I was saddened to note the passing of Ed Stimpson recently. I was glad to have had the opportunity to get to know Ed a little bit over the years. I had originally met Ed at one of the events sponsored by the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) back in the mid nineties when he was deeply involved in the industry advocacy effort that led to enactment of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994. I had the privilege to have had a number of conversations with him after that including the time we hosted him at a conference during my days in Nebraska.
This reminds me of how grateful I am to have been associated with NASAO for so many years. Through this organization I have had the opportunity to meet and develop relationships with many outstanding men and women that I don’t believe would have been possible in any other circle. Mr. Stimpson was certainly one of them.
Stimpson was president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association for 25 years. His monumental contributions to the industry have earned him the highest awards in aviation, including the Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy and the NBAA Meritorious Service to Aviation Award. For the past several years, Stimpson served as the chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation in Washington, D.C. He was 75.