Vertical Flight Leaders Recognized For Contributions

The Vertical Flight Society has announced the 2025 recipients of its awards program. The awards have been presented since 1944 to honor the outstanding leaders in vertical flight who have served to further the advancement of technology.

Angelo Collins, Executive Director of the VFS said, “Since Igor Sikorsky and Gen. H. Franklin Gregory were first honored in 1944, the Vertical Flight Society has been recognizing the leading contributors to advancing vertical flight. VFS This year’s honorees have made lasting contributions that continue to shape the past, present and future of vertical flight.”

The recipients will be honored at the Grand Awards Banquet on May 22, 2025 at the 81st Annual Forum and Technology Display in Virginia Beach, Virginia.

This year’s honorees are:

Dr. Alexander Klemin Award, the Society’s highest honor:  Dr. Michael Torok, retired from Sikorsky

Honorary Fellows:

• John O’Neill, retired from Sikorsky
• Mike Hirschberg, Vertical Flight Society

Technical Fellows:

• Glen Knaust, Lockheed Martin Technical Fellow and Sikorsky Experimental Test Pilot
• Dr. Hao Kang, Team Lead in the U.S. Army Combat DEVCOM
• Dr. Klausdieter Pahlke, Head of Rotorcraft Branch in the German Aerospace Center
• Thomas H. Maier, Design, Simulation, and Experimentation Division Chief, DEVCOM

John J. Schneider Historical Achievement Award:  Harry Pember, vertical flight historian

Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Awards:

• Dr. Vera Klimchenko, Senior Aeronautical Engineer at Sikorsky
• Dr. Umberto Saetti, Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland

Paul E. Haueter Award:  Jim Tighe, Chief Technology Officer at Wisk Aero

Alex M. Stoll Award, a new award for extraordinary contributions:  Dr. Natasha Schatzman

FMI:  www.vtol.org/