2010 National Aviation Hall of Fame Enshrinement Class - Noel Wien

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In the 19th century, pioneers opened up the American West with horses and Conestoga wagons. By the early 20th century, and for the Alskan frontier, it was airplanes piloted by men like Noel Wien that opened this wilderness.

Born in Lake Nebagamon, WI on June 8, 1899, Noel Wien leanred to fly in 1921. In this golden age of aviation, Wien became a barnstormer with Clarence W. Hinck’s Federated Fliers Flying Circus.

In 1924, Wien saw opportunities in Alaska. With pilot’s license #39 – signed by Orville Wright – Wien moved there with his brothers. In his Hisso Standard biplane, Wien began bush pilot services in the unforgiving, beautiful wilderness.

In 1927, he founded Wien Air Alaska, the first airline in Alaska, and one of the first in the United States. Wien died in 1977, and the airline ceased operations in 1985, but in 1999, his son, Merrill Wien, flew in an open-cockpit biplane from Anchoage to Fairbanks to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of his father’s historic flight.

For more of Noel Wien’s story, as well as the other members of this year’s Hall of Fame class, join us Saturday night at 7:00pm EDT for the LIVE Internet broadcast of the entire Hall of Fame Enshrinement event. Go to: www.Livestream.com/LiveAirShowTV

Miles O'Brien to emcee National Aviation Hall of Fame 2010 Enshrinement ceremonies

(Dayton, OH) The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF)
announced that newscaster, anchor, reporter and pilot Miles O’Brien, will serve as the
Master-of-Ceremonies for its 49th Annual Enshrinement Dinner & Ceremony in Dayton,
Ohio, on July 17, 2010.
   O’Brien will lead the prestigious induction ceremony, where four more American
pioneers of flight are to be honored for their contributions to aviation. They will join the
roster of 203 men and women previously so honored by the NAHF.
   An experienced licensed pilot and aircraft owner, he has distinguished himself
covering aviation and space in addition to major global news events around the world. In
early 2002, after years if persistent negotiation, O'Brien secured a deal with NASA that
would have sent him on a space shuttle mission to the International Space Station. The
deal was scuttled after the Columbia accident.
   “O’Brien brings a deep understanding of the role aviation and space has played in
both the history and business of our country,” said Ron Kaplan, enshrinement director for
the NAHF. “As someone who is at home in the cockpit as he is in front of the camera,
Miles O’Brien will be a great emcee for the ‘Oscar Night of Aviation.’”
   O’Brien is the president his own production company based in New York City
that serves corporate, government and non-profit educational organizations with a focus
on science, technology, the environment and aerospace. O'Brien spent nearly 17 years as
the chief science environment and aerospace correspondent at CNN (1992-2008).
Concurrently, he also anchored several CNN news programs including CNN Saturday
and Sunday Morning, Live From..., TalkBack Live and American Morning.
   The Hall of Fame'sClass of 2010 is:
   -Navy Capt. Alan Bean, ret. lunar module pilot for Apollo 12, man’s second lunar
landing; commander of the Skylab 3 mission, and now a noted artist;
   -Warren G. Grimes, father of aircraft lighting and inventor of aircraft navigation
instruments;
   -Clay Lacy, a 50,000-hour pilot, business aviation icon and videographer for many
Hollywood pictures, including Top Gun and The Right Stuff;
   -Noel Wien, an Arctic flight expert who founded Wien Alaska Airlines, one of the
oldest airlines in the U.S., and who has been listed as one of the ten greatest pilots of
all time.
    The 2010 Milton Caniff “Spirit of Flight” Award recipient will be the 8,000-member-
company National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the world’s foremost
organization in representing the interests of business aviation. The award is bestowed
annually upon a group or organization in recognition of its achievement in advancing
aviation. The “Spirit of Flight” Award will be presented July 16, 2010, during the NAHF
President’s Reception & Dinner.
   To buy tickets or for information on sponsorships for the 2010 events, call (937) 256-
0944, ext. 10 or visit nationalaviation.org.