1968 Cyrus R. Smith (1899 –1990) known throughout his life as C. R. Smith. Smith was the CEO of American Airlines from 1934 to 1968 and from 1973 to 1974. He was also the wartime deputy commander of the Air Transport Command, and United States Secretary of Commerce.
1969 Commander Walter M. Schirra, Jr. (1923-2007) was an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and test pilot. one of the original seven astronauts chosen for "Project Mercury", America's first effort to put humans in space. He flew the six-orbit, nine-hour Mercury-Atlas 8 mission on October 3, 1962, becoming the fifth American, and the ninth human, to ride a rocket into space. In the two-man Gemini program, he achieved the first space rendezvous in December 1965. In October 1968, he commanded Apollo 7, an 11-day low Earth orbit shakedown test of the three-man Apollo Command/Service Module.
1970 Apollo XII Crew Commander Alan L. Bean (1932-2018) Apollo 12 was the sixth manned flight in the United States Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon . It was launched on November 14, 1969 from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, four months after Apollo 11. Mission commander Charles "Pete" Conrad and Lunar Module Pilot Alan L. Bean performed just over one day and seven hours of lunar surface activity while Command Module Pilot Richard F. Gordon remained in lunar orbit.
1971 Dr. Ross A McFarland (1849-1980) is regarded the "Father of Human Factors" in aviation. Author of the "Classic Human Factors in Air Transport Design", several other books and hundreds of articles, he was also a consultant to many federal agencies and corporations.
1972 Dr. Raymond L. Bisplinghoff (1917-1985) authored many research papers and established himself as a preeminent expert in the fields of aircraft structures and structural dynamics.
1973 Secor D. Browne (1917-1986) chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board from 1969 to 1973 and an unflagging critic of the 1978 legislation deregulating the airlines. Mr. Browne was named by President Nixon to take over the C.A.B., the agency responsible for economic regulation of the industry, in the midst of a severe airline recession. His agency was widely credited with key contributions to the improvement of commercial aviation.
1974 Senator Barry Goldwater (1909 – 1998 ) oversaw the building of an advanced flying school at Yuma, Arizona. As its director of gunnery, he helped to develop the vastly superior “curve of pursuit” training method, which revolutionized gunnery results and which the Army Air Forces adopted.. Goldwater volunteered to participate in the first and only attempt to ferry fighter planes to Europe. Taking off from New York in P-47 Thunderbolts equipped with extra fuel tanks, he and nine other pilots flew to Scotland. It was an epic adventure for which Goldwater received the coveted Air Medal.
1975 General James H. Doolittle (1896 – 1993) Doolittle was one of the most famous pilots during the inter-war period. In September 1922, he made the first of many pioneering flights, flying a de Havilland DH-4 – which was equipped with early navigational instruments. Doolittle's most important contribution to aeronautical technology was the development of instrument flying. He was the first to recognize that true operational freedom in the air could not be achieved unless pilots developed the ability to control and navigate aircraft in flight, from takeoff run to landing rollout, regardless of the range of vision from the cockpit. Doolittle was also the first to recognize these psycho-physiological limitations of the human senses (particularly the motion sense inputs, i.e., up, down, left, right). He initiated the study of the subtle interrelationships between the psychological effects of visual cues and motion senses. His research resulted in programs that trained pilots to read and understand navigational instruments. He won the three big air racing trophies of the time, the Schneider, Bendix, and Thompson. He led the first retaliatory air raid on the Japanese homeland. Occuring on April 18, Leading B25 bombers successfully took off from the Hornet, reached Japan, and bombed their targets. Doolittle received the Medal of Honor from President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
1976 Crocker Snow (1905-1999) received Massachusetts pilot license No. 5 in February 1927. He had flown more than 15,000 hours in 140 types of planes, helped inaugurate commercial air travel in New England, oversaw civil aviation in Massachusetts and served as head of a Federal advisory panel on air traffic. As an officer in the Army Air Forces in World War II, he directed the ferrying of aircraft from the United States to Britain. He flew more than 20 bombing missions in the Pacific.
1977 John T. Griffin, Sr. (1902-1999) "A true pioneer of civil aviation in Massachusetts" who blazed new commercial airline routes across the North Atlantic and founded the East Coast Aero Technical School. He was chief pilot of Northeast Airlines. Mr. Griffin was also a pilot of the Massachusetts National Guard. During World War II, in addition to training pilots and mechanics for the Army at East Coast Airways, Mr. Griffin became a pilot for the Army Air Transport Command. As the Army attempted to establish reliable year-round airplane service across the North Atlantic, Mr. Griffin pioneered several transoceanic routes still used today.
1978 Frank Borman (1928-2013) Astronaut setting an endurance record in Gemini 7 also the first rendezvous of spacecraft in orbit. Commander of Apollo 8 the first manned spacecraft to leave the earth's gravity and journey to the moon making ten orbits of the moon. President and CEO of Eastern Airlines.
1979 Charles L. "Chip" Collins (1919-2015) In 1935, at age 16, he earned his student pilot license. In 1941 he entered the Royal Canadian Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot. After Pearl Harbor, he transferred to the U.S. Army Air Corps where he instructed in twin engine aircraft, including B-17's and B-29's. "Chip" served as a test pilot testing captured enemy aircraft, and also served as a test pilot for MIT Draper labs. During this time he worked with Dr. Draper developing the "inertial guidance system" for aircraft and also used in the Apollo moon landings. In addition, he helped develop "Fly by wire" and piloted the first coast to coast flight using inertial guidance in a C97 Stratocruiser. His military awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with Four Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal, and Asiatic Pacific Medal with Four Battle Stars.
1980 Louise Sacchi (1913 –1997) was an aviator and author who flew numerous times across the world's oceans, often solo. Ferrying single and multi-engine planes as the first international woman ferry pilot. She set a speed record by flying a single-engine land plane from New York to London in 17 hours and 10 minutes. She won numerous awards in her career, which spanned over 40 years, and was the first woman to win the prestigious Godfrey L. Cabot Award for distinguished service to aviation.
1981 Russell Boardman (1898 – 1933) / John Polando (1901–1985) Historic 1931 Flight from Cape Cod to Istanbul. Preparation (taking 2 years) for the record-breaking two-day flight from the New World (Cape Cod) to the new Republic of Turkey (Istanbul) . In an era decades before the Digital Age, this 5011.8 mile long flight was made without the aid of CAD, SITA, fax machine, Internet, GPS or the radio. The pilots flew with a large meteorological map and the dead reckoning.
1982 John Young(1930 – 2018) / Robert Crippen (1937 – present) STS-1 was the first orbital flight of NASA's Space Shuttle program. The first orbiter, Columbia, launched on 12 April 1981 and returned on 14 April, 54.5 hours later, having orbited the Earth 37 times. Columbia carried a crew of two – mission commander John W. Young and pilot Robert L. Crippen.
1983 Paul H. Poberezny (1921 – 2013) was an American aviator and aircraft designer. He founded the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in 1953, and spent the greater part of his life promoting homebuilt aircraft. Through his efforts the world's largest annual fly-in event, EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh Wisconsin was born. Poberezny flew over 500 aircraft types, including over 170 home-built planes throughout his life.
1984 General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager (1923 - 2020) a WWII P-51 fighter pilot. In all, he flew 64 combat missions in World War II. On one occasion he shot down a German jet from his P-51. By war's end he had downed 13 enemy aircraft, five in a single day. After the war, Yeager became a test pilot of many types of aircraft, including experimental rocket-powered aircraft. As the first human to break the sound barrier, on October 14, 1947, he flew the experimental Bell X-1 at Mach 1 at an altitude of 45,000 ft (13,700 m).
1985 Col. Joe W. Kittinger, Jr. (1928-2022) was a retired Colonel in the United States Air Force and a USAF Command Pilot. Following his initial operational assignment in fighter aircraft, he participated in Project Manhigh and Project Excelsior in 1960, setting a world record for the longest skydive from a height greater than 31 kilometers (19 mi). In addition, he was the first man to make a solo crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a gas balloon.
1986 Robert A. Hoover (1922-2016) is a former air show pilot and United States Air Force test pilot. Test/demonstration pilot with North American Aviation where he went on to Korea teaching the pilots in Korean war how to dive-bomb with the F-86 Sabre,. Hoover proposed the idea of promoting the North American name by demonstrating one of North American's most famous products, the P-51 Mustang.
1987 The "Voyager Team" Burt Rutan (1943 - present), Dick Rutan (1938-2024), Jeana Yeager (1952- present) The first aircraft to fly around the world without stopping or refueling. The Voyager was piloted by Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager. The flight took off from Edwards Air Force Base's 15,000 foot (4,600 m) long runway in the Mojave Desert on December 14, 1986, and ended 9 days, 3 minutes and 44 seconds later on December 23, setting a flight endurance record.
1988 Edna Gardner Whyte (1902-1992) With over 35,000 flying hours, 125 air race trophies, and membership in four halls of fame. She received her pilot license in 1928 then rose to instructor and taught over 5000 World War II military pilots and airline pilots. She was a past President of 99's International.
1989 Alan E. Paulson (1922 –2000) In 1978 he bought the Grumman American plants and offices from Grumman forming the Gulfstream American Corporation. In 1982, he bought Rockwell International's aviation division in Oklahoma and combined it with Gulfstream American to form Gulfstream Aerospace. Paulson transformed the company into the world's largest manufacturer of private jets.
1990 Leroy P. LoPresti/M. Stuart Millar formed LoPresti Speed Merchants. Speed modifiers of many small aircraft. LoPresti worked with Millar (president of Piper Aircraft) to design the SwiftFury and the SwiftFire for Piper Aircraft.
1991 John L. Baker (1923- 2012)The United States Department of Justice's first air-crash attorney, counsel to the United States Senate, and the Federal Aviation Administration as Assistant Systems Administrator for General Aviation. He also served as president of both the AOPA and International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations (IAOPA), the latter of which saw him represent 37 countries in the ICAO.
1992 Robert L. Crandall (1935-present) President of American Airlines. Credited with creating the first frequent flyer program in the airline industry, the AAdvantage program, as well as pioneering modern reservations systems through the creation of Sabre.
1993 Sir Frank Whittle (1907– 1996) and Dr. Hans von Ohain (1911 – 1998) Von Ohain independently developed the first jet engine during the same period that Frank Whittle was doing the same in the UK, their designs an example of simultaneous invention. Von Ohain's Heinkel HeS 1 ran only weeks before Whittle's WU, but did not run on its own power until six months later. von Ohain's design flew first in 1939, followed by Whittle's in 1941. Operational jet aircraft from both countries entered use only weeks apart.
1994 Lt. General Benjamin Davis, Jr. (1912 – 2002) was the first officer to get his wings from the Tuskegee Army Air Field on March 7, 1942. Later to become the Commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen. The first Black fighter squadron. Davis himself led dozens of missions in P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs. He received the Silver Star, and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
1995 Anthony W. "Tony" LeVier (1913 –1998) as an air racer and test pilot for the Lockheed Corporation from the 1940s to the 1970s. LeVier started at Lockheed ferrying Hudson bombers to Canada for delivery to the Royal Air Force. He also tested two evolutions of the P-80: the T-33 and the three variants of the F-94 Starfire. He also performed most of the tests of the XF-90 penetration fighter prototype. He also flew the first flights of the XF-104 Starfighter, and the U-2.
1996 Ann Wood-Kelly (1918 – 2006) Traveled with Jackie Cochran to the United Kingdom to join the British Air Transport Auxiliary. During her time as a ferry pilot with the ATA she flew more than 900 aircraft of 75 different types ranging from the single-engine Supermarine Spitfire fighter to the four-engine Avro Lancaster heavy bomber. In 1946, she was awarded the King's Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom for her services to the United Kingdom. After the war she became an assistant to the United States Air attaché in London before she returned to the United States. She became a public relations manager for Northeast Airlines, and later worked for Pan American Airways, becoming the first female vice-president with Pan Am.
1997 Vice Admiral Donald E. Engen (1924 - 1999) Served as a dive bomber pilot on the aircraft carrier Lexington. He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. After the war, he was commander of the carrier America in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. He became Head of the National Air and Space Museum at the Smithsonian Institution and was a former administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration.
1998 Brig. General Frank K. "Pete" Everest, Jr. (1920 – 2004) was the chief Air Force test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base. While head of the Flight Test Operations Division, during his stay at Edwards, General Everest tested the X-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; XF-92 and YB-52. He also took part in test programs for the F-88, 100, 101, 102, 104 and 105; the B-52, 57 and 66 aircraft. On October 29, 1953, he established a world speed record of 755.149 mph in a F-100A. Later flights in the Bell X-2 rocket plane established him as "the fastest man alive" when he attained a new unofficial speed record of 1,957 mph or Mach 2.9.
1999 Paul "Ed" Yost (1919 – 2007) was the American inventor of the modern hot air balloon and is referred to as the "Father of the Modern Day Hot-Air Balloon." Fueled by bottled propane it became possible for the balloonist to re-heat the air inside the balloon for a longer flight. Yost’s invention improved modern hot-air balloons into semi-maneuverable aircraft. Yost's other hot-air balloon patents included nonporous synthetic fabrics, maneuvering vents, and deflation systems for landing.
2000 Brian Jones/Bertrand Piccard On March 20, 1999, the Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon, piloted by Brian Jones and Bertrand Piccard, became the first balloon to fly nonstop around the world.
2001 Robert J. Gilliland (1926- 2019) made the first flight of the SR-71 on December 22, 1964, taking the aircraft to mach 1.5 and a 50,000 feet altitude. He was the first and principal test pilot for the SR-71 Aircraft Series He went on to test the fastest and highest flying airplanes ever built, including the A-Il, A-12, YF-12A, and the SR-71. Bob was the first man to fly the SR-71A, the SR-71B, and the SR-71C. During the SR-71 program, Gilliland continued to be the first pilot to fly each Blackbird as it became operational, logging more experimental supersonic flight test-time above Mach 2 and Mach 3 than any other pilot.
2002 Phil Boyer (1952-present) Past President of AOPA He helped pass the General Aviation Revitalization Act, which helped to turn around the decline in American aircraft manufacturing . He also championed civilian use of GPS and WAAS, and later ADS-B to benefit general aviation.
2003 Albert L. Ueltschi (1917 – 2012) is considered the father of modern aviation training and was the founder of FlightSafety International. The company provides training for fixed and rotary wing pilots, flight attendants, dispatchers, and maintenance technicians. Ueltschi was once personal pilot to Juan Trippe and an associate to Charles Lindbergh.