119th Anniversary

December 17th, 2022 is the 119th anniversary of powered flight. The First Flight Society will be honoring Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. as the 2022 Paul E Garber Shrine inductee. The Shrine is located in the Museum and Visitors Center at the Wright Brothers National Memorial, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina, USA. The FFS will also celebrate the 75th anniversary of the United States Air Force.

This honor 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. The induction ceremony will be held on Wright Brothers Day, December 17, 2022, with a celebration luncheon also held that day in Kitty Hawk. A portrait of General Davis will be unveiled and presented at the ceremony on December 17th.

FFS will recognize our 2020, 2021 and 2022 Classes of Honorary Members. The Class of 2020 is Colonel Gail Halverson aka “Candy Bomber”, Tuskegee airman Brigadier General Charles McGee, record holder Lt Colonel Dick Rutan, aerobatic pilot Sean Tucker, and aerobatic champion Patty Wagstaff.

The 2021 Class consists of AOPA president Mark Baker, aeronautics historian Tom Crouch, and aerobatic champion Rob Holland.

Members for 2022 are record holder Zara Rutherford, military pilot Nicole Malachowski, airplane collector Jerry Yagen and artist Gregory Kavalec.

The 2022 Class of Honorary members was announced on November 19th, 2022

The First Flight Society is proud and honored to have all of these luminaries as honorees.