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News & Media AOPA cancels 2020 Hoover awards

AOPA cancels 2020 Hoover awards

July 7, 2020 By Jennifer Non

AOPA has canceled the 2020 R.A. “Bob” Hoover Awards because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Hoover Trophy, center, is the centerpiece of the third annual R.A. 'Bob' Hoover Trophy awards presented by AOPA in the Terminal A lobby of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., March 21, 2018. Photo by David Tulis.
The Hoover Trophy, center, is the centerpiece of the third annual R.A. 'Bob' Hoover Trophy awards presented by AOPA in the Terminal A lobby of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., March 21, 2018. Photo by David Tulis.

The awards were originally set to take place on March 18 in Washington, D.C., and were rescheduled for October 6, in conjunction with the National Business Aviation Association’s annual Business Aviation Convention and Exhibition in Orlando, which has also been affected by the pandemic.

“The health and welfare of our staff and event attendees remain a priority,” AOPA said in a statement. “We continue to monitor the ongoing situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and decisions regarding AOPA events will always be communicated as soon as a decision is made. We look forward to being together again soon to recognize and celebrate the contributions of many notable leaders throughout general aviation.”

The 2021 Hoover Awards date will be announced later this year. The 2020 R.A. “Bob” Hoover Awards ceremony would have been the fifth annual event and was scheduled to honor Burt Rutan during a reception at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport’s historic Terminal A in Washington, D.C.

The Hoover Trophy honors aviators whose airmanship, leadership, mentorship, and passion for aviation inspire a love of flight in countless others. Hoover won the first trophy himself in 2016, and AOPA has carried on his memory through the prestigious annual awards each year. Other honorees are Sean D. Tucker, Harrison Ford, and Clay Lacy.

In addition to the Hoover Trophy, AOPA was scheduled to present the Joseph B. “Doc” Hartranft Award, the Laurence P. Sharples Perpetual Award, the General Aviation Safety Award, and the inaugural Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Aviation Inspiration Award.

If you would like to transfer your ticket purchase toward a donation to the AOPA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, please contact Patty Miller as soon as possible. Otherwise, all paid attendees can expect a full refund within the next few weeks.

Jennifer Non

Jennifer Non

Senior Manager of Media Relations and Public Affairs
AOPA Senior Manager of Media Relations and Public Affairs, Jennifer Non joined AOPA in 2017. A former traffic reporter turned media relations specialist, and native Washingtonian, she enjoys traveling and is working toward her private pilot certificate. She was recently honored by Ragan Communications and PR Daily with a Top Women in Communications Award, in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Champion category and is also a member of the Board of Nominations for the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
Go to Jennifer Non's Profile
Topics: AOPA Events, Awards and Records, COVID19

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