Spectrum Aeronautical CEO Receives Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award

Friday, 23 January 2009 17:08

Carlsbad, CA, January 23, 2009 – Spectrum Aeronautical announced today that on January 22, 2009, Living Legends of Aviation and the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy honored Linden Blue, Chairman and CEO of Spectrum Aeronautical, LLC, with the Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year Award. During the Sixth Annual Living Legends of Aviation ceremony in Beverly Hills, CA, Linden and other award recipients were honored at the sold out venue.

Linden, one of seventy “Living Legends of Aviation”, was inducted three years ago. He was presented with this current award for his past and present aviation entrepreneurship and innovation. The citation included a short history of his achievements, noting that: “His passion for aviation began at the age of eight, with technology always leading Linden’s interest in flight. From leading Learjet product improvements at Gates Learjet in the 1970s to developing the Beech Starship and Lear Fan in the 1980s, Linden has always been a technical innovator. He developed and continues to build the unmanned Predator aircraft, and his latest project is the revolutionary family of Spectrum Aircraft.”

Past recipient of the Entrepreneur Award, Alan Klapmeyer, was on hand as well as this year’s additional award recipients. Recipients and other notable personalities in attendance included Harrison Ford, Sir Richard Branson, Major General William Anders, President of NBAA Ed Bolen, Morgan Freeman, Joe Clark and Dr. Buzz Aldren, all part of a distinguished group of aviators presenting attendance.

“While I’m honored to be presented with this award, I’m really accepting it for the outstanding team we have at Spectrum and Rocky Mountain Composites,” stated Blue. “We are fortunate to live in a society which is self governing, and in tribute to our Founding Fathers, we’ve named our aircraft Independence and Freedom.”

COMPANY BACKGROUNDS
Spectrum Aeronautical, LLC
Spectrum Aeronautical, LLC’s Corporate Headquarters is in Carlsbad, CA. Spectrum also has development and production facilities in Spanish Fork, UT. The privately held company is developing the Freedom S.40, a nine-place mid-sized jet powered by GE Honda Aero Engines’ HF-120 fanjets, and is scheduled for certification in late 2010. It is also developing the Independence S.33, a seven-place light jet using Williams International’s FJ33-4A jet engines, scheduled for certification during 2011. Additional information, program progress and downloads of product photos can be found at: www.spectrum.aero

About Living Legends of Aviation:
The "Living Legends of Aviation" is made up of 70 admirable people of aviation including: entrepreneurs, innovators, record breakers, astronauts, pilots who have become celebrities and celebrities who have become pilots. The Legends meet yearly to recognize, nominate and honor individuals that have made significant contributions in aviation. Living Legends of Aviation is a registered trademark.

About Kiddie Hawk Air Academy:
The event is produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization recognized by the IRS. Kiddie Hawk introduces kids ages 5 thru 11 to flight with the Kiddie Hawk Air Trainer Simulator. The Kiddie Hawk Trainer allows kids to take their first flight lesson with the sophistication of motion and control of real flight, piloting their airplane, albeit just a few feet off the ground. Kiddie Hawk follows up as the students progress, making scholarships available as these kid pilots enter actual flight training years later. The Kiddie Hawk program also introduces youngsters to aviation related careers.