Nominate ‘em for the Master Pilot Award
December is the birth month of aviation. That’s right! On Dec. 17, 1903, a pair of brothers who had a bicycle shop in Ohio hit the sandy, windy beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. And it was there they made history and connected the world.
The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. This award is named after the Wright Brothers, the first U.S. pilots, recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years while piloting aircraft.
Know somebody who fits the bill? It’s a very special honor.
A distinctive certificate and lapel pin are issued after application review and eligibility requirements have been met. Upon request, a stickpin similar in design to the lapel pin is also provided to the award recipient’s spouse in recognition of his or her support for the recipient’s aviation career. Once the award has been issued, the recipient’s name, city, and state will be added to a published “Roll of Honor” located at https://www.faasafety.gov/content/MasterPilot/RecipientList.aspx.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the Wright Brothers MPA, nominees must meet the following criteria:
- Hold a U.S. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
pilot certificate. - Have 50 or more years of civil and military flying experience.
- Up to 20 years of the required 50 years may be U.S. military experience.
- The effective start date for the 50 years is the date of the nominee’s first solo
flight or military equivalent. - The 50 years may be computed consecutively or non-consecutively.
- Be a U.S. citizen.
To learn more, to nominate someone, or download the application, visit this link:
https://fsims.faa.gov/wdocs/other/faa_fs-i-8700-2_rev_4.pdf
Source: Federal Aviation Administration
