Four Legends Of Flight Will Be Honored In Dayton In July

The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) revealed the names of its enshrinee Class of 2008 Friday evening, at a dinner celebrating the 104th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers' first powered flight. The Class of 2008 includes Col. Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson, USAF (Ret.), veteran WWII triple ace and experimental test pilot; Herbert D. Kelleher, co-founder, former CEO, and Executive Chairman of Southwest Airlines; the late William A. Moffett, architect of naval military aviation; and Sean D. Tucker, champion aerobatic air show performer and instructor.

The NAHF Learning Center and the adjacent National Museum of the United States Air Force served as the venue for the first flight anniversary dinner and program. The annual event is hosted by Dayton-based Aviation Trail, Inc. (ATI), a non-profit organization promoting over 40 regional partnering aviation sites and venues.

The 2008 class of inductees is a diverse group of individuals including a WWII triple ace, an airline mogul, a naval aviation pioneer and an aerobatic champion:

Colonel Clarence E. "Bud" Anderson, USAF, (Ret), was born in Oakland, CA and learned to fly in the Civilian Pilot Training Program in 1941. Serving two tours with the 357th Fighter Group in Europe, Anderson is credited with 16 ¼ aerial victories while flying the P-51 Mustang. He later worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a fighter test pilot and became the Chief of Fighter Operations, testing many of the innovations now standard equipment on today’s tactical aircraft.

While at the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards AFB, Anderson was assigned as Chief of Flight Test Operations and later Deputy Director of Flight Test. In 1970, Anderson commanded the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, flying F-105 Thunderchiefs on bombing strikes against North Vietnam.

He retired from active duty in 1972 and spent 12 years in test flight operations with the McDonnell Douglas Corporation.

He has logged over 7500 flight hours in more than 130 different types of aircraft. Colonel Anderson will be present to accept his enshrinement.

Herbert D. Kelleher, was born in Haddon Heights, NJ. A founder of Southwest Airlines Company, Kelleher currently serves as its Executive Chairman, a position he has held since March 1978.

Southwest commenced service with just three airplanes in 1971 after years of courtroom battles with incumbent airlines. Today, Southwest operates a fleet of 513 airplanes performing over 3,300 flights per day. Kelleher’s visionary leadership has resulted in 34 consecutive years of company profitability and Southwest has never furloughed an employee.

For the eleventh year in a row, FORTUNE magazine’s survey of all industries recognized Southwest as number five among America’s top ten most admired corporations.

Kelleher has received numerous awards and honors, including the US Chamber of Commerce Business Leadership Hall of Fame; CEO of the Year, and one of history’s top three CEOs. Kelleher will be present to accept his enshrinement.

The late William A. Moffett is widely recognized as "the father of naval aviation," responsible for creating the organization and infrastructure on which naval aviation was built during WWII.

A native of Charleston, SC, Moffett graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1890. He received the Medal of Honor for his action in support of the landing at Veracruz, Mexico, in 1914 while commanding the cruiser Chester.

During WWI, Moffett took command of the Great Lakes Naval Training Station and established an aviation training program. In 1921, the Navy established the Bureau of Aeronautics with Moffett at the helm. Under his tutelage, naval aircraft tactics were developed, the first aircraft carriers were introduced, and the Naval Aircraft Expansion Act of 1926 provided the Navy with 1,000 operational aircraft.

Moffett died on April 4, 1933 when the airship Akron went down off the coast of New Jersey. A member of his family is expected to accept enshrinement on his behalf.

Sean D. Tucker is a native of Eagle Rock, CA and earned his pilot’s license at age 17. He has flown fixed-wing crop dusters, and owned a helicopter aerial business and a Fixed Base Operation. Tucker first began flying in air shows in the mid-1970’s and has won numerous aerobatic competitions.

As a member of Team Oracle, Tucker’s air show routine has thrilled more than 10 million spectators a year. Over half of Tucker’s maneuvers are original and have never been duplicated by any other aerobatic pilot.

In 2006, he established the Tutima Academy of Aviation Safety, a flight training institute dedicated to setting and spreading the standard for aviation safety in aviation and aerobatics.

Tucker has received numerous honors, including both the air show industry’s Art Scholl Memorial Showmanship Award and Bill Barber Award in 1992, and was named one of the 25 "Living Legends of Flight" by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in 2003. Tucker will be present to accept his enshrinement, and will perform during the Dayton Air Show taking place the same weekend.

Each year, the NAHF Board of Nominations, a voting body comprised of over 130 air and space professionals nationwide, selects the handful of individuals to be recognized for their aviation achievements through enshrinement into the NAHF. Making the announcement tonight will be Chairman of the NAHF Board of Trustees, retired Air Force Colonel Garald K. "Robbie" Robinson.

Their formal enshrinement will take place in Dayton -- The Birthplace of Aviation -- on Saturday, July 19, 2008, where they will join the 195 legends of flight previously so honored by the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Often referred to as "America’s Oscar Night of Aviation," the NAHF enshrinement celebration in July will attract hundreds of industry leaders, government and defense officials, former enshrinees, and aviation enthusiasts worldwide.

FMI: www.nationalaviation.org