Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame facts for kids
The Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame celebrates amazing people who have made a big difference in aviation (flying and aircraft) in Colorado. It was started by the Colorado Aviation Historical Society (CAHS) in Denver, Colorado, on November 11, 1969. On that special day, the first ten aviation pioneers from Colorado were welcomed into the Hall of Fame.
The Hall of Fame is part of the Society's Heritage Hall, which you can find inside the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum in Denver. It's a place where you can learn about the history of flight in Colorado and the brave people who shaped it.
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Who Gets Into the Hall of Fame?
When the Hall of Fame first started, people could only be considered if their important aviation work happened before November 11, 1918. Later, this date was changed to 1935, and eventually, the date limit was removed completely.
People are chosen for their pioneering work in many areas of aviation, such as:
- Developing airports (places where planes take off and land).
- Creating air mail routes (flying mail across the country).
- Setting up flying training schools.
- Improving flight management and mapping (making sure planes fly safely and know where they are going).
- Working in aviation and aerospace manufacturing and maintenance (building and fixing planes and spacecraft).
- Tracking and forecasting aviation weather (predicting weather for safe flying).
- Teaching and educating others about aviation.
- Making advancements in aviation business.
- Achieving great things in military aviation.
Over 160 Coloradans and organizations have been honored in the Hall of Fame during its first 25 years!
Southern Colorado Aviation Pioneers
The Colorado Aviation Historical Society has a special exhibit that highlights the history of Hall of Fame members from Southern Colorado. This exhibit includes photos and stories about their lives and achievements. You can see it at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum.
The First Ten Inductees of 1969
These are the first ten people who were welcomed into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame on November 11, 1969:
- Ivy Baldwin
- Allan F. Bonnalie
- Ira Boyd "Bumps" Humphreys
- Albert E. Humphreys
- Will D. "Billy" Parker
- Chriss J. Peterson
- Reginald Sinclaire
- George W. Thompson
- Frank A. Van Dersarl
- Jerry Cox Vasconcells, a brave World War I Ace (a pilot who shot down many enemy planes).
You can find a complete list of all the current inductees on the Colorado Aviation Historical Society's website.
See also
- North American aviation halls of fame
- National Aviation Hall of Fame
