An actor who’s won wide acclaim for that talent (including an Oscar) has been recognized for his lifelong devotion to aviation. Cliff Robertson will be awarded the Wesley L. MacDonald Elder Statesman of Aviation Award at NAA’s annual awards night Oct. 29. Throughout his acting career, Robertson has made numerous aviation-related shows but his list of accomplishments in the real world of aviation is every bit as long. He’s on EAA’s President’s Council and was the founding chairman of the Young Eagles program. He rarely misses Oshkosh or the opportunity to promote aviation and that, in part, is why AVweb’s Ann Devers has been tireless in her promotion of Robertson for this award.
Devers said she’s nominated him 11 times and she’s happy that the selection committee agreed this year. “He is such a sweet man and he’s done so much for aviation,” she said. Robertson said he was honored but also surprised. “If you’ve been flying long enough and been around the poke a few times, well, I guess pretty soon they run out of people,” Robertson said in NAA’s news release. “It’s hardly deserved, but I’m highly flattered and very touched by the sentiment, and very honored to be recognized among such distinguished past winners.” Among previous winners are Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Doolittle and Scott Crossfield.
