January 24, 2009 Living Legends Gala Honors Ford, Branson |
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By Cindy Pedersen, Associate Publisher
Photos by Robert Kirchner
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| photos by Robert Kirchner |
Hundreds of aviators, celebrities and industry leaders attended the 6th Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards banquet last Thursday. It was a star-studded tribute held at the Beverly Hilton to recognize and honor individuals who have made significant contributions in aviation. The overwhelming sentiment expressed by the award winners and presenters was the joy of sharing their love of flying and the commitment to spark the passion for aviation in others, such as One Six Right pilot Si Robin, who gave airplane rides to 250 students in Santa Monica who got an A on their report cards. Harrison Ford, recipient of the Legends Aviation Legacy Award, told the crowd that "aviation is an earned reward," and said that as chairman of EAA's Young Eagles, he encourages kids to "study and focus." Sir Richard Branson, winner of the Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award, updated the crowd on his plans to make the experience of space travel more accessible with Virgin Galactic.
The gala event is produced as a fundraiser in conjunction with Airport Journals by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded by Bill Marcy at KiddieHawk.org. Their special Bee Gee Racer "trainer" allows kids 5 to 11 years old to take their first flight lesson in simulators with motion and realistic flight controls. The new "trainers" will be Viper Jets (as featured on the March cover of Kitplanes).
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Gee Bee Racer, Kiddie Hawk Trainer |
Barrington Irving & Julie Clark |
Sir Richard Branson & Morgan Freeman |
Clay Lacy Presents Si Robin with the "Aviation Inventor Award" |
Ed Bolen Receives the "Aviation Industry Leader" Award |
Joe Clark Presents to Linden Blue the "Aviation Entrepreneur" Award |
Sir Richard Branson Receives the "Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur" Award from James Raisbeck |
Branson Asked Those Who Have Booked their Trip into Space to Stand — and 5 Guests Did |
Branson Suggests a Possible New Uniform for Virgin Galactic (On Pin-Up Art) |
Emily Howell-Warner, First Female Airline Pilot, Receives the "Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight" Award |
Nick Carter, Zoe Dell, Lantis Nutter, Recipient of "Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight" Award, Jerry Lipps |
Harrison Ford Receives the "Aviation Legacy" Award |
Clay Lacy, Maj. Gen. William Anders, "Heritage Patriot" Award |
Bill Anders Presents USAF Maj. Paul Moga the "Top Flyer" Award |
Bill Marcy with Kiddie Hawk Recipients |
Dr. Bonnie Dunbar, Shuttle Payload Commander |
Sean Tucker Receives a $50K Bid for Autographed Lockheed Constellation Prop |
Replica + Scale of Hoover's Luftwaffe FW-190 to Be Auctioned |
Freeman and Ford Give $50K checks to Hoover |
Cowling Podium, Fuselage by Moto Art |
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