The National Aviation Hall of Fame announced its Enshrinee Class of 2017 at the National Business Aviation Association Convention in Orlando, Florida, last week. The four selected individuals, with accomplishments spanning from the dawn of the jet age to manned space exploration, will be enshrined at a formal ceremony next fall.
The inductees are:
Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden, Jr., USMC (Ret.) — a Vietnam War fighter pilot and four-time Shuttle veteran who later became NASA administrator.
The late Cmdr. Malcolm Scott Carpenter, USN — a Navy test pilot, one of the original Mercury 7 astronauts and the second American to orbit Earth. Carpenter helped design the Apollo lunar module and develop underwater training for spacewalks.
Robert J. Gilliland — an Air Force jet fighter and test pilot who has logged more test-flight hours above Mach 3 than any other pilot.
The late Sir Frank Whittle — The British “Founder of the Jet Age,” who built the first practical turbojet engine in 1937 and whose subsequent engine technology led directly to development of the jet aircraft industry in the United States.
Since 1962, the NAHF has honored 233 men and women. The 55th annual Enshrinement Dinner & Ceremony is open to the public, with reservations available through NAHF.
