Wheatley Award Goes To MTSU Professor Paul Craig

The University Aviation Association (UAA) recognized its 2004 Collegiate Aviation Award recipients during the Fall Education Conference Awards Banquet in Toronto, Ontario. The organization's renowned William A. Wheatley Award was presented to Dr. Paul A. Craig. Other award recipients included: Dr. Kent Backart, V. L. Laursen Award; Dr. Manoj S. Patankar, Frank E. Sorenson Award; and Dr. Robert P. Olislagers, W. W. Estridge Award.

Dr. Paul A. Craig, associate professor and Aerospace Department chairman at Middle Tennessee State University, received the William A. Wheatley Award. The Award honors Professor Wheatley, an aviation education pioneer who established a relationship between airlines and educators that remains to this day. This award is presented annually to a professional educator who, for more than ten years, has made outstanding contributions to aerospace education.

As an accomplished educator, researcher and author, Dr. Craig has had a significant impact on aviation education and is a leader in addressing technological advances and their safe integration into collegiate training programs. He has established an influential international presence in aviation and aviation safety through his many book and article publications. Dr. Craig is a past recipient of the North Carolina and Tennessee Flight Instructor of the Year awards, and the NCVT Outstanding Teacher award.
 
Dr. Kent Backart, executive director of Alpha Eta Rho (AHP), the international, co-educational aviation fraternity, was presented the Laursen Award. The Laursen Award, honoring former Trans World Airline Captain Vern L. Laursen, is presented annually to a professional educator with a minimum of five years of experience in the education profession and who has made outstanding contributions to aerospace education.

Dr. Backart has almost 40 years of experience in aviation and aviation education, serving as chair of the Aviation Department at Palomar College from 1983 until 1995. Through the years, he conducted numerous summer aerospace workshops for elementary and secondary school teachers throughout California. Since his retirement, Dr. Backart has served as the executive director of the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) Foundation, Alpha Eta Rho and of the NIFA/AHP Alumni Association. He is a former recipient of UAA's Wheatley and Estridge Awards and the NIFA Recognition Award.

Dr. Manoj S. Patankar, associate professor and graduate programs coordinator in the Department of Aviation Science at Parks College of Engineering and Aviation at Saint Louis University, is the recipient of the Sorenson Award. The Award, sponsored by the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), honors Frank E. Sorenson who served as the Director of the UNO Aviation Education Research Group. This award is presented annually to a professional educator who has made substantial contributions to the field of aviation research and scholarship.

Dr. Patankar has contributed substantially to the field of aviation research with numerous scholarly activities. This extensive production includes books, scholarship presentations, paper publications and successful grant acquisitions. His repertoire includes aviation safety applied to the three significant areas of flight, maintenance and management. He has accomplished scholarly work in the areas of safety culture, attitude assessment, accident causal factors and error management.

Dr. Robert P. Olislagers, executive director of the Centennial Airport (Englewood, Colorado), is this year's recipient of the Estridge Award. The Estridge Award, sponsored by CrewCar.com, honors former Captain W. W. Estridge of American Airlines. This award is presented annually to a representative of the aviation industry who is a distinguished supporter of collegiate aviation education.

Dr. Olislagers is an ardent supporter of aviation education. He has taught airport management at Palomar College and guest lectured at various colleges and universities over the last 10 years. For the past three years, he has served as Chairman of Academic Relations for the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) where he has made notable contributions and improvements to the organization's student program. He is an extraordinary mentor to students in a variety of collegiate aviation programs around the US as well as to airport managers and airport professionals.

FMI: www.uaa.auburn.edu