21st Century of Flight Distinguished Achievement Awards to be Awarded During the International Aerospace Hall of Fame Gala

(October 20, 2006) - The San Diego Air and Space Museum in Balboa Park will continue its time-honored tradition of commemorating the accomplishments of air and space pioneers of yesteryear on Saturday, November 4, 2006. But this year, it's ratcheting the event up a notch to honor those making history today.

The Museum's Library and Archives is the third largest in the nation housing collections from many San Diego history making industries as Consolidated/Convair, Ryan Aeronautical, Pacific Southwest Airlines, and the personal papers of leading aviators. To visit the Library and Archives please call 619-234-8291 x 25 for an appointment.

The Museum is presenting its inaugural 21st Century of Flight Distinguished Achievement Awards to three space pioneers and visionaries who, like Wilbur and Orville Wright had a vision that allowed many to travel higher and faster than ever before.

The Wright Brothers made the world's first manned aircraft flight during a 12-second flight 100-feet above the sand dunes in Kitty Hawk on December 17, 1903 - inventing technology that defined the 20th Century.

One hundred-and-one-year's later on October 4, 2004, Burt Rutan's designed SpaceShipOne rocketed into history 328,000 feet above the sands of the Mojave Desert, becoming the first privately manned spacecraft. Claiming the $25 million Ansari X-Prize this new technology defined the dawn of the 21st Century.

Especially exciting for San Diegans is that the Ansari XPrize is rooted in San Diego history. The XPrize was designed after the $25,000 Orteig Prize won by Charles Lindbergh in his San Diego-built Spirit of St. Louis.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum's Spirit of St. Louis, built by three of the original Spirit of St. Louis craftsmen, T. Claude Ryan, H. Ed Morrow and John van der Linde, is the world's only flying replica and is returning the same evening to its place of honor in the Museum's Rotunda after extensive preservation work following its August 2003 flight commemorating Lindbergh Field's 75th anniversary.

The three aerospace titans of innovation who are the Museum's first recipients of the 21st Century of Flight Distinguished Achievement Awards are Burt Rutan, who will also give the evening’s keynote address; Dr. Peter Diamandis, CEO of the Ansari XPrize and founder, Chairman and CEO of the Zero-G Corporation, and investor and philanthropist, Paul G. Allen, who financed SpaceShipOne.

The event will also pay homage to the Golden Age of Commercial Flight by honoring TWA's Jack Frye, Russia's Sergei Ilyushin and Pat Patterson of United Airlines, as they are inducted into the International Aerospace Hall of Fame [IAHF] Gallery. These three men were the most recently elected IAHF honorees as 20th Century history makers.

"We're proud of our decades-long heritage of honoring the people that made history. But, we also need to focus on what's happening in 21st Century air and space history because it’s constantly evolving,” explained Bill Lennartz, Museum CEO and President.

The Museum’s International Aerospace Hall of Fame is the only hall of fame in the world solely dedicated to honoring great achievers in aviation and space exploration. The goal of the IAHF is to help inspire future generations of designers and builders, pioneers and pilots, leaders and scientists who will push the frontiers of aviation and space.

History will be also made at the event itself. California State Assemblyman Jay LaSuer will announce the designation of the San Diego Air & Space Museum as California’s Official Air & Space Museum and Education Center.

In addition to celebrating those making space history, the Museum also will be launching its Hall of Fame Scholarship to support pioneers in the future.

“We want to do our part to preserve America’s global lead in air and space technology by not only encouraging but supporting more of our young people to pursue careers in math, science and engineering,” Lennartz added.

The evening includes a reception with Dr. Peter Diamandis and Mr. Burt Rutan and numerous other aviation glitterati, in addition to the dinner. $200 per person/ Tables of ten at $1800 or $2500. For more information please call Carolyn Garanian (619) 234-8291, Ext. 13. Register by phone or online by visiting: http://www.sandiegoairandspace.org/upcoming/iahf.html.