Established in 2003, in the memory of vertical flight historian/designer John J. Schneider, this award is given to an individual for distinguished achievement in encouraging appreciation of, and enhancing access to, the history and legacy of vertical flight aviation. The selection of the award recipient is based upon a significant achievement or sustained record of accomplishment in the documentation, preservation, analysis and illumination of historically significant events, prominent pioneers and/or technologies, designs and uses of vertical flight aircraft. The award recipient will receive a scale model of Leonardo da Vinci's "Aerial Screw" on an inscribed mount, and a book selected from the titles available through the VFS Online Store.
Read more about John J. Schneider at Vertipedia.
2024
- Erasmo Piñero, Jr.
- Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), a Textron Company
For Piñero has over 30 years of aircraft operations, systems integration and flight test experience and is a decades-long supporter of vertical flight history, authoring over 40 historical papers and supporting presentations.
2023
- Arthur W. Linden
- Former Program Director
- Boeing-Sikorsky Comanche Program
For the seminal historical book, The RAH-66 Comanche Helicopter: Technical Accomplishments, Program Frustration. published last year after nearly a decade of work in conceptualizing, organizing and writing the story of this extraordinary machine, the most advanced helicopter of its day.
2022
- Paul D. Faltyn
- Curator Emeritus
- Niagara Aerospace Museum
Faltyn has dedicated much of his life to preserving the history and technological achievements of the Buffalo and Niagara Falls aviation history, with a special focus on the early Bell history in the area.
2021
- Paul J. Fardink
- US Army (Ret.)
Paul J. Fardink has made significant contributions to documenting rotorcraft history — particularly focused on developments by the US Army — through dozens of papers and articles, and by supporting the recognition of three VFS Vertical Flight Heritage Sites.
2020
- Kenneth M. Bartie
- The Boeing Company
This year’s John J. Schneider Historical Achievement Award recipient is
Kenneth M. Bartie, The Boeing Company, for his efforts in support of vertical flight history. Bartie (left), congratulated in photo by Steve Parker, head of Boeing Vertical Lift.
A society member since 1981, Bartie has made significant contributions to documenting and preserving the history of The Boeing Company’s vertical flight heritage, support to the American Helicopter Museum & Education Center during its creation and founding, leadership in the VFS History Committee and creation of the annual VFS History Calendar since 2009.
2019
- Robert Petite
- Pilot
This year’s recipient is Robert Petite, pilot, fire-fighting air attack officer, author and one of the world’s foremost helicopter industry historians.
He has been continuously publishing books and articles about the history of the helicopter industry and its pioneers for the past 25 years.
2018
- Dan Libertino
- President
- The Igor I. Sikorsky Historical Archives
Libertino has expanded its work and its mission to both preserve the legacy of Igor I. Sikorsky and to communicate the history of Sikorsky and the helicopter.
Major activities have included the cataloging and digitizing of the vast store of material owned by the Archives, preservation of drawings made on acidic paper dating back to the 1920s, and creation of a quarterly newsletter.
2017
- Christopher Soltis
- Museum Curator
- Connecticut Air and Space Center (CASC)
For his work as the museum curator of the non‑profit Connecticut Air and Space Center (CASC).
2016
- Dr. Bruce H. Charnov
- Professor Emeritus
- Hofstra University
Dr. Bruce Charnov is a world-renowned expert in the history of rotary-wing aircraft with a specialization in Autogiros and gyroplanes. He is widely consulted by museums and aviation historians and has
published over 80 articles on Autogiro/gyroplane history. He has served
as a research proposal reviewer for NASA and is currently the historical editor for Rotorcraft magazine
2015
- David Gibbings
- AgustaWestland (Ret.)
Gibbings retired from Westland in 1993 as the Chief Flight Test Engineer after 44 years in aviation. Since then, he has been actively engaged as a consultant, aviation artist, author and lecturer, and has written several histories of Westland aircraft
2014
- Peter P. Papadakos
- Executive Director
- Gyrodyne Helicopter Historical Foundation
For investing decades of his personal time and wealth in enhancing access to and encouraging the appreciation of the history and legacy of vertical flight. Through his actions, he has saved and restored many
QH-50 drones as historic aircraft
2013
- Franklin D. Harris
- F.D. Harris & Associates
Mr. Harris is currently completing the final volume of his Autogyros, Helicopters and Other V/STOL Aircraft trilogy. He has condensed and presented a highly technical and extremely important area of aeronautical development in an unassailably reliable and accessible manner
2012
- Sergei I. Sikorsky
- Consultant
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Ret.)
From a young age, Mr. Sikorsky's lineage and august career allowed him unique experiences and opportunities to meet many key persons in the aviation industry and witness firsthand the development of the international helicopter industry. He has written several books on the helicopter pioneers, and has traveled the world giving lectures on the subject
2011
- Robert M. Beggs
For his enthusiastic and effective leadership of the American Helicopter Museum and Education Center in West Chester, PA.
2010
- J.J. Janovetz
- XV-3 Restoration Team
- Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.
For serving with distinction as the full-time leader of the XV-3 Restoration Project. The XV-3 tiltrotor, a joint project by Bell Helicopter Textron, the Army, the Air Force and NASA, was the first tiltrotor ever to demonstrate a complete transition
from hover to horizontal flight and back to hover.
The two prototypes logged 250 flights, 125 hours of flight time and performed
110 full conversions. This aircraft
created the foundation for the XV-15, which later led to the development of the V-22 Osprey. Mr. Janovetz assembled a team of technicians that accomplished this restoration by 2006. Bell displayed the aircraft at its
Alliance Facility until the fall of 2007, when Mr. Janovetz led the effort to move and install the aircraft in the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton,
Ohio where it remains on display. Without the dedicated leadership and skills of Mr. Janovetz and his visionary efforts, this historically significant aircraft would be lost to future generations.
2009
- Ray D. Leoni
- Former Senior Vice President, Engineering and Advanced Programs
- Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
Ray D. Leoni is recognized for his recent book, "BLACK HAWK: The Story of a World-Class Helicopter." This is one of the few published books that preserves in great detail the entire design, production and service history of a new helicopter.
Mr. Leoni holds the design patent for the BLACK HAWK. His book will serve as a guide to design engineers with regard to the importance of employing the right technologies and winning strategies for new programs.
2008
- Elfan ap Rees
- Executive Director
- Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare
This year’s recipients is Elfan ap Rees, publisher and editor of Helicopter International and the founder and executive director of The Helicopter Museum at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, on the west coast of England. The museum, which preserves and restores full-scale helicopters to pristine condition, is believed to be the largest helicopter museum in the world.
2007
- Jean Boulet
- Flight Test Pilot
- Eurocopter (Ret.)
The fourth recipient of this award is Jean Boulet, a Flight Test Pilot from Eurocopter who learned to fly helicopters in the U.S. at the end of 1947, and was the pilot for the first post-war French helicopter to leave the ground, in June 1948. Boulet was involved in testing of all of the Aerospatiale helicopters and was the company’s chief test pilot until 1975.
Boulet also wrote the seminal book, “History of the Helicopter as Told by its Pioneers – 1907 – 1956.”
2006
- Sikorsky Historical Archives
2005
- John M. 'Slats' Slattery
For pursuing the preservation of helicopter history with passionate dedication for nearly 50 years.
2004
- Eugene K. Liberatore
Cached January 11, 2025 12:06:37 AM CST