Jetrader - Winter 2014 - 41

(L-R): Dan Pietrzak, managing director of aircraft transactions,
Delta Air Lines, ISTAT Officer; Rolf Sellge, sales executive, Boeing
Commercial Airplane Company (retired); Max Kaplan, student volunteer
for National Aviation Heritage Invitational; Dick Rutan, National Aviation
Hall of Fame enshrinee, decorated USAF pilot, and aviation world record
holder; Regina Perich, program manager, Rolls-Royce North America; and
Ken Perich, executive director, National Aviation Heritage Invitational.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
(STEM) educational programs and in developing and incorporating aviation-related
classes into school curriculums. To this
end, Pathways erected a 30' X 80' pavilion
within the NAHI display area to create the
2014 Aviation Learning Center at the races.
In addition, with assistance from the ISTAT
Foundation donation, Pathways to Aviation
was able to pay the entry fee for 600 junior
high and high school students from the
greater Reno area to attend the air races
and to visit the NAHI/Pathways Aviation
Learning Center display area.
The students were able to view a
wide variety of vintage aircraft and also
speak with the owners and restorers of
these great aircraft. While within the
display area, the students were also able
to visit with representatives from the
Experimental Aircraft Association's Young

(L-R) Connie May, communications director,
National Aviation Heritage Invitational
(and Southwest employee), with Herb Kelleher,
founder and chairman emeritus,
Southwest Airlines.

Students of all ages visited the Aviation Learning Center at the
Reno Air Races. At far left is Connie May, communications director,
National Aviation Heritage Invitational. Pete Parker, executive
director, Pathways to Aviation Foundation, and Eric Henry, chairman,
Pathways to Aviation Foundation, hold the thank you sign.

Eagle's program, the local Civil Air Patrol
chapter, two aviation museums, the USA
Space Camp program and attend lectures/
talks on aviation from various members
of the aviation community. Lecturers
included two National Aviation Hall of
Fame enshrinees, Col. Bud Anderson (WWII
triple Ace, test pilot and aviation leader)
and Dick Rutan (a decorated Vietnam
fighter pilot and world record holder who
flew non-stop around the world without
refueling in 1986). The ISTAT Careers in
Aviation video series was also featured in
the Pathways display area.
The essence of the National Aviation
Heritage Invitational is to provide a
forum for owners and restorers of vintage aircraft to display examples of our
country's rich aviation history. Many of
the aircraft on display are rare and are
among a handful of aircraft types still
flying today. This year marked the 16th
anniversary of the NAHI vintage aircraft
competition in Reno. The NAHI competition awards trophies in several categories
including: Antique, Classic, Military and
Large Aircraft. Trophies are presented to
the winner of each category along with a
trophy for the People's Choice Award and
the grand champion award, the Neil A.
Armstrong Aviation Heritage Trophy. The
Armstrong trophy has been on permanent
display at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
of the Smithsonian National Air and Space
Museum since its grand opening in 2003.
The ISTAT Foundation was the proud sponsor of the Orville & Wilbur Wright Trophy

for the best restored Antique aircraft
enrolled in the competition.
Representing the ISTAT Board of
Directors at the NAHI awards presentation ceremony was Dan Pietrzak, Delta
Airlines, and David Sutton, FedEx. Many
other ISTAT members were on-hand to
experience the Aviation Learning Center
and support ISTAT at the awards ceremony.
Representing the National Aviation Hall
of Fame were Herb Kelleher, founder and
chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines,
Bud Anderson, Dick Rutan and aviation
legend Bob Hoover. The National Aviation
Hall of Fame was a co-founder of the NAHI
competition, which was formed in 1998 and
held its first competition in 1999.
In addition to the vintage aircraft competition, the representatives from the various aviation groups and the Hall of Fame
enshrinees, several segments from the
ISTAT Careers in Aviation video series were
featured on two large jumbotrons at the air
races and streamed via the Internet around
the world. Attendees at air races totaled
nearly 100,000, and views from around the
world totaled well over 130,000. The event
and the ISTAT Foundation received significant coverage both in Reno and across
the globe.
Mark Dunnachie, chairman of the ISTAT
Foundation Grants Committee noted, "This
is a perfect example of how our committee
is working to support one of ISTAT's key
objectives, that of encouraging the next
generation to consider a future within the
aviation industry."
Jetrader * Winter 2014 41

Jetrader - Winter 2014

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