Among Five Inductees At Saturday's Ceremonies
Steve Fossett -- one of the world's greatest adventurers,
holding 116 records in five different sports, many of them historic
"firsts," including completing a solo balloon trip around the
globe; Sally K. Ride, America's first woman in space; and three
others were inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF)
at the 46th annual ceremony in Dayton, OH Saturday.
Also inducted were Walter J. Boyne, former director of the
Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, aviation historian, and
best-selling author; Evelyn Bryan Johnson, a flight instructor who
logged more flight hours, trained more pilots, and given more FAA
checkrides than any other woman; and Frederick W. Smith, former
Marine Corp pilot and founder, CEO, and chairman of FedEx
Corporation.
Their induction, considered the highest individual tribute in
aviation, brings to 200 men and women aviation pioneers to be so
honored for their individual achievement and significant
contributions made towards advancing flight, reported the
Associated Press.
Said Fossett, 63, to the 1,000 gathered as he accepted the
medallion signifying his induction, "I'm hoping you didn't give me
this award because you think my career is complete, because I'm not
done."
"You may ask, what's the secret of flying solo? The secret is a
great support team," he said, thanking the ground team.
Fossett plans to go to Argentina in November in an effort to break
a glider record.
In 2002, he became the first person to fly around the world
alone in a balloon and three years later became the first person to
fly a plane solo around the world without refueling. He and a
co-pilot also claim to have set a world glider altitude record of
50,671 feet during a flight last August over the Andes
Mountains.
Sally Ride, 56, became the first US woman in space when she flew
aboard the space shuttle Challenger, STS-7, in 1983. She returned
to space aboard the Challenger in 1984 and served on the board that
investigated the 1986 Challenger accident.
"I had a chance to float around weightless for a week ... I got
to float over to the window and take a look at the world below, a
very breathtaking view," she said.
A non-profit founded in Dayton (the hometown of the Wright
brothers) in 1962, the NAHF was chartered by the Congress in 1964.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first enshrined.
The NAHF honors America's outstanding air and space pioneers
through a 17,000 square-foot public Learning Center featuring
interactive exhibits, a character education program using its
enshrinees as positive role models, national outreach events, and
its annual enshrinement celebrations.