CLICK HERE FOR INFO - 2010 GALA & INDUCTION CEREMONY NOVEMBER 13, 2010
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AVIATION HALL OF FAME MEMBER WILDER DIES
Memphis - January 1, 2010
Former Lt. Governor John S. Wilder passed away only minutes after the entry of the New Year 2010 at a hospital in Memphis following a reported stroke suffered a few days earlier. He was 88 years of age.
Among his many distinctions is the fact that John S. Wilder's service for 36-years as Speaker of the Senate and Lt. Governor of the State of Tennessee is the longest serving presiding officer of a legislative chamber in U.S. history.
| | Lt. Gov. John Wilder & TAHF Chairman Bob Minter |
Wilder was a pilot and a dedicated advocate for aviation. In 2004, he was inducted into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame to honor his contributions to aviation in his beloved home state.
Aviation Hall of Fame Chairman, Bob Minter said, "Governor Wilder was a dear friend. This is a very sad day. We will miss him, but his legacy as a man of great integrity, and his extraordinary service to Tennessee and to aviation in our state will live forever."
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AVIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTS FOUR AT 8TH ANNUAL GALA
Sevierville November 17, 2009
Over 400 aviation aficionados', families and friends witnessed the Induction of four extraordinary Tennesseans at Saturday evening's 8th Annual Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation. This year's event also dedicated part of the program to a celebration of Evelyn Bryan Johnson's 100th birthday. Mrs. Johnson, an aviation legend in her own right, was inducted in 2002 and became a Centenarian on November 4th. Her 57,640 logged flight hours, more than any woman in aviation history, have earned her a place in The Genius Book of World Records. Mrs. Johnson manages Morristown's Municipal Airport.
| | More than 400 attended the 2009 Gala & Induction event |
This years Gala became a "Gathering of Eagles" as notable friends of the inductees arrived to honor those being enshrined. 2009 Honoree Lt. Col. William H. Pickron, Jr., a pilot to many Tennessee Governors, was pleasantly surprised when he discovered that his WWII era buddies: Robert J. "Bob" Gilliland, Lt. Col. Ed Yeilding, Lt. Col. Charlie Brakebill and S/Sgt. Dennis Livesay had come to celebrate his induction. Bob Gilliland was Lockheed's Chief Test Pilot for the SR-71 "Blackbird" development and still holds the record for the most flight hours at 3-times the speed of sound. Yeilding is the holder of a number of speed records in the SR-71, including a coast-to-coast flight time of 67 minutes 54 seconds. Charlie Brakebill and Dennis Livesay rounded out Pickron's former USAF comrade's reunion. The enduring bond of these extraordinary veteran aviators was palpable throughout the evening.
Inductees for 2009 included Nashville native Jennifer Cairns Baker; Memphian Jim D. Ethridge; the posthumous induction of E. Ward King of Kingsport and Lt. Col. Pickron of Murfreesboro.
Mrs. Baker was honored for her tireless advocacy for Aircraft Maintenance Technicians and the AMT profession. She owns the Baker School of Aeronautics in Nashville, a world renowned AMT certification training school. Mr. Ethridge, a member of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority and former member and chairman of the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission has made numerous contributions to the entire airports and aviation industry in Tennessee. The late E. Ward King founded Tennessee's first intrastate commuter airline and Lt. Col. Pickron, in addition to his noteworthy military service, served as the State of Tennessee's first Chief Pilot, flying Governors, cabinet members and state officials. He also made flights to successfully transport life-saving human organs in extreme weather conditions.
The Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame is Tennessee's official aviation hall of fame and the state's Repository & Archive for Aviation History. Those selected for induction must have made a significant and enduring contribution or service to aviation from within Tennessee's borders, or be a native Tennessean who made their extraordinary contribution or service from anywhere in the world. To date, thirty-three men and women who have made or contributed to Tennessee's aviation history have been enshrined. Their stories are displayed on permanent plaques that hang in a place of honor in the Tennessee Museum of Aviation located on the Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge Airport in Sevierville.
The Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame is a non-profit IRS 501(c)(3) organization.
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44th ANNUAL TENNESSEE MID-SOUTH AVIATION MAINTENANCE CONFERENCE - March 1-3, 2010 Nashville Radisson Hotel Opryland
This nationally acclaimed aviation maintenance conference begins March 2nd with two-days of technology updates for the aviation maintenance professional. This is also an accredited program for IA renewal under the recently revised FAA regulations. Admission is FREE . Click here to register: CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CLICK HERE
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NBC'S TODAY SHOW - WILLARD SCOTT FEATURED MAMA BIRD'S 100th BIRTHDAY
NBC's Today Show celebrity and former weathercaster, Willard Scott featured Evelyn Bryan Johnson's 100th Birthday on November 4th at around 8:30 AM EST. According to Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame Chairman, Bob Minter, Miss Evelyn was thrilled. She told Bob that she hoped Willard Scott would recognize her 100th Birthday!
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TENNESSEE 99'S DONATE CHARTER MEMBER'S MEMORABELIA
September 29, 2009 Sevierville
The Tennessee Chapter of the 99's has donated the papers of Charter Member Ruth Thomas to the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame's Official State Repository and Archive for Aviation History. Mrs. Thomas chartered the Tennessee Chapter of the 99's in August 1940, an international organization of women pilots founded by Amelia Earhart. Mrs. Thomas became the first female Air Traffic Controller in the United States in 1942. She is a nominee for posthumous induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame.
Tennessee 99's President, Martha Miller said, "We are happy to donate the Ruth Thomas papers and historic documents. We loved looking at them and recalling the historical events associated with Ruth and her many accomplishments, but we knew they needed to be shared and properly preserved. We are just not equipped to do that. The TAHF Repository and Archive Project at Middle Tennessee State University is the perfect place to keep the memory of Ruth Thomas alive."
Established in 1929 by Amelia Earhart, 99 women pilots formed the organization to provide mutual support and advancement of aviation. The Ninety-Nines Organization of Women Pilots has continued and expanded that mission. Today, the 99's promotes world fellowship through flight, provides networking and scholarship opportunities for women and aviation education in the community and preserves the unique history of women in aviation.
Earlier this year, the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame accepted a donation of 840 books which were the personal library of a Tennessee, National and International legend, the late Bill Kershner of Sewanee. That collection also resides at the TAHF/MTSU Archives Room in the University's Department of Aerospace Education.
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TAHF MEMBER ABC NEWS "PERSON OF THE WEEK"
August 14, 2009
Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame member Stan Brock, inducted in 2007, has been named ABC News PERSON OF THE WEEK today.
The ABC News story found Stan and REMOTE AREA MEDICAL in arguably the least remote area in the nation, Los Angeles, California, as RAM treats thousands of the less fortunate who can otherwise get no medical care.
| | Stan Brock PERSON OF THE WEEK |
Remote Area Medical was founded around the ability of General Aviation aircraft to reach places oftentimes inaccessible, but Brock says, currently, over 60% of RAM's outreach happens right here in America, much of it in Appalachia, near the organizations home base in Knoxville, Tennessee. Downtown Island Airport (DKX) is home to RAM.
Stan Brock takes no pay for his work, nor do any of his hundreds of volunteers: Doctors, Dentists, Nurses and assistants and so many others who make this extraordinary work possible. RAM volunteers even pay their own way to the humanitarian events they serve.
The story of Remote Area Medical is incredible. Read more about it at: http://www.ramusa.org/ . And you can see the ABC story at: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/PersonOfWeek/story?id=8330961&page=1
Remote Area Medical is one of the great stories about General Aviation in action, and about the best of mankind. You can also read more about Brock at: www.tnaviationhof.org .
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KERSHNER FAMILY DONATES LIBRARY
July 22, 2009 - Sewanee, TN
The family of William K. Kershner has donated his extraordinary personal library to the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame.
William K. "Bill" Kershner of Sewanee, Tennessee became a legendary figure in aviation internationally. He was a Naval Aviator, renowned flight instructor, trainer, lecturer and aviation author. His books have numbered 20 editions and 93 printings with total sales of over 1,260,000. Bill Kershner passed away in January 2007. Mr. Kershner received many honors including induction into the Flight Instructors Hall of Fame in 1998 and the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002. He is a nominee for induction into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. The Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame is the State's Official Aviation Hall of Fame and Tennessee's Repository and Archive for Aviation History.
In 2008, the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame partnered with Middle Tennessee State University's Department of Aerospace to formally manage its archives of Tennessee's aviation history. The project is developing a formal database of events and accomplishments in aviation history including significant artifacts and their location across Tennessee. There are plans to publish the database on the internet to facilitate research and to support the aviation hall of fame's aviation education outreach programs. Plans include a series of museum quality displays across the state highlighting aviation history and those who have contributed to it.
Bob Minter, Chairman of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame said, "The significance of this gift by the Kershner Family cannot be over stated. Bill Kershner is a legendary figure in Tennessee's aviation history and around the world. Becoming custodians of this incredible personal library is an honor. Preserving this collection of more than 600 books and making them available to historians, aviation students and researchers is indeed a privilege."
The Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame, Inc. is a non-profit IRS 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to preserving Tennessee's aviation history, advancing aviation education, and to honoring those who have made extraordinary contributions to aviation and aerospace. The aviation hall of fame is located at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville, Tennessee.
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SHORT WING PIPER GROUP LANDS IN KNOXVILLE
July 1, 2009 Knoxville, TN
Over 200 pilots, family and friends are attending the 2009 National Short Wing Piper Convention being held this week in Knoxville. Downtown Island Airport has been transformed into a showplace of vintage aircraft flown in by Short Wing Piper member pilots from all over the country. A member from Ireland even made the trip but he came by commercial airline. Visiting aviators are lavishing kudos on Downtown Island Airport Manager Craig Davis and his crew for being such excellent hosts.
Convention activities include tours of the Museum of Science & Industry, the Museum of Appalachia, the Gardens of the University of Tennessee and a luncheon at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation. Seminars being conducted at the Crown Plaza Hotel include aircraft restoration and rigging and how to keep your airman's medical. Evening activities include a dinner cruise on the river.
Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame Founder and AOPA Southeast Regional Representative Bob Minter delivered the keynote luncheon address on Tuesday.
Following his address to a packed kick-off luncheon held at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Kenny Brown of Lawrenceburg presented Minter with a plaque which read: "For your many years of dedication and devotion to general aviation, for your guidance and expertise in bringing new pilots into the realm of flight, for ensuring that the rich history of Tennessee aviation will forever be appreciated and preserved, on behalf of the Tennessee Chapter of the Short Wing Piper Club, we extend our thanks."
Prior to departures on Friday, Short Wingers will enjoy a Thursday evening Awards Banquet. Their guest speaker will be short wing pilot Sparky Barnes Sargent who has restored her own aircraft, a 1948 Piper PA-17 Vagabond, which took her seven years to complete. Among her many talents, Sparky is an accomplished writer and author. In 2008 she published "A Hunger For The Sky", biographies of women pilots and their extraordinary contributions to aviation.
Special thanks to the Tennessee Chapter of SWP for bringing and hosting their National Convention here in Tennessee.
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2009 AVIATION HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES NAMED
June 19, 2009
The Board of Directors of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame has named the 2009 class of inductees who will be honored and enshrined on November 14, 2009 at the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame's Annual Gala held at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.
Jennifer C. Baker of Nashville has been a staunch advocate of the aviation maintenance professional for more than 30 years. She was named the Federal Aviation Administration's Tennessee Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year in 1999 and serves on many aviation industry advisory committees. Nashville's Baker's School of Aeronautics enrolls over 1,100 students annually who travel to Tennessee from more than 125 countries around the world.
Jim D. Ethridge of Cordova is a former member and chairman of the Tennessee Aeronautics Commission and currently serves on the Board of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. Ethridge was elected Chairman of the Airports Council International North American Commissioners Committee in 2008.
Kingsport entrepreneur E. Ward King (1896-1977), will be posthumously inducted. King founded Southeast Airlines in 1956. The airline provided service from Memphis to Tri-Cities and included stops at Jackson, Dyersburg & Union City, Clarksville, Nashville, Tullahoma, Chattanooga, and Knoxville.
Murfreesboro resident William H. Pickron completed pilot training in 1942 at age 19, the youngest pilot in the Army Air Corps. After a distinguished 26-year career in the United State Air Force, Lt. Col. Pickron became the Chief Pilot for the State of Tennessee where for 12 years he flew Tennessee Governors, Cabinet members and staff.
Aviation legend and Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame member (2002), Evelyn Bryan Johnson of Morristown will be honored at this year's Gala. Mrs. Johnson will celebrate her 100th birthday on November 4th. Plans are being made to encourage a "Reunion" of her friends and former flight students during the TAHF Gala.
Downloadable invitation and reservation forms will soon be available at:
DOWNLOAD INVITATION & RESERVATION
CLICK FOR EMAIL INQUIRY
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TENNESSEE 4TH GRADER WINS INTERNATIONAL AVIATION ART CONTEST
Two Knoxville Students Place in National Aviation Art Contest Awards
NASHVILLE Governor Phil Bredesen congratulated two Knoxville, Tennessee elementary students at the state Capitol May 7th for placing first and second in their age group in a national aviation arts contest. The Governor recognized 4th grader Zeth Akins for placing second in the International Aviation Arts Contest. Student Chihye Kim was recognized for winning her age bracket in the National competition. Both children are students in Ms. Jeanne Hardin's class at Cedar Bluff Elementary School.
SEE COMPLETE STORY AND PICTURES BY CLICKING ABOVE ON: CAREERS & EDUCATION
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AOPA SENDS MESSAGE TO TENNESSEE LEGISLATORS
May 15, 2009 - Amid persistent concerns about HB 1122 / SB 0857 the AOPA sent this message to members of the Tennessee General Assembly today:
Dear Member off the Tennessee General Assembly,
On behalf of our more than 7,200 members in Tennessee, AOPA has been closely monitoring HB 1122 and SB 0857 since they were originally filed. Although Rep. Maggart has thankfully recognized the detriment of the airport closure language and has agreed to remove it, we still have concerns about this measure due to our belief that there is inadequate and insufficient due process regarding the reorganization and/or dissolution of an airport authority.
If it is ultimately the will of the Tennessee General Assembly to adopt HB 1122 / SB 0857, we strongly encourage your support for amendments HA 0498 and HA 0499 along with HA 0439. We commend Rep. Curtiss for his carefully considered and well thought out amendments. This combination of amendments eliminates the airport closure language and, importantly, incorporates much needed due process into the potential reorganization of an airport authority.
The technology, Federal regulatory environment, funding and proper management of an airport is very complex. We believe that you will agree that there must be a sound and deliberative process in any well conceived rule of law.
Since 1939, AOPA has been committed to ensuring the safety, future viability, and development of general aviation airports as an integral part of Tennessee's multi-modal transportation system and we will continue working to this end. If we may be of any further assistance now or in the future, we would welcome that opportunity.
Sincerely,
Bob Minter
AOPA Regional Representative
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WHAT IS AN AEROTROPOLIS AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO MEMPHIS?
From Memphis International Airport "Notes" Newsletter February 2007
An aerotropolis is a city which has centered its economy around and is greatly dependent upon its airport. John Kasarda, a business professor at the University of North Carolina, coined the phrase, and believes Memphis is the closest thing America has to an aerotropolis.
In Memphis, one in four jobs in the community is directly or indirectly dependent on Memphis International Airport. At the Memphis Regional Chamber's annual luncheon on December 14, Kasarda explained the most pressing issue now is how to encourage smart growth around the airport, instead of growth in a spontaneous, haphazard way.
One of the reasons Memphis is the closest city in the nation to an aerotropolis is because it is the world cargo leader. The majority of just-in-time manufactured goods such as medical devices and pharmaceuticals travel to their destinations via plane. Kasarda argues that as air transportation grows, so too will the number of cities strategically developed around this hub of activity.
According to Kasarda, in order for Memphis to grow as an intelligent aerotropolis, the region needs to consolidate its business, airport and urban planning. He believes the roads leading to and from the Airport need to be improved, well maintained and visually appealing because these roads are the first experience many people will have of Memphis.
While the strategic development to become a true aerotropolis is still in the planning stages, one thing is clear; the term aerotropolis is here to stay in Memphis.
Web Editor's Note:
Memphis International Airport is the #1 Air Cargo Airport in the entire world. See the airport's statistics on their website at: Memphis International Airport
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Through this exciting new website, the TENNESSEE AVIATION NETWORK will publish timely news items from across the state and will also include News about the industry as well as legislative initiatives of importance to aviation interests in our state.
Visit this site often, and through email, please provide news and events information we can include here for the benefit of all.
THANKS... and HAPPY FLYING! |
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