aero Club’s mission is to honor the giants of aviation and aerospace while providing generous scholarships to students pursuing an education in either field. We look forward to bringing industry professionals and the public together to recognize Mr. Ford this June and to celebrate the visibility he brings to the aviation and aerospace industries through his aviation accomplishments and iconic film career.”

The Howard Hughes Memorial Award honors exceptional leaders who advanced the fields of aviation or aerospace technology. Harrison Ford’s name will be added to the Howard Hughes Memorial trophy, a beautiful midcentury modern globe and vehicle sculpture, joining forty-two aviation and aerospace pioneers including last year’s honoree Richard “Dick” Rutan as well as General Chuck Yeager, Bob Hoover, Neil Armstrong, General Jimmy Doolittle, Elon Musk, Captain Jim Lovell, and Captain “Sully” Sullenberger.

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Born in Denison, Texas, Sullenberger pursued his childhood love of aviation, learning to fly at 16. Upon graduation from the U.S. Air Force Academy, he served as a fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force, then was an airline pilot, instructor, and accident investigator until his retirement in March 2010.

Sullenberger became internationally renowned on January 15, 2009 when he and his crew safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing in New York City’s frigid Hudson River. Sullenberger and his crew received international acclaim for their actions, including the passage of a Congressional resolution recognizing their bravery. Sullenberger was ranked second in TIME‘s “Top 100 Most Influential Heroes and Icons of 2009” and was awarded the French Legion of Honour.

Sullenberger is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Highest Duty: My Search for What Really Matters and also wrote Making a Difference: Stories of Vision and Courage from America’s Leaders. Clint Eastwood directed the major motion picture about Sullenberger, titled SULLY, based on Highest Duty, with Tom Hanks in the lead role. The film was released to critical acclaim in September 2016. Highest Duty was republished that year as SULLY: My Search for What Really Matters.

Sullenberger is an international lecturer and keynote speaker on how to achieve the highest levels of performance, reliability, and safety through effective crisis management, continuous learning, leadership, and culture.

The post 2019 Howard Hughes Memorial Award – Captain “Sully” Sullenberger appeared first on Aero Club of Southern California.

In 1966 on the Gemini 12 orbital mission, Buzz performed the world’s first successful spacewalk – extra-vehicular activity (EVA), and on July 20, 1969, Buzz and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world.

Since retiring from NASA and the U.S. Air Force, Col. Aldrin has become a bestselling author, speaker, and a Global Statesman for Space.

EVENT DETAILS:

Date: February 13, 2019
Time: Reception – 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Dinner and presentation – 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Location: Jonathan Club, Los Angeles, CA
Attire: Business
Parking: Included

The post 2018 Howard Hughes Memorial Award Banquet appeared first on Aero Club of Southern California.

November 13, 2019

• Network with fellow aviation and aerospace enthusiasts
• Meet the aviation and aerospace professionals of the future—the winners of our annual scholarship program
• Business meeting for Aero Club members
• Great Buffet
• Hosted wine, beer, and soft drinks
• Event details:
• Member Cost: $40
• Non Member Cost: $50

Venue:
Flight Path Museum and Learning Center
6661 Imperial Hwy
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Time: 5:15 pm – 9:00 pm

We hope to see you there!

The post 2019 Scholarship Banquet and November Networking Night appeared first on Aero Club of Southern California.

Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Marillyn Hewson was honored on February 7 by the Aero Club of Southern California as the 39^th recipient of the Howard Hughes Memorial Award.

“Marillyn joins a distinguished group of aerospace leaders,” said Aero Club president John Stammreich. “She exemplifies the spirit of this award through her bold leadership and significant contributions to driving innovation in aerospace.”

“I am honored to represent the 100,000 men and women of Lockheed Martin whose drive and ingenuity have defined new eras in flight,” said Hewson. “The award is made even more special by the long and distinguished list of past awardees – men and women who have reshaped the future by what they have done in the skies and in space.”

To see more photos of the event, CLICK HERE>

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Event photos from the recent Howard Hughes Award dinner on February 1, 2017 have been posted to our online photo gallery.

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