EAA Announces Six Aviation Pioneers for 2026 Sport Aviation Hall of Fame
The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) has unveiled its esteemed 2026 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame class, honoring six remarkable individuals who have significantly influenced the realm of recreational and sport flying. The inductees represent a broad spectrum of aviation disciplines — encompassing homebuilding, aerobatics, warbird restoration, vintage aircraft, and ultralight flight.
Among the honorees is Mike Blyth, founder of Sling Aircraft and 1995 Microlight World Champion, who is set to enter the Homebuilders Hall of Fame. Celebrated air show performer and air racer Mike Goulian — 1995 National Unlimited Aerobatic Champion and three-time U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team member — is slated for induction into the International Aerobatic Club Hall of Fame.
Warbird legends Ron and Diane Fagen, founders of the Fagen Fighters WWII Museum in Granite Falls, Minnesota, which houses more than 15 airworthy WWII aircraft, will be welcomed into the Warbirds of America Hall of Fame. Tom Brown will be joining the Vintage Aircraft Association Hall of Fame in recognition of his decades of award-winning vintage aircraft restorations. Meanwhile, Ronnie Smith, founder of South Mississippi Light Aircraft, is set to enter the Ultralights Hall of Fame.
With its headquarters in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the EAA boasts a community of over 300,000 members and 900 local chapters. The induction ceremony is scheduled for November 11, 2026, in the Eagle Hangar of the EAA Aviation Museum.
Source: GlobeNewswire – EAA Introduces 2026 Sport Aviation Halls of Fame Class