Award Honors Outstanding Achievements in Aviation, Aerospace & Defense

NEW YORK CITY, NY, USA, November 3, 2022 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Grand Laureates Announced at Aviation Week Network’s 65th Annual Laureate Awards
Award Honors Outstanding Achievements in Aviation, Aerospace & Defense

Aviation Week Network has announced the Grand Laureate winners for the 65th Annual Laureate Awards (#AWLAUR), honoring extraordinary achievements in the global aerospace arena. They were selected from a total of 18 winners of the 2022 Laureate Awards and were announced this evening at an awards gala at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC, where all of the winners were honored. The award categories were Commercial Aviation, Defense, Space, and Business Aviation.

In addition, Aviation Week Network bestowed the Philip J. Klass Award for Lifetime Achievement to two individuals. Four cadets and midshipmen from U.S. military academies were also recognized as Tomorrow’s Leaders, honoring young men and women who have chosen career paths in the armed forces.

“The Grand Laureates represent the best of the best in cutting edge aerospace and technology, from providing the world with full-color images of the universe, to conducting the world’s first autonomous flight, to reducing emissions, and inspiring under-represented pilots,” said Aviation Week Editorial Director Joe Anelemo. “All of our 18 Laureates are making a significant impact not only in our industry but in the world and embody the spirit of exploration and innovation. We were so pleased to celebrate these amazing organizations and individuals.”

Air Lease Corporation and The Boeing Company are the Laureates Awards Executive Sponsors, with Airbus Americas, Inc., Deloitte Consulting LLP and Textron Aviation serving as sponsors, and Pricewaterhousecoopers LLP serving as a benefactor sponsor.

In addition to the Laureate Awards, Aviation Week Network recognized the “20 Twenties” with Accenture as the Premier Sponsor and The Boeing Company and Hexcel as sponsors. This program recognizes the accomplishments and drive of 20 science, technology, engineering and mathematics students in their 20s and currently enrolled in a master's degree or bachelor's degree program.

The Grand Laureate Winners are:

COMMERCIAL AVIATION

Airbus Fello’fly
On Nov. 9, 2021, two Airbus A350s took off for an unusual flight from Toulouse to Montreal, crossing the Atlantic 3 km (1.6 nm) apart in a formation inspired by migrating birds. Riding the lead aircraft’s wake, the following A350 used 5% less fuel during the flight, culminating Airbus’ Fello’fly project to demonstrate the emission-reduction potential of long-distance formation flying.

DEFENSE

Autonomous Black Hawk, DARPA and Sikorsky
DARPA and Sikorsky conducted the first fully autonomous flights of a UH-60 Black Hawk with no crew aboard the helicopter. On Feb. 5, the crew landed the helicopter, switched to autonomy, stepped out, and the uninhabited Black Hawk performed a 30-min. preplanned mission using Sikorsky’s Matrix autonomy system to navigate a simulated urban environment.

SPACE

James Webb Space Telescope, NASA-Northrop Grumman
After 25 years of development, the James Webb Space Telescope finally launched into space, unfolded into place and, in July 2022, started sending back full-color images and spectroscopic data about the infrared universe. It is delivering the deepest images of the universe ever captured and peering into the atmosphere of exoplanets.

BUSINESS AVIATION

RedTail Flight Academy
The RedTail Flight Academy, a Tuskegee Airmen-inspired program at Stewart International Airport, New York, launched in September 2021 to enable pilot careers for underrepresented people of color and graduated its first cohort in May 2022. Thousands of volunteer hours from local chapter members developed this program that serves as a blueprint for future Tuskegee Airmen regional flight academies.

PHILIP J. KLASS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy is the founding father of a leasing sector that today owns more than half of the global commercial aircraft fleet. Having immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary in the 1950s, he graduated from the University of California-Los Angeles and set up his own airline consulting business before creating International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC) in 1973. ILFC, which is now part of AerCap, became one of the dominant forces in global aviation, making Hazy a powerful voice even when it came to the design of new aircraft such as the Airbus A350. After leaving ILFC in 2010, he set up Air Lease Corp., another highly successful venture in the sector. Hazy is also known for his support of the U.S. National Air and Space Museum. He donated $66 million to the Smithsonian Institution to build what is now the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Marc Parent
Since becoming president and CEO of CAE in 2009, Marc Parent has led the Canadian company’s growth from a simulation products supplier to the largest provider of civil aviation training services and a global leader in mission support for defense forces. Born in Quebec, he began his career at Canadair on the Challenger business jet and later became Bombardier vice president of Challenger and CRJ programs before joining CAE in 2005. Under Parent’s leadership, CAE adapted rapidly to help its airline customers ensure that thousands of pilots were ready for the post-pandemic recovery in air travel. Now he is leading the company toward the future with a C$1 billion ($771 million) investment in innovation, including the use of artificial intelligence and neuroscience, supporting the large influx of new pilots needed over the next decade.

ABOUT AVIATION WEEK NETWORK

Aviation Week Network is the largest multimedia information and services provider for the global aviation, aerospace, and defense industries, serving 1.7 million professionals around the world. Industry professionals rely on Aviation Week Network to help them understand the market, make decisions, predict trends, and connect with people and business opportunities. Customers include the world's leading aerospace manufacturers and suppliers, airlines, airports, business aviation operators, militaries, governments and other organizations that serve this worldwide marketplace. Aviation Week Network’s portfolio delivers award-winning journalism, data, intelligence and analytical resources, world-class tradeshows and conferences, and results-driven marketing services and advertising. Our principle is helping our customers succeed.

Aviation Week Network is part of Informa Markets, a division of Informa PLC.

ABOUT INFORMA MARKETS

Informa Markets creates platforms for industries and specialist markets to trade, innovate and grow. Our portfolio is comprised of more than 550 international B2B events and brands in markets including Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals, Infrastructure, Construction & Real Estate, Fashion & Apparel, Hospitality, Food & Beverage, and Health & Nutrition, among others. We provide customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience and do business through face-to-face exhibitions, specialist digital content and actionable data solutions. As the world’s leading exhibitions organiser, we bring a diverse range of specialist markets to life, unlocking opportunities and helping them to thrive 365 days of the year. For more information, please visit www.informamarkets.com.
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Elizabeth Kelley Grace
The Buzz Agency
+1 561-702-7471
Elizabeth@thebuzzagency.net