posted 08-25-2004 08:00 AM               

OKLAHOMA CITY - A Highway Patrol aviation pioneer, decorated wartime heroes, a revered NASA Engineer and others will join the ranks as Oklahoma's top aviation advocates with induction into the 2004 Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame during an induction ceremony and dinner, Saturday, Sept. 25 at Omniplex.

Oklahoma radio celebrity and flight enthusiast, Dan Stroud, will serve as the master of ceremonies for the 25th annual black-tie event that will recognize select individuals whose vision and accomplishments have helped to initiate positive growth and contributed to significant change in the fields of aerospace and aviation in Oklahoma. Stroud will welcome the evening's honored speaker, Gene Kranz, whose worldwide fame was garnered through his role as NASA Flight Director for 33 missions of Projects Gemini, Apollo and Skylab, and was portrayed by actor Ed Harris in the blockbuster movie Apollo 13.

Even though Dan Stroud is a fixture of broadcasting in Oklahoma, with over twenty-one years as half of the Dave & Dan Morning Show on 96.1 KXY-FM radio, his passion has always been with aviation. He first soloed a sailplane in Guthrie at the age of 14 and currently holds commercial, instrument and flight instructor ratings, plus Rotorcraft and Sailplane ratings, and has competed in and taught aerobatics for over eighteen years.

Flight Director, pilot, engineer, motivational speaker, author, husband and father encompass one of NASA's most decorated veterans and this year's hall of fame honored speaker. After 37 years in federal service, Gene Kranz's vast contributions to space exploration have resulted in his participation of launching pivotal exploration missions, engineering cutting-edge aviation technology and playing a significant role in shaping the future of manned space flight. A graduate of Parks College of St. Louis University, he held several leadership positions during his tenure at NASA in Mission Operations as well as the Director of Mission Operations for the Shuttle Program. Kranz is a New York Times best selling author for Failure is Not an Option, chronicling his experiences in Mission Control during the early years of manned spaceflight. He is a co-recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by President Nixon for the Apollo 13 Mission, and was elected a Distinguished Member of the Senior Executive Service by President Reagan.

The following honorees will be inducted during the awards presentation at Omniplex:

John W. Aaron
Former Oklahoma resident John W. Aaron retired as Chief of the Systems Engineering Office at the Johnson Space Center where he was responsible for designing and providing space flight hardware, astronaut equipment and design engineering analysis products in support of the Space Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS) Programs. Over his 35-year career, Aaron distinguished himself as a leader with exceptional technical and managerial judgment. Early in his career as a flight controller in the Houston Mission Control Center he earned widespread recognition for his outstanding efforts in dealing with the most complex spacecraft problems during the Apollo 12 and Apollo 13 missions, where he is credited with saving the lives of the Apollo 13 crew. He is a proven leader and motivator, committed to the concept of team building and possesses a unique ability to draw upon a team's array of talents. Aaron graduated from Vinson High School, Vinson, Okla. and from Southwestern State College in Weatherford, Okla. with a Bachelor of Science degree in physics and math before starting his career with NASA.

Dana D. Batey
Dana Batey was born and raised in Oklahoma City, Okla. Batey's long and distinguished military career has spanned from the Korean and Vietnam wars to Desert Storm. During his active duty career he rose from the rank of private to Brigadier General as Assistant Adjutant General of Oklahoma. He has served full time duty in aviation assignments throughout his National Guard career and was responsible for the development, planning and construction of three major Army Aviation facilities located in Norman, Lexington and Tulsa, Okla., that included a battalion size Special Operation and Support element with 550 personnel and 65 aircraft. After 48 years of leadership and accomplishment in both military and civilian aviation, Batey retired from the commission directorship in Jan. 1999. He continues to promote aviation serving as a volunteer for Oklahoma's veterans and youth through the Oklahoma City chapter of the Military Order of World Wars.

William E. Collins, PhD
An Oklahoma City resident since 1961, Dr. William E. Collins, a psychologist, is the only non-medical doctor to have been appointed to the position as Director of the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) at the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center. Serving as Director from August 1989 to January 2001, he initiated and defined CAMI's successful drive to achieve "World Class" status, an achievement marked by frequent internal and external, national and international recognition of CAMI employees, products and services. CAMI became the role model for the development of civil aeromedical institutes in other countries. Dr. Collins has also received many awards for his scientific contributions to aviation safety while a researcher and laboratory manager at CAMI from 1961-1989, based upon numerous research publications, presentations and films related to spatial disorientation, sensory processes and stressor effects on performance.

Arthur (Art) M. Hamilton (deceased)
Raised in Clinton, Okla., Hamilton trained as both a skilled pilot and state trooper, Arthur M. Hamilton combined his deep passion for both the Highway Patrol and flying into a dual career. He received his wings in 1942 and immediately began training for his commercial, instrument and instructor ratings. He became a flight trainer for U.S. Navy pilots and a bomber ferry pilot. In 1944 he joined the 9th Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy and began his career as a state trooper. With a pioneering spirit he took to the skies to prove the efficiency and effectiveness of airborne law enforcement. Hamilton is recognized by law enforcement agencies nationwide as the first pioneer in the use of speed enforcement from the air, making Oklahoma the first state in the United States to use aircraft for these purposes. His accomplishments have made aviation a critical and integral part of law enforcement today.