First Flight Society Announces 2024 Class of Honorary Members
KITTY HAWK, N.C. – Nov. 19, 2024 – The First Flight Society announces two new Honorary Lifetime Members: Dr Peggy Chabrian, the founder of Women in Aviation International and aerobatic national champion Michael Goulian.
Dr. Chabrian is the founder of Women in Aviation International and was the first president from 1994 until September 2019. WAI is an organization dedicated to the advancement and support of women in the aviation industry. She grew the organization from 150 to thousands of members. Dr. Chabrian is a 2,500-hour pilot and flight instructor who has been flying for more than 30 years. She began her career as a university professor and administrator concentrating on aviation. Dr. Chabrian was just inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame this year. She has been CEO/President of Chabrian Aviation since 2018.
Mike Goulian is an American aerobatic champion. Goulian grew up in an aviation business family, which founded Executive Flyers Aviation. While earning his living as a corporate airline pilot, Goulian moved into air show display flying and competition aerobatics. He became the US National Champion in the Advanced Category at the age of 22. Goulian became one of the youngest pilots to win the United States Unlimited Aerobatic Championship at the age of 27. He has competed in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship as Team #99. In addition to his air show and air racing credentials, Michael Goulian is a Certified Flight Instructor. He owns and operates Mike Goulian Aviation in Massachusetts.
“The First Flight Society is proud to honor both Dr. Chabrian and Mr. Goulian with lifetime honorary memberships. They both help foster an interest and enthusiasm for aviation in the present day,” said Mike
Fonseca, president of the First Flight Society.
The Honorary Member program launched in 2020 to enhance the public visibility of luminaries like these who have achieved national recognition in aviation. First Flight Society will recognize them in Society
Media during their lifetime. In turn, FFS offers them the chance to attend the December 17th Luncheon in Kitty Hawk, NC and be honored along with that year’s Honoree.
This year’s honoree is famous Tuskegee Airman General Charles McGee. He will be inducted into the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine at Wright Brothers National Memorial on December 17, 2024.
More information about the event can be found at WrightBrothersDay.org.
More information about the First Flight Society can be found at FirstFlight.org