One of the most difficult distinctions to win in U.S. aviation is the FAA’s Wright Brothers Award so officials might want to check what’s in the water at Pecan Plantation Airpark in Granbury, Texas. The FAA will present 13 awards to members of EAA Chapter 983 on Nov. 8. To get the award, pilots must be certificated, active pilots for 50 consecutive years without an accident. “It is an honor and a testament to the pilots’ skill, safety record, longevity, and continued health to qualify for this prestigious award,” said Tim Woodward, editor of the active EAA chapter’s newsletter, who noted that the 13 new inductees have some company.
There are already five Wright Brothers honorees in the chapter and three more have qualified since for a total of 21 winners at the chapter, which is a big one. There are more than 150 airplanes, helicopters, and ultralights in the group, which operates out of the airstrip within the Pecan Plantation development 65 miles southwest of DFW.
