2011 President’s Reception and Dinner

Friday, July 15, 2011

A storied tradition of the National Aviation Hall of Fame’s (NAHF) annual enshrinement has been the President’s Reception and Dinner, held the evening before the formal induction events.  This admittedly less formal gathering can trace its roots back to the early years of the NAHF, when Jackie Cochran would welcome her fellow enshrinees and participants to her hotel suite after the ceremony to share a laugh and swap hangar stories.  It offered a casual opportunity to renew old acquaintances and make new ones.

In that spirit, Jackie’s idea evolved over time into a whole separate event in itself – a semi-private reception and dinner taking place the eve before the formal ceremony.  Hosted by the NAHF President, it has since been held in the Modern Flight Gallery of the NMUSAF and is now preceded by a reception social hour held among the exhibits of the adjacent NAHF Learning Center.  This year the NAHF expects 650 guests, including top government, aerospace and defense industry officials, and enshrinees.

The NAHF’s Milton Caniff “Spirit of Flight” Award is bestowed each year to a deserving aviation group or organization in recognition of its contribution to the advancement of flight. The 2011 recipient will be the US Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team, in recognition of the group’s 65-year history of serving as a positive role models and goodwill ambassadors for the US Navy and Marine Corps. More than 460 million fans have witnessed the teams’ spectacularly choreographed aerial performances since the group was formed in 1946.

Other presentations include the 2011 A. Scott Crossfield Aerospace Educator of the Year Award and the Dayton Air and Trade Show’s annual Zoe Dell Nutter Award.

Due to the expected exceptional demand for this event, seating is limited.  Two tiers of seats are available by advance registration only; Premium seats are $300 per person ($235 of which is tax deductible as provided by law) and Patron seats are $150 per person ($85 of which is tax deductible as provided by law).  Attire is business dress.  For further information contact the NAHF at (937) 256-0944 x10.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information please contact Ron Kaplan at (937) 256-0944 ext. 16, or you may click the link below to download the full sponsor kit.