The Living Legends of Aviation® Red Carpet Returns to the Beverly Hilton
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan. 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Hollywood star power and aerospace innovation will share the spotlight once again at the 23rd Annual Living Legends of Aviation® Awards, returning to the iconic Beverly Hilton Hotel on Friday, January 23, 2026.
The Awards, hosted by John Travolta, the Official Ambassador of Aviation, have been called the “Academy Awards of Aviation” by long time aviator, Morgan Freeman. This year’s red carpet will feature an extraordinary mix of musicians, entrepreneurs, astronauts, and aviation industry leaders, all gathering to celebrate the achievements that are shaping the future of flight and space exploration.
Among the notable pilots and Living Legends of Aviation, Morgan Freeman is scheduled to appear, and legendary saxophonist Kenny G will attend as both acclaimed musician and passionate aviator. The evening will also see the induction of country music star and longtime pilot Aaron Tippin into the Living Legends of Aviation®, highlighting the unique connection between entertainment, personal passion, and aviation excellence.
“The Living Legends of Aviation is where Hollywood and the flight deck meet,” said John Travolta. “It’s an incredible night when the people who entertain the world stand shoulder to shoulder with the people who keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the sky and beyond.”
The Living Legends of Aviation® are a select group of men and women whose accomplishments have made them icons in aviation and aerospace. The Legends include Harrison Ford, Kurt Russell, Jeff Bezos, Buzz Aldrin, Kenn Ricci, Jared Isaacman, and many others—entrepreneurs, innovators, astronauts, industry leaders, record breakers, pilots who became celebrities, and celebrities who became pilots.
This year’s event will see six new inductions into the Living Legends of Aviation:
Eileen M. Collins: A retired U.S. Air Force colonel and NASA astronaut, Eileen made history as the first female space shuttle pilot and commander, flying four shuttle missions, including the 1999 Chandra X-Ray Observatory deployment and the 2005 “Return to Flight” mission.
Dan Drohan: From earning his private pilot certificate at 17 to launching Sunset Aviation and later Solairus, Dan turned a lifelong love of flying into one of the world’s leading managed business jet fleets, now operating more than 350 aircraft with over 2,000 aviation professionals.
Aaron Tippin: As well as being a Platinum country music singer, he and his family operate a flight school, vintage aircraft rides, maintenance, and restoration at KSRB in Sparta, Tennessee, sharing the joy of flight with countless enthusiasts and future pilots.
Mark Burns: Over a 40-year career with Gulfstream, Mark has led the introduction of the company’s next-generation fleet and expanded manufacturing and support facilities, ensuring Gulfstream’s commitment to innovation, safety, and lifetime service for every aircraft.
Doug King: Under Doug’s leadership, Epic certified and launched the E1000, E1000 GX, and E1000 AX, setting new benchmarks in speed, materials, and automation for single-engine turboprops. A hands-on pilot and entrepreneur, he has flown test flights, built aircraft, and even led a fleet of Epics around the world.
Lee Lauderback: Lee began his corporate aviation career flying for the late professional golfer and businessman, Arnold Palmer. Lee became CEO/President of Stallion 51 Corporation and Unusual Attitude Training and has amassed in excess of 22,750 hours in various types of aircraft including over 10,000 in the P-51 Mustang.
The night will also include the most important and sought after awards in the aviation and aerospace community:
The Dr. Sam B. Williams Technology Award will be presented to Patrick Waddick, President of Innovation & Operations at Cirrus. From his early days as Cirrus first engineering intern to leading development of the Vision Jet SF50 and its next-generation enhancements, Patrick has spent his career advancing safety, innovation, and performance in general aviation.
Barron Hilton Aviation Inspiration Award will be presented to Xyla Foxlin. A mechatronics engineer, pilot, and creator, Xyla has inspired millions by combining storytelling, high-power rocketry, aircraft building, and advocacy for pilot mental health. Her work has advanced STEM education, influenced aviation policy, and brought a new generation into aviation and aerospace.
Eren Ozmen Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award will be presented to Steuart Walton and Philipp Steinbach, of Game Aerospace:
Steuart is co-founder and chairman of Game Aerospace, LLC, which designs and manufactures high-performance composite aircraft. He has worked to expand aviation culture in Northwest Arkansas and beyond, helping create Thaden Field at Bentonville Municipal Airport and developing the FlyOz backcountry airstrip network across the Ozarks.
Philipp founded his first company, Impulse Aircraft, at age twenty-four. His competitive record includes a silver medal at the 2011 World Aerobatic Championships and four German National Champion titles in the Unlimited category. In 2013 he co-founded Game Composites, now Game Aerospace, and designed the GB1 GameBird.
The Lifetime Aviation Industry Leader Award will be presented to Tony Lefebvre. With more than 25 years in aviation —from key leadership roles at Spirit Airlines and American Airlines to CEO of Signature Aviation, leading their global network of over 200 locations —Tony has helped shape the modern landscape of aviation services and hospitality.
The Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award will be presented to George Antoniadis. Launching PlaneSense® in 1995, George has built a fractional program of more than 60 Pilatus PC-12s and PC-24s, flying over 44,000 flights per year across North America and the Caribbean, while setting the standard for highly personal, cost-effective private aviation.
The Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award will be presented to Randy Waldman. A Grammy-winning pianist, arranger, and composer, Randy is also a highly accomplished airplane and helicopter instructor. From the concert stage and recording studio to world-record helicopter flights, he has spent decades mastering both music and flight — and sharing that passion with others.
Elon Musk was selected for The Dr. Buzz Aldrin Space Advancement Award. Elon Musk, the founder, CEO, and chief engineer of SpaceX, has led a revolution in launch and spaceflight technology with the explicit goal of making life multiplanetary. Under his leadership, SpaceX has developed the Falcon family of rockets and the Dragon spacecraft. Elon’s insistence on rapid innovation and reusability has fundamentally changed the economics of space launch, which has transformed what was once experimental into operational reality.
“What makes this night special is that it is compelling for everyone involved or fascinated with flight,” said Stacey Elsner, Executive Director of the Living Legends of Aviation. “You will see a famous actor and aviator you know from the big screen standing next to an engineer who designed a revolutionary aircraft, an astronaut who has been to the moon and a world-renowned aerobatic pilot. It’s a celebration of human achievement in every direction.”
Alongside the star power and awards, the evening serves a higher purpose. Proceeds from the event support Kiddie Hawk Air Academy®, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which introduces children to aviation through hands-on STEM experiences and the acclaimed Kiddie Hawk flight trainers. The goal is to ignite a lifelong spark in the next generation—future pilots, engineers, astronauts, and innovators.
“The celebrities help draw the spotlight,” added Elsner, “but the real legacy of this event is the kids who look up at the night sky and decide they want to be part of that story one day. The Legends are here to celebrate achievement, but they’re also here to pass the torch.”
The evening will feature:
- A high-profile red carpet with Hollywood talent, global business leaders, pilots, astronauts, and aerospace innovators.
- A plated dinner in the Beverly Hilton’s International Ballroom.
- A live awards program hosted by John Travolta, with presentations by, and to, some of the most recognizable names in aviation, aerospace, and entertainment.
About the Living Legends of Aviation®
Founded on December 17, 2003, exactly 100 years after the Wright brothers’ first powered flight, the Living Legends of Aviation® honors the men and women who have made extraordinary contributions to aviation and aerospace. The Legends include astronauts, entrepreneurs, innovators, industry leaders, record setters, and celebrity pilots whose achievements have advanced the art, science, and future of flight.
About Kiddie Hawk Air Academy®
Kiddie Hawk Air Academy® is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to introducing, educating, and sparking children’s interest in aviation through interactive programs and STEM-focused curriculum. Using Kiddie Hawk Trainers and hands-on activities, the Academy gives children ages 4–9 their first “sense of flight,” inspiring academic excellence and helping create the next generation of aviators and aviation Legends.
For more information about the Living Legends of Aviation® and this year’s honorees, please visit:
https://living-legends-of-aviation.myshopify.com/pages/22nd-annual-inductees-honorees
Media outlets interested in covering the red carpet or the event may request credentials by contacting:
Media and Red Carpet
Living Legends of Aviation
Patty Kovacevich
[email protected]
(619) 807-2174
SOURCE Kiddie Hawk Air Academy
