HONOREES 2024

THE LEGENDS NOMINATE AND SELECT THE INDUCTEES AND HONOREES FOR THE ANNUAL "LIVING LEGENDS OF AVIATION AWARDS". COMMITTEES, INCLUDING PAST HONOREES OF THE PARTICULAR CATEGORIES, MAKE FINAL SELECTIONS. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THE LEGENDS GET ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN THE NOMINATION AND SELECTION PROCESS. NOMINATION FORMS ARE SENT TO ALL "LIVING LEGENDS OF AVIATION" EACH JULY.

 

 

2023 / 21st ANNUAL HONOREES

LAURANS A. MENDELSON
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

MARK BURNS
Lifetime Aviation Industry Award

KYLE CLARK
Eren Ozmen Entrepreneur of the Year Award

LAUREN SÁNCHEZ
Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

LINDEN S. BLUE
Dr. Sam B. Williams Technology Award

LANCE TOLAND
Freedom of Flight Award

 

2022 / 20th ANNUAL HONOREES

DANIEL DROHAN
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

MIKE SILVESTRO
Aviation Lifetime Industry Leader Award

TIM ELLIS
Eren Ozmen Entrepreneur of the Year Award

MACK RUTHERFORD
Barron Hilton Aviation Inspiration Award

MAX LYONS
Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

WILLIAM SHATNER
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

 

2021 / 19th ANNUAL HONOREES

LON & BRENDA HALVORSON
Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

JARED ISAACMAN
Eren Ozmen Entrepreneur of the Year Award

GENERAL JACK DAILEY
Steven F. Udvar Hazy Award

MARC PARENT
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year Award

CRAIG SINCOCK
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

AARON TIPPIN
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

  

2019 / 17th ANNUAL HONOREES

SEWRGEI I. SIKORSKI
Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

KENNY DICHTER
Eren Ozmen Entrepreneur of the Year Award

DR. S. HARRY ROBERTSON
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

JIM LOVELL
Jeff Bezos Freedoms Wings Award

 

2018 / 16th ANNUAL HONOREES

BERTRAND PICCARD
Legends Technology Award

BRIAN BARENTS
Industry Leader of the Year Award

DICK DEVOS
Changing Lives with Aviation Award

QANTAS
World's Safest, Longest Continuous Operating Airline Award

JEAN ROSANVALLON
Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award

JEFF BEZOS
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award | Jeff Bezos Freedoms Wings Award

 

2017 / 15th ANNUAL HONOREES

MIKE SILVA
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

TYSON WEIHS & JASON MILLER
Eren Ozmen Entrepreneur of the Year Award

GENERAL JACK DAILEY
Steven F. Udvar Hazy Award

SENATOR JIM INHOFFE
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

DAVID JOYCE
Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award

ROBERT BIGELOW
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

  

2016 / 14th ANNUAL HONOREES

STEVE HICKOK
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

PHEBE NOVAKOVIC
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year Award

CAPT. SCOTT KELLY & CAPT. MARK KELLY
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

CLAY LACY
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award

PETER PAUL LUCE
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

KENN RICCI
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

 

2015 / 13th ANNUAL HONOREES

THOMAS FLOHR
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award

COL. GAIL HALVERSON
Kiddie Hawk Children's Award

WILLIAM "BILL" CHILES
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

DICK COLE & DAVID THATCHER
Special Introduction and Induction / Doolittle Raiders

MILES O'BRIEN
Aviation Inspiration & Patriotism Award

SCOTT TERRY
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

RAY CONNER
Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award

 

2014 / 12th ANNUAL HONOREES

MICHIMASA FUJINO
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year

MARK BAKER
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

HERB KELLEHER
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

ELLING HALVORSON
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

ANGELINA JOLIE
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

 

2013 / 11th ANNUAL HONOREES

MARILYN RICHWINE & RHONDA FULLERTON
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

BRUCE WHITMAN
Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award

FREDERICK W. SMITH
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award

JACK ERICKSON
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

MAJOR GENERAL PATRICK H. BRADY
Special Acknowledgement to Colonel George “Bud” Day
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award

 

2012 / 10th ANNUAL HONOREES 

JOHN UCZEKAJ
Aviation Industry Entrepreneur of the Year 

JAMES ALBAUGH
Lifetime Aviation Industry Award

GREG ANDERSON
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

DAVID NEELEMAN
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

ROY MORGAN
Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award

DAVID ELLISON
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

NEIL ARMSTRONG
“First and Last Man to Walk on the Moon”

EUGENE CERNAN
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award

 

2011 / 9th ANNUAL HONOREES

MARK VAN TINE
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year

EREN OZMEN & FATIH OZMEN
Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year

DR. RICHARD SUGDEN
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

J.  ROBERT DUNCAN
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

MORGAN FREEMAN
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

BOEING 787 DREAMTEAM
Aircraft of Legend Award

BURT RUTAN
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

 

2010 / 8th ANNUAL HONOREES

LYNN TILTON
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year 

DELFORD M. SMITH
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

PAT EPPS
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award

CLAYTON “CLAY” JONES
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year

CAPTAIN JAMES LOVELL
Cool Captain Award

SEAN TUCKER
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award

FRANK ROBINSON
Lifetime Aviation Engineering Award 

DOOLITTLE RAIDERS
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

CONGRESSMAN SAM JOHNSON
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

 

2009 / 7th ANNUAL HONOREES 

ELON MUSK
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year

JOSEPH “JOE” CLARK
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur 

JEFFREY PUCKETT
Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award 

PRESTON “PRES” HENNE 
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year 

KURT RUSSELL 
Aviation Mentor Award 

KERMIT WEEKS 
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

TOM CRUISE
Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award 

DR. EDWIN “BUZZ” ALDRIN
First Out –Of-This-World Landing & Takeoff Award 

 

2008/ 6th ANNUAL HONOREES 

LINDEN BLUE
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year 

SIR RICHARD BRANSON
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur 

SI ROBIN
Legends Aviation Inventor Award 

ED BOLEN
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year 

EMILY HOWELL-WARNER
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

ZOE DELL LANTIS NUTTER
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award 

HARRISON FORD 
Legends Aviation Legacy Award 

MAJ. GEN. WILLIAM ANDERS
Heritage Patriot Award 

USAF MAJ. PAUL ‘MAX” MOGA
Legends Top Flyer Award  

 

2007 / 5th ANNUAL HONOREES 

HH SHEIKH AHMED BIN SAEED AL-MAKTOUM
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year

JAMES RAISBECK
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

JOHN TRAVOLTA
Official Ambassador of Aviation Award

DR. FORREST M. BIRD
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award

GEORGE MCGOVERN
Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award

PETE BUNCE
Aviation Industry Leader of the Year

 

2006 / 4th ANNUAL HONOREES 

DALE & ALAN KLAPMEIER
Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year 

AL UELTSCHI
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

BOB HOOVER
Freedom of Flight Award 

 

2005 / 3rd ANNUAL HONOREES

VERN RABURN
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year 

STEVEN F. UDVAR-HAZY
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur 

 

2004/ 2nd ANNUAL HONOREES 

JOE CLARK
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year

CLAY LACY
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur

 

2003 / 1st ANNUAL HONOREES

RICK ADAM
Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year 

CHARLES C. GATES
Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur