December 20, 2010
One of the general aviation community’s own was honored on December 17, 2010, for his long-standing advocacy in support of aviation at the Aero Club of Washington’s annual Wright Memorial Dinner, which was attended by hundreds of aviation leaders from government and industry.
Each year, the National Aeronautic Association’s (NAA’s) Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy is presented at the Wright Memorial Dinner, and the 2010 Trophy was awarded to Harrison Ford in recognition of his many contributions to aviation as an accomplished pilot, aviation industry advocate, humanitarian and mentor.
Ford has long been a vocal champion for general aviation. He is the spokesman for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s (AOPA’s) “GA Serves America” campaign, and has addressed the General Aviation Caucus in Congress. He has exposed hundreds of young people to the excitement of aviation, and has personally flown missions in support of the Cessna Citation Special Olympics Airlift, which provides free transport for athletes to the Special Olympics USA National Games. He also joined with hundreds of others in general aviation in flying relief missions to help victims of the January 12, 2010 earthquake that struck the island nation of Haiti. He has worked to promote aviation safety and reduce runway incursions, by participating in runway safety videos for the Federal Aviation Administration’s Runway Safety Office.
In receiving the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy, Ford emphasized the need for the aviation community to work together in common cause to ensure that the job creation, technology development, economic activity and other benefits long provided by aviation would continue to materialize in the years to come.
The Wright Memorial Dinner was emceed by NBAA Senior Vice President for Government Affairs, Lisa Piccione, who has also served as the 2010 President of the Aero Club of Washington. Jonathan Gaffney, NAA President and CEO, and Chairman of the NAA Selection Committee said: “All of us at NAA are very grateful for the work that Mr. Ford has done to advance the cause of aviation and aerospace in our nation. An avid pilot and active member of the aviation community, his unswerving passion for aviation, combined with his global respect and visibility, have provided both the opportunity and platform from which he has been able to make a significant impact on something very important to him – aviation’s future.”
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.