July 24, 2019
Longtime aviation educators and industry advocates John and Martha King will be inducted later this year into the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) in recognition of their decades of contributions to the advancement of flight training standards and promoting aviation safety.
Heralded by the NAHF as “40-year veterans of aviation instruction [and] revolutionary pioneers of multimedia training programs that have instructed more than half the pilots in the U.S. flying now,” as well as millions worldwide, the founders of King Schools are known around the globe for their innovative flight training videos.
The Kings also have continually advocated for general aviation, including business aviation. As one example, the two appeared before a 2009 hearing of the House Subcommittee on Transportation Security and Infrastructure Protection to express their concerns about the TSA’s then-proposed Large Aircraft Security Program. NBAA recognized their efforts later that year with the association’s American Spirit Award. Read more about the Kings’ award.
“Martha and John have continually taken a leadership role, not only in flight training and safety, but also in confronting a multitude of policy challenges,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Their enshrinement to the National Aviation Hall of Fame is a fitting tribute to their tireless work and boundless enthusiasm for our industry.”
The Kings are a familiar presence at NBAA events, including the association’s annual Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), where they frequently share their training expertise with business aviation pilots. In 1994, they became the first and only couple to both hold every category and class of FAA rating on their pilot and instructor certificates, and they have flown their Dassault Falcon 10 business jet around the world.
Since its founding in 1962, 241 men and women have been honored with enshrinement into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. Inductees are selected annually by a voting body comprised of more than 120 aviation professionals nationwide.
The 2019 enshrinement ceremony will take place Saturday, Sept. 28, at Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver, CO. Other inductees this year are Colonel Guion “Guy” S. Bluford, USAF (Ret); Colonel Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, USMC; Brigadier General Charles M. Duke, Jr., USAF (Ret); and early aviation pioneer Katherine Stinson. Learn more about the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.