One of aviation journalism’s most respected voices, our sister publication FLYING Magazine’s Fred George, will literally join aviation royalty when he’s inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation on Jan. 19. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, is also among the inductees as are CAE CEO Marc Parent and renowned warbird expert and pilot Steve Hinton.
George is one of the most accomplished pilots in aviation media with time logged on almost 200 aircraft, many flown for published evaluations. He has more than 7,000 hours and has won numerous awards for his objective, detailed and thoughtful articles on everything from Piper Cubs to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. He was Navy F-4 pilot who became an instructor, jet charter pilot and DPE before joining FLYING in the 1980s and also writing for other publications, including as Chief Aircraft Evaluation Editor at Aviation Week. He recently rejoined FLYING.
The awards ceremony is held annually to recognize those who have made significant contributions to aviation and aerospace. According to the group’s website, the “Living Legends of Aviation” include entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, record breakers, astronauts, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots.
Past legends are responsible for nominating and selecting the inductees for the annual ceremony, and Prince Harry’s nomination has raised some eyebrows.
According to the news release, Prince Harry is a British Army veteran and pilot with a decade of military service, conducting training missions in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia as well as combat missions in Afghanistan. He is also credited as the founder of the Invictus Games, a global sporting event for wounded veterans.
But despite the accolades, his nomination has drawn backlash across social media channels and British tabloids. Former head of the Royal Navy told MailOnline, “He is not a living legend of aviation. To suggest he is is pathetic. It makes the whole thing seem a bit of a nonsense if they’re willing to pick someone like Prince Harry.”
Others have taken their frustration to change.org with a petition asking for the Living Legends of Aviation to reconsider its decision.
Co-pilot in an attack helicopter. Not suitable for higher rank — just like Uncle Andrew. What to do with him? Pay him to become a living legend!
FYI, The “co-pilot” is the actual person selecting targets and firing the weapons systems. His duties are far different than that of the pilot who positions the aircraft in order for the weapons to be brought to bear. In the “B”, “C” and “M” model gunship during Vietnam the aircraft commander was the gunner not the person handling the flight controls.
That does have a whiff of Big Name Dropping, doesn’t it? Doubt that Harry Sussex would consider himself a “Living Legend of Aviation”, and I seriously doubt that he will attend. Very embarrassing for the LLoA to be caught in such blatant pandering.
Good for Fred George. But Prince Harry? Alongside such pioneers as Neil Armstrong and Paul Poberezny? I don’t think so. This cheap quest for free publicity to sell tables at its gala undermines every honor the LLoA has bestowed and makes me question its validity going forward.
Of course Prince Harry is a joke. But I’ve never heard of Fred George and a subscribed to flying magazine in the 80’s.
That Harry is more than a joke. The nomination makes the people that are in charged for that task to be known as the epitome of imbecility.
Props for Prince Harry for founding Invictus Games but there are more appropriate forums than LLoA to recognize that act.
Also, I don’t read FLYING = I never heard of Fred George. Though, having been part of the process of nominating and inducting notable individuals into a status of recognition, I know it can be harder than it seems. “Who’s it gonna be this year?” can be a question that won’t get answered until the last possible moment. LLoA has an added constraint of needing their recipients to be living. It’s not always a slam dunk when it comes to determining those to be honored.
And if Prince Harry does show up, you gotta hope the wife stays home.
Care to elaborate?
She’s made a career in popular media by pouting, fault-finding and airing grievances. She does not need the opportunity for more of the same regarding this event. Who needs it? Unless you’re a fan.
Looks like the forum is getting heated with disrepectful opinions.
The inclusion of a 200 hour helicopter pilot, regardless of his name, is so paltry, so frivolous, as to invalidate the institution that has nominated him.
Aside from Harry not being a legend of anything, the “Living Legends of Aviation” is rendered irrelevant by his inclusion.
Paul Bertorelli for “Living Legends of Aviation”.