12th Annual Competition For The Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy

The 12th annual National Aviation Heritage Invitational kicked-off Monday with call for applications for vintage aircraft to compete for the acclaimed Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy. This year's competition is held in conjunction with the Reno National Championship Air Race in Reno, Nevada on September 15 - 19, 2010.

A panel of judges reviews participating aircraft against standard criteria developed by the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum that includes authenticity, quality of workmanship, attention to detail and technical merit. 

Trophies are awarded in three categories - antique, classic and warbird, defined as follows:

• Antique - includes all eligible civil aircraft flying in 1935 and earlier.  The winning aircraft will be awarded the Orville and Wilbur Wright trophy;
• Classic - includes all eligible civil aircraft flying in years 1936 to 1965.  The winning aircraft will be awarded the Paul E. Garber trophy; and
• Warbird - includes all eligible military aircraft flying prior to 1965.  The winning aircraft will be awarded the Henry "Hap" Arnold trophy.

The overall winning aircraft is awarded the Rolls-Royce Aviation Heritage Trophy, which resides at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles Airport in Virginia where the winning aircraft owner's name and the name of the restoration facility is engraved on a plaque placed on the trophy. The overall winner is presented with a keeper trophy. 

In addition, the People's Choice trophy sponsored by the National Aviation Hall of Fame is awarded to the owner of the aircraft receiving the largest number of votes cast by the event attendees.

To be considered, aircraft must be of a type flying at least 45 years prior to the year of entry and may not be a participant in the Reno National Championship Air Races and Air Show. Each aircraft may only be entered in one category, which must be declared on the application form. No more than 40 aircraft will be selected, and the entry deadline is August 20th.

Rolls -Royce and its partners, the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum, the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the Reno Air Racing Foundation, sponsor the Invitational. The National Aviation Heritage Invitational is also supported by many other well-known names in the aviation industry.

FMI: www.heritagetrophy.com