BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — The 11th Annual “Living Legends of Aviation” Awards, presented by Bell Helicopter and Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, will be held Jan. 17, at the Beverly Hilton.
Frederick W. Smith, founder and CEO of FedEx, will be presented the “Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award.” Bruce Whitman, Chairman and CEO of FlightSafety International, will receive the “Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award.”
Bob Hoover has selected Major General Patrick Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient, to receive the “Freedom of Flight Award.” In addition, Bob will pay tribute to his good friend, Col. Bud Day, posthumously, with his wife, Doris, and son, George Jr., receiving a special Legends medallion.
Morgan Freeman narrates the “Flown West” segment of the program with a tribute to Paul Poberezny, founder of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA).
There will also be a special 10-year salute to the Udvar-Hazy Center, the companion facility to the Smithsonian Air & Space museum on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, the non-profit organization that produces the Living Legends of Aviation Awards, will induct seven Legends, including T. Allan McArtor, Chairman of Airbus Americas; David Hurley, who has a 60 year aviation legacy and is Chairman Emeritus of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum; John Uczekaj, CEO of Aspen Avionics; David Neeleman, founder of Jet Blue and Azul Airlines; Roy Morgan, founder of Air Methods; and actor/pilot Treat Williams. In addition to induction, Jack Erickson, the inventor of the SkyCrane and an avid aviation helicopter and fixed-wing pilot, will be honored as Bell Helicopter’s “Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award” honoree.
Harrison Ford is presenting his “Aviation Legacy Award” to Marilyn Richwine and Rhonda Fullerton, two key assistants who coordinate the Citation Special Olympics Airlift.
Attendees, legends, and honorees include: Chuck Aaron, James Albaugh, Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Paul Allen, Maj. Gen Bill Anders, Bud Anderson, Laurent Beaudoin, Tony Bill, Dr. Forrest Bird, Linden Blue, Ed Bolen, Col. Frank Borman, Sir Richard Branson, Jimmy Buffett, Pete Bunce, Gene Cernan, Joe Clark, Julie Clark, Danny Clisham, Tom Cruise , General Jack Dailey, Tom Danaher, Dr. Bonnie Dunbar, Robert Duncan, David Ellison, Pat Epps, Craig Ferguson, Edsel Ford, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Randy Gaston, David Greschke, Charles Hall, Captain Al Haynes, Preston “Pres” Henne, Greg Herrick, Barron Hilton, Dexter Holland, Skip Holm, Bob Hoover, Emily Howell-Warner, David Hurley, Charles Johnson, John King, Martha King, Alan Klapmeier, Dale Klapmeier, Clay Lacy, Lorenzo Lamas, Amanda Wright Lane, Bill Luckett, Robert A. Lutz, Bruce McCaw, Russ Meyer Jr., Roy Morgan, Elon Musk, David Neeleman, Zoe Dell Lantis Nutter, Steve Oliver, Suzanne Asbury Oliver, Eren and Fatih Ozmen, Arnold Palmer, Jack Pelton, Tom Poberezny, Jeffrey Puckett, Vern Raburn, James Raisbeck, James Ray, Si Robin, Frank Robinson, Kurt Russell, Burt Rutan, Dick Rutan, Frederick W. Smith, Murray Smith, Dr. Richard Sugden, Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, Edward Swearingen, Brian Terwilliger, Lynn Tilton, John Travolta, Sean Tucker, Louis Turpen, John Uczekaj, Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Steven Hazy, Mark Van Tine, Patty Wagstaff, Kermit Weeks and Treat Williams.
The Living Legends of Aviation Awards event is produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a non-profit organization. Kiddie Hawk introduces children ages 4 through 9 to flight with the Kiddie Hawk Jet Trainers and the newly introduced “Kiddie Kopter.” These trainers allow kids to take their first flight lesson with the sophistication of motion and control of real flight, piloting their airplane, albeit a few feet off the ground. Kiddie Hawk follows the students as they progress, making scholarships available as Kiddie Hawk pilots enter actual flight training. The Kiddie Hawk program also introduces youngsters to other aviation related careers.
For more information: LivingLegendsOfAviation.org