Hall of Fame Class of 2026 Inducted at Indiana Aviation Honors Banquet

Photo – 2026 Hall of Fame Board (L-R : Jason Napier, Chris Gray, Sean White, Rick Norris, Jenny Mullett, Bob Duncan (’23 Inductee), Bruce Montigney, Jordan Bullard, J.C. Buehler, Tom Carney PhD (’24 Inductee), and Dave Newill.

The Indiana Aviation Honors Banquet was held Saturday, September 19th in Carmel, Indiana with over 300 guests in attendance.

The event marked the induction of the Hall of Fame Class of 2026:

Stanley Adkins, MD, Air Force veteran, FAA Medical Examiner
Michael Doades, decorated Army veteran, ATA Airlines L-1011 Fleet Manager
William Eyster, Angola Airport manager, aviation entrepreneur, FAA Examiner
Edward B. Newill, Executive and engineer, Allison Engines
James Paulsen, CAPT. USN (ret), decorated naval aviator, FAA Examiner
Orin Moore Welch, aviation pioneer, test pilot, aircraft designer and inventor, airport manager
Jeff Wood, Air Force veteran, Thunderbird Flight Team pilot, aviation entrepreneur

*Jeff Wood, USAF and Thunderbird (ret).*

The Inductees received a personalized INAHOF medallion and crystal desk award. A permanent plaque recognizing each Inductee will be placed in the Indiana Aviation Hall of Fame exhibit at the Indianapolis International Airport.

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.