The Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine was established in 1966. Honorees are selected annually by a National Advisory Committee from a list of nominees submitted to the First Flight Society by the public. The committee accepts a letter of nomination accompanied by supporting documentation and narrows down the finalists. The Board of the First Flight Society votes to select the final honoree.
The nominee(s) may but does not have to be a “first” but rather “…a person, living or dead, who since December 17, 1903, either personally or with the assistance of others, have made such outstanding accomplishments in support of flight operations that they are generally recognized nationally and internationally for their achievements and contributions to aerospace activities.”
This all takes place the year before the December 17th induction. This year, the Society will select the 2026 inductee.
The 2027 honoree has been chosen and will be announced to the public on Wilbur Wright Day, April 16th, 2026.
Below is the Nomination Form for the Paul E. Garber First Flight Shrine, which should be mailed with any supporting documents to: First Flight Society, Post Office Box 1903, Kitty Hawk, NC 27949. Nominations may also be submitted online by following the link: Nominate an Honoree, or by downloading the form and emailing it to admin@firstflight.org.
Nominations are due March 31st, 2026. Questions can be addressed to the NAC Chair, Bill Douglas, at NAC@firstflight.org
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