Celebrating Excellence, Leadership, and Aerospace Achievement

Join the National Aeronautic Association as we honor the pioneers, visionaries, and leaders who shape the future of flight.

Each year, the National Aeronautic Association brings together people from across aviation to celebrate extraordinary accomplishments in flight, air sports, and public service.

The NAA Fall Awards Dinner is an evening dedicated to aeronautic and astronautic excellence, and the enduring spirit of aviation progress. We invite our members, awardees, sponsors, and aviation enthusiasts to join us for an inspiring evening of recognition and networking.

Awards Scheduled to be Presented

🏆 2026 Bruce Whitman Trophy 

• Charles Q. Brown, Jr. – For exceptional leadership and professional achievements in aerospace over nearly 40 years of military service, enduring dedication to preserving military heritage, and mentoring the next generation of aerospace leaders.

🏆 2026 Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesmen & Stateswomen of Aviation Award

●     Kate Cooper-Jensen – For shattering over twenty world records in human flight, leading historic formation achievements, and raising millions for charitable causes through an inspiring, empowering legacy of service.

●     Jeff Goin – For founding national powered paragliding governance, authoring world-leading educational reference manuals, and providing continuous leadership to advance safety and participation across air sports.

●     Thomas Haines – For four decades of executive leadership, media excellence, and national advocacy that continues to inspire pilots to fly safely and with passion across general aviation.

●     Sara Nelson – For transformative leadership advancing aviation safety, workforce protections, and national resilience through principled advocacy that strengthens the air transportation system for workers and passengers alike.

●     Brian Utley – For decades of dedicated service, leadership, and technical stewardship advancing soaring flight, official record validation, and international air sports governance.

🏆 2025 Public Benefit Flying Awards

• Distinguished Volunteer Pilot – Rolf Wallin – For altruistically giving his time, talent, and resources to support numerous organizations working to pursue conservation and environmental justice, by providing flights as a SouthWings volunteer pilot.

🏆 2026 Public Benefit Flying Awards

• Distinguished Volunteer Pilot – Ace Ellinwood – For unwavering commitment and selfless dedication to serving passengers through hundreds of volunteer missions, embodying the true spirit of volunteer aviation service.
• Distinguished Volunteer – Brenda Walsh – For demonstrating the core essence of charitable aviation by coordinating the care, vetting, and air transport of over 2,000 unwanted pets to rescue, foster, and adoptive homes.
• Outstanding Achievement in the Advancement of Public Benefit Flying – Mark Hanson – For advancing public benefit flying nationwide through hundreds of volunteer missions, national organizational leadership, safety advocacy, and tireless outreach that expanded access to life-saving aviation services.
• Public Benefit Flying Teamwork Award – Project Airtime – For over 12 years of safely and successfully personalizing free training and organizing accommodating paragliding flights for individuals with physical limitations through dedicated volunteer efforts.
• Champion of Public Benefit Flying – Douglas Wohl – For over 15 years of volunteer service, flying more than 200 missions, mentoring pilots, and advancing public benefit flying through exceptional skill, leadership, and unwavering dedication to patients in need.

🏆 2025 Marjorie and Katherine Stinson Trophy

• Kathryn Hughes – For a pioneering career dedicated to advocating for and mentoring women in aviation, driving career growth and cultivating the next generation of female leaders.

🏆 2026 Katharine Wright Trophy

• Kelly Adams – For 23 years of exemplary service and steadfast devotion to advancing aerospace medicine, elevating medical standards, and paving the way for future leaders in healthcare.

🏆 2026 Brewer Trophy

• National Center for Aviation Training – For establishing scalable, industry-aligned career pathways, training thousands of aerospace professionals, and serving as a national model for workforce development.

🏆 2026 FAI Group Diploma of Honour – Astronautics

• Blue Origin – For transformative contributions to reusable spaceflight, low Earth orbit and lunar habitats, planetary sampling technologies, and advanced propulsion, driving pioneering progress across human and robotic exploration of our solar system.

🏆 2026 FAI Group Diploma of Honour – Aeronautics

• Parachutist Magazine – For extraordinary leadership in aviation journalism since 1957, providing an enduring historical record, essential safety and technical instruction, and unmatched coverage to the global parachuting community.

Fall Awards Ticket Form