National Aeronautic Association

News

May 16, 2018

Summer Awards Ceremony Honors Aviation Record Holders

On May 16th, NAA hosted the 4th Annual Summer Awards Ceremony, which honored the Most Memorable Aviation Records of 2017, as well as other notable record achievements. Captain Eugene Scholl, Roger Ponce De Leon, Gary Fogel, Matthew McCrink, Steven Hinton, James Payne, Collin Miller, and Scott Evans accepted certificates commemorating the Most Memorable Aviation Records of 2017. Pilots Orin Lucas, Frederic Audebert, David Lammers, Joseph Kline, Travis Holland, and Julian MacQueen were presented with certificates for their record flights. The event was held at the Lockheed Martin Fighter Demonstration Center in Arlington, Virginia. Record holders and their guests enjoyed flying...

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May 5, 2018

NAA Contest & Records Board Member Inducted into the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame

NAA Contest & Records Board Member Brian Utley was inducted into the U.S. Soaring Hall of Fame on Saturday, May 5th in Elmira, New York. Art Greenfield, Director of Contest & Records, NAA spoke at the induction ceremony, highlighting Utley’s contributions and accomplishments while serving on the Contest & Records Board. Born in Cottingham, York, Great Britain, Utley came to the U.S. in 1949, to live in Utah, became a citizen in 1954, and soon joined the Civil Air Patrol. He went to work for IBM as a Customer Engineer and was given assignments all over the world. Utley bought...

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May 1, 2018

United States Parachute Association News

May is Learn to Skydive Month! This May, participating skydiving centers around the country are offering first-timers the chance to learn how to skydive-for free! The U.S. Parachute Association has proclaimed May as “Learn to Skydive Month.” Throughout the month, participating skydiving centers will host “Learn to Skydive for Free” classes, which include the ground-training portion of a first-jump course, the first step toward a solo skydive. U.S. Parachute Association-certified instructor s will teach the course s , which include all the basics for jumping solo. Students will learn about equipment, aircraft, exiting, freefall, how to open and land a...

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May 1, 2018

Americans Honored with 2018 FAI Awards

NAA is proud to announce that the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) has awarded three diplomas to the following Americans: FAI Group Diploma of Honour Stanford University’s Space Rendezvous Laboratory (SLAB) Montgolfier Ballooning Diploma Bill Smith Pirat Gehriger Diploma Rick Sheppe FAI medals and diplomas aim at giving public recognition to those who have made outstanding contributions to aeronautics and astronautics, especially in the field of sporting aviation. They are awarded each year at the Opening Ceremony of the annual FAI General Conference. Many of the recipients honored have had their names closely associated with the history and developments of aeronautics...

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April 17, 2018

2018 April Luncheon

NAA hosted its second luncheon of the year on April 17, 2018 in Washington D.C. with guest speaker Dr. John Langford, President & CEO, Aurora Flight Sciences and President-Elect, AIAA. As a leader in advanced autonomous flight, Aurora Flight Sciences has helped shape this dynamic field. Now a part of Boeing, Aurora is at the cutting edge of transformational technology that make aircraft smarter. Dr. Langford gave his presentation “When Will My Air Taxi Arrive?” to a crowd of 80 NAA members and guests. The next NAA luncheon will be held in September 2018, with an exact date to be...

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April 7, 2018

FAI Paul Tissandier Diploma Presented to Dick Ionata

Richard (Dick) Ionata was presented with the Paul Tissandier Diploma by Rod Skaar, Chairman, NAA Contest and Records Board, at his home in Washington state on April 7th. The Tissandier Diploma is awarded “… to those who have served the cause of Aviation in general and Sporting Aviation in particular, by their work, initiative, devotion, or in other ways.” Ionata was appointed to the National Aeronautic Association’s Contest and Records Board in 1997. The NAA Contest and Records Board serves as an independent authority in the administration, documentation, and certification of all record attempts sanctioned by NAA. In 2005, he...

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March 9, 2018

NAA Board Members Honored at Aviation Week’s Laureates Awards Ceremony

For over 60 years, Aviation Week’s Laureate Awards have recognized the extraordinary achievements of individuals and teams in aviation, aerospace, and defense. Their accomplishments embody the spirit of exploration, innovation and vision that inspire others to strive for progress, change and leadership in aviation and aerospace. Several members of the NAA Board of Directors were honored at the Aviation Week Laureate Awards Ceremony on March 1, 2018 at the National Building Museum in Washington D.C. Award recipients included: Business Aviation: Leadership – Edward M. Bolen, President & CEO, National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) In this role, Mr. Bolen created a...

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March 3, 2018

U.S. National Records for Gliders Presented at the 2018 SSA Awards Banquet

NAA President & CEO, Greg Principato presented two U.S. National Records for Gliders at the 2018 Soaring Society of America (SSA) Awards Banquet in Reno, Nevada on March 3, 2018. Anthony B. Condon II accepted his record certificate for a record performance on May 5, 2017: Class D, Standard, General Straight Distance to a Goal Hutchinson, KS to La Grange, TX Schempp-Hirth Standard Cirrus, N10LA 537.28 miles (864.67 km) James M. Payne and Morgan Sandercock also accepted their record for flight on September 3, 2017: Class DO, Open, Multiplace, General Absolute Altitude El Calafate, Argentina Perlan 2, N901EE 52,221 feet...

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March 1, 2018

Model Aeronautics News

Team USA Wins First Place at 2018 FAI F1D World Championship Senior team member Brett Sanborn won the individual championship and the US team won first place in the team competition at the 2018 FAI F1D World Championship for Indoor Model Aircraft. Pictured are the Senior team winners: USA (first), Romania (second), and the United Kingdom (third). AMA congratulates the event participants, volunteers, National Free Flight Society members, and the West Baden Springs Hotel, in West Baden, IN, for such an outstanding event! For more information, please click here. Celebrate National Model Aviation Day on August 11 Join the Academy...

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March 1, 2018

President’s Message

A bit over a year ago, Jean Tinsley passed away. Jean was one of our Distinguished Statesman, but she was so much more than that. Jean was a co-founder of the Helicopter Club of America, an Executive Director of the Whirly Girls, and an active member of the Ninety-Nines. She was one of six pilots to compete on the first US team at the World Helicopter Championships, and later was a Chief Judge at the event. Jean was the first woman in the world to obtain a gyroplane rating in a constant speed propeller driven gyroplane and the first woman...

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Washington, DC 20001-6015

Phone: (703) 416-4888

Email: [email protected]

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