Ray Conner, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, will be awarded the Living Legends of Aviation’s “Lifetime Industry Leader Award” at the 13th annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards, which will be held Jan. 22 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Actor and pilot John Travolta hosts the annual event, which will begin with the “Flown West Tribute” to those legends lost during the current year.
The “Flown West Tribute” for Dr. Forrest Bird will be followed by the induction of four new legends.
The new inductees include Michimasa Fujino, the president/CEO and founder of Honda Jet; Daniel Wolfe, Chief Pilot and manager of Nationwide’s flight department and an active volunteer and contributor to children’s flying programs; Greg Feith, former NTSB Senior Air Safety Investigator and safety and flight commentator for NBC news; and 100-year-old Richard “Dick” Cole, the last remaining pilot of the “Doolittle Raiders.”
Miles O’Brien, pilot and broadcast news journalist specializing in science, technology, and aerospace, will receive the “Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award.”
The Legends also will recognize Col. Gail Halvorsen. Hailed as the “Candy Bomber,” Halvorsen dropped candy bars on final approach to Tempelhof Airport while flying the Berlin Airlift. He ignited an expanded effort supported by the Hershey Company that dropped a million chocolate bars to the German children.
The 13th Annual “Living Legends of Aviation Awards” are being dedicated to Bob Hoover, organizers noted.
The awards are produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a non-profit organization whose mission it is to educate and spark children’s interest in aviation.