Aviation winners announced

The Minnesota Aviation Hall of Fame has set the date of April 12th, 2014 for their 25th annual Aviation Hall of Fame induction banquet. Six prominent Minnesota pioneers and entrepreneurs will be inducted along with scholarships and awards for best writing and best artwork for 2014. The six inductees are; Marty Coddington, flight instructor, air traffic controller, FAA official and ALPA consultant; Colonel Craig Duehring, highly decorated Air Force pilot and advisor to the military for post-911 preparedness; Greg Herrick, antique airplane restorer, air tour creator, museum owner, and vintage aviation advocate; John O. Roberts, Mankato airport manager, head of Mankato State University aviation program and corporate pilot; William B. Stout, inventor, technical writer, and designer of the first all-metal airliner; John H. Wastvedt, WWII naval aviator, Marine reserve commander at Mpls., aeronautical engineer, corporate pilot and soaring enthusiast.

The Best Writing for 2014 award will go to Noel Allard for his two books on Minnesota aviation, and the Best Aviation Art award will be presented to John Valo for his book illustrations, kit box artwork and aviation art commissions.

At least two scholarships will be presented. The ceremony is open to the public and members of the Minnesota aviation community are invited to meet and visit with other notables in the brotherhood of the air. We expect to have numerous special personalities to add color to the evening.

A social hour will open the festivities, followed by a sit-down dinner. The award ceremony will cap off the evening. Tickets are available by reservation only. Visit the Hall of Fame website for further information and reservation forms. mnaviationhalloffame.org. or contact Noel Allard at nallard@unitelc.com.