Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame’s 2013 Enshrinement April 27 at Museum

Special to the Journal

The Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame will honor its 98th, 99th

and 100th inductee into the Hall of Fame April 27 at the 2013 Annual

Enshrinement Banquet at the Museum of Aviation. The three Georgia aviation

legends being honored are U. S. Air Force and Delta pilot Ronald R. Alexander

from Griffin, GA who founded the Candler Field Museum near Williamson Georgia;

Samuel Winn Baker, an aviator from Brunswick, GA who has more than 40,000

flying hours in over 50 years; and Lewis Jordan from Atlanta who co-founded

ValuJet Airlines and AirTran Airways. The expected audience of 500 people will

include current and former Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame Board Members, former

enshrines, government, aerospace and defense industry leaders and aviation

enthusiast from around the state.

The Banquet will begin with a 6:00 pm reception followed by

the dinner and program at 7:00 pm. Seating is limited and by advance

reservation only. Seats are $75 per person of which $35 is tax deductible.

Attire is black-tie (dark suit optional). Sponsorship opportunities are still

available. For further information contact Nicole Bissette at the Georgia

Aviation Hall of Fame at 478-328-0704.

The 2013 inductees are:

Ronald (Ron) R.

Alexander

He took his first airplane ride at age 14, earned his

private certificate at age 17, flew for Indiana University, flew for the USAF

and then for Delta Airlines. Ron moved to Griffin, GA, in 1974 to live on a

community airstrip and begin flying for Delta Airlines. Mr. Alexander is also

an aviation businessman of considerable notoriety. Ron founded the Alexander

Aeroplane Company in 1979 in Griffin, GA, which became a major supplier of

materials to aircraft builders and restorers. In 2003, Ron started the Atlanta

Aerospace Composites Company to perform repair services on the emerging

composite structures and skin technology used today in many general aviation

and airline aircraft. Ron also owns the Accessory Overhaul Group Company located

in Griffin, GA, which specializes in the overhaul of aircraft appliances.

Recently, he founded the Candler Field Museum to document the history of old

Atlanta, GA, airport, which was originally named Candler field. This museum is

located at the Peach State Aerodrome near Williamson, GA.

Samuel Winn Baker

As long as Winn Baker of Brunswick, Georgia, was born in to

an aviation family. Winn learned to fly from his father, Georgia Aviation Hall

of Fame legend Francis Anderson “Sam” Baker, at the tender age of

eight years, “as soon as I could reach the pedals.” In October 1963,

Winn applied to Delta Airlines. Delta knew a good thing when they saw one, and

hired him on the spot. In

2005, Winn received the Master Pilot Award from the FAA, recognizing 50

consecutive years of flying without incident, accident, or violations. He is

one of three Captains in the nation chosen to fly priceless vintage DC-3 and

Travelair 6000 aircraft to events for the Delta Air Lines Heritage Museum. His

passion for flying spans a lifetime, with 40,000 hours in the air covering

every aspect of civilian aviation in Georgia, from general aviation

pilot, Captain for a major airline, business promoter, and

instructor to historic aircraft expert and humanitarian.

Lewis Jordan

In addition to his deep Georgia roots and ardent support of

alma mater Georgia Tech, Lewis H. Jordan helped elevate Georgia’s significance

in the aviation industry and create thousands of Georgia-based jobs as co-

founder of ValuJet Airlines and its successor AirTran Airways. Jordan joined

Houston-based Continental Airlines in 1986 as executive vice president of

operations. He served as executive vice president and chief operating officer

from 1986-91 and as president and chief operating officer from 1991-93. In

1993, Jordan returned to Atlanta to launch ValuJet Airlines, as co-founder,

president and chief operating officer. In 1997, the company acquired

Orlando-based AirTran Airways and the combined company would go on to become

one of the most successful low-fare carriers in aviation history. Today AirTran

employs approximately 4000 professionals in Georgia and continues to fuel the

state’s economy and provide millions in savings for the traveling public.

The Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame was founded on April 19,

1989, when Governor Joe Frank Harris signed into law the authorization for the

establishment of the state’s Aviation Hall of Fame in the Museum of Aviation at

Robins Air Force Base. The Museum is located just seven miles from I-75 in

Warner Robins, GA., and has a collection of over 90 historic U.S. Air Force

aircraft and missiles. It is open free to the public seven days a week from

9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For

more information see www.museumofaviation.org.

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