Flight Test Historical Foundation hosts aviation awards Published May 12, 2010 By Diane Betzler Staff Writer INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- The Flight Test Historical Foundation hosted the first Excellence in Aviation Awards, May 8, at the Proud Bird Restaurant here. Those being honored were retired Air Force test pilots Bob Hoover, retired Brig. Gen. Robert L. "Bob" Cardenas and Clay Lacy. Air Force pilot David C. Tallichet, Jr., who died in 2007, was honored posthumously for his service to his country and for his devotion to and promotion of aviation through business and aircraft preservation. The event, the first of what is expected to become an annual celebration, was hosted by the Flight Test Historical Foundation and was emceed by well-known voice actor and star of many television commercials, Ken Wolt. Calling the honorees "true American heroes," Foundation Chairman Bill Flanagan, said he was proud to be a part of the awards event. Mr. Flanagan talked a bit about the Flight Test Historical Foundation and said its mission is to support the Air Force Flight Test Museum at Edwards. "At the museum we continue to celebrate and recognize the achievements of the courageous and skilled men and women who have worked so hard to advance aviation," he said. The Edwards legacy of groundbreaking flights and pioneering test pilots is preserved and told at the museum, he said. "It's here to preserve the history going on at Edwards." The foundation is currently campaigning to raise $6 million, a sum needed to relocate the Air Force Flight Test Center Museum from its current location deep inside the base to outside the West Gate. This will make the facility more accessible to visitors. Mr. Flanagan said because of the events of 9/11, access to the base by the general population has been severely restricted. "We want the public, and especially children, to once again have unfettered access to this museum that celebrates these accomplishments," he said. Introduced as a "test pilot's test pilot", Maj. Gen. David Eichhorn, Air Force Flight Test Center commander, was also there to pay tribute to the celebrated aviation pioneers and helped present the awards. He called Edwards a national treasure that needs to be cherished and said the base is the premiere place to do flight testing. "Every time a weekend pilot flies along in a light airplane, every time a military pilot slams into afterburn, every time a businessman or a tourist relaxes in an airline seat, every time any of us flies, as flight crew or passengers, we follow in the wake of test pilots and flight test engineers who have gone that way before," the general said. The first award of the evening was presented to General Cardenas, who served his country not only as a test pilot, but was also a combat leader and flew B-24 bombers during World War II. This awards event was not the first time General Cardenas was recognized for his outstanding accomplishments, however. In 1993 the University of New Mexico College of Engineering honored him for his professional contributions and leadership. The USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards honored him a year later as a Distinguished Alumnus, and the following year he was inducted into the City of Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor. In 2002, General Cardenas was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame for his contributions to the development of Special Forces. The general has also received a long list of military medals including a Presidential Citation from then President Ronald Reagan. Next to receive an Excellence in Aviation Award was Mr. Hoover, a former Air Force test pilot. Mr. Wolt said Mr. Hoover was considered to be one of the founding fathers of modern aerobatics, "He was described by Jimmy Doolittle as, '... the greatest stick-and-rudder man who ever lived," Mr. Wolt said, while introducing Mr. Hoover. While assigned to the Spitfire-equipped 52nd Fighter Squadron, Mr. Hoover was shot down off the coast of Southern France and was taken prisoner. After spending 16 months in a German prison camp he managed to escape, steal a plane, and fly to safety in the Netherlands. During his military career, Mr. Hoover has been honored with the Distinguished Flying Cross, Soldier's Medal for Valor, Air Medal with Clusters, a Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1988 and, in 1992, he was inducted into the City of Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor. Award-winning journalist and author, Barry Schiff, presented Mr. Hoover's award. A former award-winning test pilot himself, Bob Gilliand presented the Korean War fighter pilot, Clay Lacy, with the Excellence in Aviation award. It's been written that Mr. Lacy's most memorable achievement was an around-the-world flight he made in a Boeing 747 Special Performance aircraft that took 36 hours and 54 minutes. Mr. Lacy, however, preferred to share a different experience and told a story about the first time the SR-71 and the U-2 flew in formation. "The U-2 was flying as fast as it could go and the SR-71 flew as slow as it could go," he laughed, recalling what it took for the two famous airplanes to fly alongside each other. World War II fighter pilot David C. Tallichet was awarded posthumously for his devotion to aviation and for all that he accomplished during his life to help promote aviation. Mr. Tallichet's son, John, accepted the award. He said his father would have been pleased about the honor. "My dad wasn't a person who sought out recognition, he actually was a very humble man," John Tallichet said. He said if his father were there, the first thing he would have said was that someone must have messed up the order. After the award presentations guests were entertained by Barbara Morrison and the Morrison Jazz Quartet. The honorees mingled with everyone, giving those attending the event a chance to personally meet and greet the American heroes. "What an amazing night, to see all these heroes together and to actually get to meet and shake hands with men who are a major part of our American history," said one guest. It was a sentiment repeated by many.