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22ND ANNUAL INDUCTEES & HONOREES

 

The Legends are pleased to announce the 22nd Annual Inductees andHonorees for the Living Legends of Aviation® Awards. The rescheduled Awards will be on April 25, 2025 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Each of these extraordinary individuals embodies the pioneering spirit, innovation, andexcellence that define aviation and aerospace. From trailblazing astronauts and aviation leaders to the pinnacle of military flying, these remarkable men and women have made profound contributions to the world of flight. We are honored to recognize their achievements and invite you to celebrate their stories of dedication and excellence as we prepare for the Living Legends ofAviation® Awards. John Travolta is our Host and the Official Ambassador ofAviation. The Legends will also be honoring the aerial fire crews who were so instrumental in the battles against the Los Angeles area wildfires at the beginning of 2025.


INDUCTEES 

 
Chris Cassidy
Inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation®

Captain Chris Cassidy, a former NASA astronaut and Navy SEAL, is a veteran of three spaceflights and ten spacewalks, logging 377 days in space. A Naval Academy graduate, Cassidy earned a master’s in ocean engineering from MIT. His leadership includes commanding a SEAL platoon and serving as NASA’s 14th Chief Astronaut. Cassidy’s honors include the Bronze Star with combat “V” for his service in Afghanistan.

 
Robert "Hoot" Gibson
Inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation®

Captain Robert "Hoot" Gibson, USN, is a decorated Navy fighter pilot, veteran astronaut, and race pilot. A graduate of California Polytechnic State University, Gibson flew five space shuttle missions, including the first docking with the Russian Space Station Mir in 1995. His aviation career spans over 14,000 flight hours in 160+ aircraft. As a Reno Air Race champion, airline pilot, and astronaut, Gibson’s accolades include the Distinguished Flying Cross and induction into both the Astronaut and National Aviation Halls of Fame.




Tom Costello
Inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation®

Tom Costello is an Emmy award-winning NBC News Correspondent based in Washington, D.C., and as NBC’s lead Aviation & Space Correspondent, he has reported on some of the network’s most high-profile stories. His documentaries have taken viewers behind the scenes at NASA, Space Force, the space station, and Space Command – as a new strategic imperative plays out between the Earth and the moon. Costello was the first journalist to ever receive the National Air Traffic Controller Association’s Sentinel of Safety Award for his balanced reporting on aviation and ATC.

  

HONOREES

 

The Polaris Dawn Mission Crew
Dr. Buzz Aldrin Space Advancement Award

It is with great honor that we announce Jared Isaacman, Mission Pilot Scott 'Kidd' Poteet, Mission Specialist Sarah Gillis, and Mission Specialist and Medical Officer Anna Menon as the inaugural recipients of the Dr. Buzz Aldrin Space Advancement Award for their outstanding achievements with the Polaris Dawn Mission.

Their historic mission, Polaris Dawn, included cutting-edge experiments, high-altitude orbital maneuvers, and, most notably, the first private spacewalk. The team’s work has paved the way for future commercial and scientific space endeavors, laying the groundwork for humanity’s eventual journey to Mars and beyond.


 
Ronald Draper, CEO Textron Aviation
Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award

Ron Draper, President and CEO of Textron Aviation, has overseen the growth of Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker brands, shaping the future of aviation innovation. A West Point graduate, Draper served as a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter pilot and brings decades of leadership in aviation manufacturing and community service.
  

Sir Peter Beck, Rocket Lab
Eren Ozmen Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Sir Peter Beck is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Engineer of Rocket Lab, a Nasdaq-listed leading launch and space systems company opening access to space to improve life on Earth. Since founding the company in 2006, Sir Peter has grown Rocket Lab into a global organization of 2,500 people across the United States, Canada and New Zealand. Today, Rocket Lab’s launch vehicles, satellites and space systems are relied upon by a range of global mission partners including NASA, the United States Space Force, DARPA, the National Reconnaissance Office, and a broad range of commercial satellite and constellation operators.

 

Lieutenant Commander Amanda “Stalin” Lee
Barron Hilton Aviation Inspiration Award

Lieutenant Commander Amanda Lee is a native of Mounds View, Minnesota. While attending the University of Minnesota Duluth, Amanda enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an Aviation Electronics Technician and was selected to commission as a Pilot through the Seaman-to-Admiral (STA-21) commissioning program in 2009. Amanda joined the Blue Angels as their first female demonstration pilot in September 2022. She has accumulated more than 1,360 flight hours and over 225 carrier-arrested landings. Her decorations include four Navy Achievement medals and various personal and unit awards.


Louis Pepper, Atlantic Aviation
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

Louis Pepper built Atlantic Aviation into one of the nation’s largest general aviation companies and helped redefine the concept of a World Class FBO. After relocating to Dallas, Pepper became the President of Million Air and the owner of the Million Air Franchise Company. Later, in the year 2000, he led the acquisition of Atlantic Aviation. Along with the company’s growth, Pepper ushered in a culture of first-class customer service, advanced safety standards, invested in mission-critical infrastructure, and supported pilots and airports through important technological advancements. Pepper served as Atlantic Aviation’s CEO until 2023 and now serves as an active member of the company’s board of directors and senior advisor to the CEO.



Kaye Gitibin, Go Rentals
Aviation Entrepreneur Award

Kaye Gitibin is the CEO and co-founder of Go Rentals, the only vehicle rental company in the world specializing in private aviation and the only one with NATA Safety First certification. Founded in 1995 by Kaye and his brother, Go Rentals began with a small fleet of cars and a vision to redefine vehicle rental experiences through unmatched service.



Burt Rutan
Dr. Sam B. Williams Technology Award

Burt Rutan (born June 17, 1943) is a retired American aerospace engineer and entrepreneur. He designed the record-breaking Voyager, which in 1986 was the first aircraft to fly around the world without refueling. His sub-orbital spaceplane design SpaceShipOne became the first non-government, privately funded manned spacecraft to fly to space, winning the Ansari X-Prize for achieving the feat twice within a two-week period in 2004.

 


Due to the LA wildfires and the need to reschedule the 22nd Annual Awards, there were unavoidable schedule conflicts that arose. The following Inductees and Honorees will be honored at the 23rd Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards on January 23, 2026: 

 

Eileen M. Collins
Inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation®

Eileen M. Collins, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, is celebrated as the first female pilot and commander of a NASA space shuttle. A decorated astronaut, she piloted four shuttle missions, including the 1999 deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory and the 2005 “Return to Flight” mission. Collins has logged over 6,751 hours in 30 aircraft and 872 hours in space. A mathematics graduate from Syracuse University, she also holds advanced degrees from Stanford and Webster University. Now an aerospace consultant, author, and speaker, her book Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars inspired the recent documentary Spacewoman.

Aaron Tippin
Inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation®

While perhaps more widely known as a country music superstar, it comes as no surprise that Aaron Tippin is first and foremost an aviator. “Flying was the Tippin thing to do”, so Aaron became a student pilot at 14, soloed on his 16th birthday, became a private pilot at 17, and by 18, had his multi-engine commercial and instrument ratings. Aaron and his family established Tennessee Flying Machines at the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport (KSRB) in Sparta, Tenn., offering a flight school, ride/flight tours in Aaron’s fleet of vintage aircraft, maintenance, restoration and other services that share and preserve Aaron’s love for aviation.

 


Randy Waldman
Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

Randy Waldman, renowned Hollywood musician and helicopter instructor, has turned his passion for aviation into a second career. As a certified flight instructor in Southern California, he teaches across various helicopter models, blending technical mastery with artistic precision.

 


We are inspired by the extraordinary accomplishments of this year’s inductees and honorees. Please join us in celebrating these remarkable individuals as we continue to honor the past, present, and future of aviation and aerospace.