The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame has announced the selection of
five new members for induction to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame
during the 5th Annual Induction Ceremony and Gala to be held on
Saturday, November 8, 2003.
The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame honors Texans who have made
outstanding contributions to the development, growth, or
preservation of aviation. The Class of 2003 inductees are:
Gordon M. Bethune, Chairman and CEO Continental Airlines, Inc.;
Archie G. Donahue, a World War II fighter pilot with 215 combat
missions and 14 aerial victories; Deborah Jean Rihn-Harvey (seen
below), the longest standing member of the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic
Team, currently in her 21st season; Dr. Leo Windecker, developer of
the world’s first FAA certified all-composite airplane, the
Windecker Eagle; and John W. Young, the first person to fly six
times in space, working aboard missions from Gemini III in 1965, to
the first Spacelab flight in 1983. In 1972, Young flew to the
moon on Apollo XVI. All inductees are scheduled to appear at
the ceremony.
With the addition of these individuals, the Texas
Aviation Hall of Fame honors 44 outstanding men and women who have
made significant contributions to aviation. A partial list of
previous inductees includes Dr. “Red” Duke, founder of
Hermann Life Flight, Mr. Herb Kelleher, founder of Southwest
Airlines, Brigadier General David Lee (Tex) Hill, commander of the
Panda Bear Squadron of the Flying Tigers, astronauts Alan Bean and
Gene Cernan, Bessie Coleman, the first woman to earn an
International Aviation License and the world's first licensed black
aviator, Mr. Howard Hughes, aircraft designer and aviation pioneer,
and the thirteen Texans of Doolittle’s Tokyo Raiders.
The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame was established in 1997 by the
74th Texas Legislature through a concurrent resolution signed by
then Gov. George W. Bush. The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame is
also home to the Lone Star Flight Museum, which boasts an
award-winning collection of 34 historically significant aircraft
and over 11,000 artifacts housed in the 100,000 square foot,
air-conditioned facility.
Following the Induction Ceremony and Gala, the
Lone Star Flight Museum will host an end-of-season Fly Day on
Sunday, November 9, 2003. This informal flying event will
feature vintage aircraft from the Lone Star Flight Museum
collection and other aircraft from the area as we salute our
veterans. Flying will begin at noon and continue until 3:00
PM. Throughout the day, visitors can tour the Texas Aviation
Hall of Fame and view exhibits honoring the five new
inductees.
Fly Day Admission is $6.00 for adults, $4.00 for children, with
children 4 and under admitted free. No special passes or coupons
will be accepted. The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame is located
on Galveston’s west end next to Moody Gardens at the
Galveston International Airport at Scholes Field.
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