Induction ceremony and luncheon set for Friday, April 22, 2022.
The Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) is pleased to announce the selection of four new inductees into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. The TAHOF selection committee has named Bruce A. Bohannan, Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr., Marion P. Jayne, and General Mark A. Welsh III (ret) to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Class of 2022.
This prestigious group will be officially inducted on Friday, April 22 at the 2022 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and luncheon at the Lone Star Flight Museum located at Houston’s Ellington Airport.
The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame was established in 1995 through a resolution by the 74th Texas Legislature and signed by then Gov. George W. Bush to honor and recognize Texans and Texas companies or organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to the advancement of aviation. There are currently 84 individuals and groups in the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, in four categories which include trailblazers and explorers, wartime aviators, leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators. The 2022 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame inductees join an impressive list of past inductees representing trailblazers and explorers such as Bessie Coleman and Wiley Post; leaders such as Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush; World War II aviators Tex Hill, the Doolittle Raiders, Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots; astronauts Eileen Collins, John Young and Gene Cernan; and entrepreneurs Howard Hughes, Gordon Bethune and Oscar Wyatt Jr.
2022 INDUCTEES INCLUDE:
Bruce A. Bohannon
An aviation legend, record setter and inspiring instructor, Bruce Bohannon was born and raised in Alvin, Texas. With a passion for flight from a very young age, he soloed at 16, cut his teeth flying crop dusters, became an acrobatic pilot, flight instructor, air racer and aviation record setter.
Bruce raced his purpose built all-composite “pusher” aircraft, “Pushy Galore” between 1989 and 1998 winning numerous races and setting five time-to-climb & altitude records in it before retiring it to the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum in Oshkosh, WI. He set thirty more records between 1999 and 2005 in his highly modified RV-4, “The Exxon Flyin’ Tiger.” Registered as the “Bohannon B-1,” the Tiger was an all-metal monoplane designed specifically for setting time to climb and altitude records. As of 2006, it was the fastest climbing piston-engine aircraft in the record book to 20,000, 30,000, and 40,000 feet and is the first homebuilt airplane ever to cruise above 40,000 feet. Twelve of the Tiger’s records were set in the “Unlimited” category, which includes all piston engine aircraft, regardless of weight.
Throughout his career, Bohannan set 35 World Performance Records. Bruce is the only pilot ever awarded the prestigious “Louis Bleriot Medal” by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale three years in a row, in 2001, 2002, & 2003. He currently owns and operates Flyin’ Tiger Flying School in Angleton, Texas and inspires pilots of all ages.
Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr.
Born in Temple, Texas, Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. is a former NASA astronaut who on February 9, 1995, became the first African American astronaut to walk in space. Harris logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles on two space shuttle missions. He was a mission specialist on the space shuttle Columbia in 1993 and a payload commander on space shuttle Discovery in 1995.
Harris’ commitment to education earned him a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston-Clear Lake, and a Doctor of Medicine from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine. He completed a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center and trained as a flight surgeon at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.
Throughout his career, he remained focused on philanthropy, education and inspiring young people. He founded the Harris Institute & Foundation and was a founding member and current CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative organization. Dr. Harris is also CEO and managing partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., and serves on several boards across various industries.
Marion P. Jayne
Marion P. Jayne is recognized on six continents for world records, pioneering achievements, entrepreneurial innovations, and encouragement of women to be successful in the field of aviation. She is the only U.S. pilot to race her airplane in two competitions around the world. Marion and her daughter Patricia Jayne Keefer won the 1994 Round the World Air Race in her Piper Twin Comanche and received the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Medal. The race was the longest race in history—21,000 miles, during 12 flying days over a 24 day period.
Among her many achievements, Marion holds the record for the most cross-country speed air race victories which still stands. She also soloed the Atlantic Ocean non-stop in a Mooney airplane in the early 1980s with no auto-pilot and again in 1990 in a vintage 1949 V-tail Bonanza.
As both an entrepreneur and pioneer in the air racing industry, Jayne saw the marketing opportunities of the sport and created four air races over the years among other endeavors. U.S. Air Race, Inc., was founded in 1994 and open to all pilots with the pioneering technique to individually handicap each aircraft so that all could compete. Through her world-class air racing career, she amassed many awards including induction into the Women In Aviation International Hall of Fame and being named as one of 100 Aviation Heroes at the First Century of Flight Kitty Hawk Celebration in 2003 alongside the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and others. She left an inspirational legacy that all things are possible.
The official portrait made for Gen. Mark Welsh III in Aug. 7 2012, who is expected to become the U.S. Air Force’s 20th Chief of Staff, following Gen. Norton Schwartz. A transition ceremony on Andrews Air Force Base, which will pass the position from Schwartz to Welsh and ultimately retire Schwartz from the Air Force, is planned for Aug. 10. (U.S. Air Force photo/Scott M. Ash)
Mark A. Welsh III
General Mark A. Welsh III (ret) was the 20th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force. Born in San Antonio, TX, he was commissioned in June 1976 upon graduation from the Air Force Academy and led a distinguished 40-year career spanning numerous operational, command and staff positions. As a pilot, General Welsh flew more than 3,300 hours in the F-16, A-10, T-37 and TG7A earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a combat pilot in Desert Storm.
Welsh served as Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, as the Associate Director for Military Affairs of the Central Intelligence Agency, and as the Vice Commander of Air Education and Training Command. Earlier in his career, he served as a fighter pilot and was a commander at the squadron, group and wing level. He also served as the Commandant of the United States Air Force Academy.
Named Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force in 2012, Welsh served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of 660,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he served as a military adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the President. He retired from the military in 2016 and now serves as Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.
To become a 2022 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame event sponsor, visit LoneStarFlight.org/TAHOF2022 or call 346-352-7678. Tickets for the induction ceremony and luncheon will be available for purchase April 4, 2022.
About the Lone Star Flight Museum
The Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) is a 501c3 aviation museum and STEM learning center with a mission to celebrate flight and achievements in Texas aviation as well as educate and engage our youth through science, technology, engineering and math. In addition to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, the 130,000 square foot museum is home to a flying collection of rare and historic commercial, general aviation and military aircraft. Guests can experience the wonder of flight in a warbird ride and get hands-on in the high-tech Aviation Learning Center and Flight Academy. Multiple public and STEM-focused education programs create an unforgettable museum experience for visitors of all ages. Located at Ellington Airport, just 20 minutes from downtown Houston, LSFM is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday Noon – 5 p.m. Tickets start at $12 with senior and military discounts. Memberships are also available. For details, visit lonestarflight.org or call 346-708-2517. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.