In 2020 Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was held virtually in partnership with the First Flight Society, Outer Banks Forever, the National Aviation Heritage Area, Dayton Aviation National Historical Park, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. 

 If you missed any of the virtual event, you can view the videos on this page from the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

ON DECEMBER 17, 2020 THE FIRST FLIGHT SOCIETY HONORS…

The First Flight Society will be honoring Frank Caldwell as the 2020 Paul E Garber Shrine inductee.

Due to limitations on gathering size we will not be having our events at the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Like almost every major event this year we are going Virtual! In conjunction with the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Outer Banks Forever, we will be doing a day of live and video activities online on Thursday, December 17th.

We still encourage people to go to the park, but we won’t be holding our ceremony. We also encourage everyone to watch the Celebration Fireworks put on by the town of Kill Devil Hills on Thursday evening.

The Paul E Garber honoree is selected annually by a high-level panel appointed by the First Flight Society, from among numerous nominations submitted from around the world as well as compiled lists of qualified candidates. A portrait of Frank Caldwell will be unveiled and presented at the ceremony on December 17th, 2020, celebrating the 117th Anniversary of the Wright Brothers First Flight.

Mr. Caldwell’s many contributions to aviation in propeller technology highlighted by his winning with Hamilton Standard the 1933 Collier Trophy for design of the controllable-pitch propeller. His design innovations led to the Hydromatic constant-speed propeller used by virtually every frontline US aircraft in WWII, and his pioneering whirl test procedures were indispensable to the development of all modern high-performance propellers during the 20th Century.

FFS also welcomes four new Honorary Members: Colonel Gail Halverson aka “Candy Bomber”, Brigadier General Charles McGee, Sean Tucker, and Patty Wagstaff. Both the Colonel and the General were Paul Garber honorees in the past. Col Halvorsen was inducted in 2019 and General McGee as a Tuskegee Airman in 2004. Tucker and Wagstaff are world renowned aerobatics pilots. The First Flight Society is proud and honored to have all four as new Honorary Members.