Wright Brothers Lecture in Aeronautics Award Open for Nominations 10 November 2026 – 15 January 2027

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The Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics commemorates the accomplishment of the Wright Brothers in creating the first practical airplane and also recognizes the success of their approach to problem solving – beginning with study of the literature, and including innovative thinking, constructive debate, systematic testing, and teamwork. In particular, the Wright Brothers Lectureship is awarded for the recent accomplishment of a significant “First in Aeronautical Engineering”. The lecture will highlight the details of the accomplishment and the approaches to meeting both the technical and programmatic challenges involved.

The lecturer will be invited to write an article for publication in the AIAA Journal of Aircraft. The Lecture is presented biennially (in odd-numbered years) at the AIAA AVIATION Forum/ASCEND.

Deadlines:
Accepting Online Nominations: 10 November (Even-numbered years)
Nomination Deadline: 15 January (Odd-numbered years)
Endorsement Letters Deadline: 1 February (Odd-numbered years)

Award Recipients

2023

  • Mr Larry A Young
    NASA Ames Research Center
    Awarded
    Award: 2023 AIAA Wright Brothers Lecture in Aeronautics
    AIAA Citation: “NASA Aeronautics Contributions to the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter”

2021

  • Dr Walter H Rutledge
    IES
    Awarded
    Award: 2021 AIAA Wright Brothers Lecture in Aeronautics
    AIAA Citation: Hypersonics for National Security: Conventional Prompt Strike

2019

  • Mr Justin D Paines
    Vertical Aerospace
    Awarded
    Award: 2019 Wright Brothers Lecture
    AIAA Citation: Turning Flight Control on its Head for the F-35, eVTOL, and Beyond

2017

  • Mr Hannes G Ross
    IBR Aeronautical Consulting
    Awarded
    Award: Solar Impulse2
    AIAA Citation: Solar Impulse2
  • Mr. Andre Borschberg
    EPFL
    Awarded
    Award: Solar Impulse2
    AIAA Citation: Solar Impulse2

2015

  • Mr Pablo Gonzalez II
    Northrop Grumman Corporation
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Development & Testing of the X-47B”

2013

  • Thomas J Cogan
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Creating the Dream: Development of the 787 Dreamliner”

2011

  • Dr Michael S Francis
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Unmanned Air Systems … Challenge and Opportunity”

2009

  • Dr Paul M Bevilaqua
    Awarded

2007

  • Dr David P Widauf
    US Air Force Advanced Composites Office
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Reinventing the 1905 Wright Flyer

2002

  • Dr Robert H Liebeck
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Significant advancements that have changed the way aircraft are designed.”

2000

  • Mr Kenneth J Szalai
    Aerospace Services International, Inc.
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Evolution of Flight Research

1999

  • Dr Edward T Curran
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Evolution of Hypersonics in Air Stability”

1998

  • Prof Frank E Marble
    California Institute of Technology
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Aircraft Propulsion-The Pacing Technology of Human Flight”

1997

  • Dr Eugene E Covert
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “The Legacy of the Wright Brothers and Its Future.”

1996

  • Philip M Condit
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Performance, Process and Value: Commercial Aircraft Design in the 21st Century.”

1995

  • Robert E Smith Sr
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Marrying Airframes and Engines in Ground Test Facilities - An Evolutionary Revolution”

1994

  • Dr Paul E Rubbert
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “CFD and the Changing World of Airplane Design”
  • Robert G Buley
    Awarded

1993

  • Mr. German I Zagainov
    Sukhol Civil Aircraft
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: High Maneuverability: Theory and Practice AIAA-93-4737

1992

  • Mr. Sherman N Mullin
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Evolution of the F22 Advanced Tactical Fighter AIAA 1992-4188

1991

  • Mr. Irving T Waaland
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Technology in the Lives of an Aircraft Engineer

1990

  • Dr Ivan R Yates
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Innovative and Investment for Survival and Prosperity: The New Battle of Britain

1989

  • Roy V Harris
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: On the Threshold- The Outlook for Supersonic and Hypersonic Aircraft

1988

  • Ben R Rich
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Skunk Works Management Style-- Its No Secret AIAA 1988-4516

1987

  • Mr. John M Swihart
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Aeronautical Developments for the 21st Century

1986

  • Dwain A Deets
    NASA Dryden Flight Research Center
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Experience with the HiMAT Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle- An Alternate Flight Test Approach AIAA 1986-2754
  • Lewis E Brown
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Experience with the HiMAT Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle- An Alternate Flight Test Approach AIAA 1986-2754

1985

  • John Utterstrom
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Cruise Missile Design

1984

  • Mr. Robert P Harper Jr.
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Handling Qualities and pilot Evaluation AIAA 1984-2442
  • George E Cooper
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Handling Qualities and pilot Evaluation AIAA 1984-2442

1983

  • Mr. Edward C Polhamus
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Applying Slender Wing Benefits to Military Aircraft

1982

  • Jack Steiner
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: How Decisions are Made: Major Considerations for Aircraft Programs

1981

  • Dr Holt Ashley
    Stanford University
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Aeroelasticity: On Making Things the Best-Aeronautical uses of Optimization

1980

  • Prof Bernard Etkin
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Turbulent Wind and its Effects on Flight

1979

  • Jack N Nielsen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Missile Aerodynamics - Past, Present and Future

1978

  • Mr. George B Litchford
    AIRCAS
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Aeronautics and Air Traffic Control to the Year 2000

1977

  • Mr. Gero O Madelung
    Technische Universitat Munchen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Characteristics of Fighter Aircraft

1976

  • Mr. John L Atwood
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Fifty Years of Technical Progress In Aviation and a Look Ahead.

1975

  • Henri Ziegler
    Awarded
    Award: -
    AIAA Citation: International Cooperation in Aerospace Projects: Cooperation between European Industries and between Europe and the United States

1974

  • A M O Smith
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: High-Lift Aerodynamics AIAA 1974-939

1973

  • H. Schlichting
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Recent Progress in Boundary layer Research

1972

  • Franklin Kolk
    Awarded
    Award: -
    AIAA Citation: NOISE - A Triumph of Ignorance

1971

  • Robert Lickley
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Some Matters Influencing the Future of Aviation

1970

  • F Allen Cleveland
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Size Effects In Conventional Aircraft Design

1969

  • Pierre Satre
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: True Problems and Misconceptions about Supersonic Air Transport

1968

  • Charles W Harper
    Awarded
    Award: -
    AIAA Citation: Prospects in Aeronautics Research and Development

1967

  • Mr. Philippe Poisson Quinton
    ONERA
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: From Wind Tunnel to Flight, the Role of the Laboratory in Aerospace Design

1966

  • C Stark Draper
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Role of Informetics in Modern Flight AIAA 1966-131

1965

  • Gordon N Patterson
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: A Synthetic View of the Mechanic of Rarefied Gases AIAA 1965-224

1964

  • Mr. George S Schairer
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Some Opportunities for Progress in Aircraft Performance

1962

  • Prof James Lighthill
    University College London
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Jet Noise

1961

  • Dr Robert Jastrow
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Results of Experiments in Space

1960

  • A W Quick
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Possibilities of Aeronautical and Space Research in the Federal Republic of Germany”

1959

  • Dr Alexander H Flax
    Awarded

1958

  • Maurice Roy
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: “Means and Examples of Aeronautical Research in France at ONERA”

1957

  • H Julian Allen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Hypersonic Flight and the Re-Entry Problem

1956

  • Sir Arnold A Hall
    Wakehams
    Awarded
    Award: -
    AIAA Citation: Some Comments on Current Aviation Topics

1955

  • Raymond L Bisplinghoff
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Some Structural and Aeroelastic Considerations of High-Speed Flight.

1954

  • Mr. Bo K Lundberg
    Aeronautical Consultant
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Fatigue Life of Airplane Structures

1952

  • William Littlewood
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Technical Trends in Air Transport

1951

  • P B Walker
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Experimental Approach to Aircraft Structural Research

1950

  • William Bollay
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Aerodynamic Stabiity and Automatic Control

1949

  • A E Russell
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Some Factors Affecting Large Transport Aeroplanes with Turboprop Engines

1948

  • Dr Abe Silverstein
    Awarded

1947

  • Sydney S Goldstein
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Low Drag and Suction Airfoils

1946

  • Theodore von Karman
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Supersonic Aerodynamics-Principles and Applications”

1945

  • H Roxbee Cox
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: British Aircraft Gas Turbines

1943

  • Sir William S Farren
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Research for Aeronautics - its Planning and Application

1942

  • Edmund T Allen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Flight Testing for Performance and Stablity

1941

  • Richard V Southwell
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: New Pathways in Aeronautical Theory

1940

  • Sverte Pettersen
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Recent Fog Investigations

1939

  • Clark B Millikan
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: The Influence of Running Propellers on Airplane Characteristics

1938

  • Hugh L Dryden
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Turbulence and the Boundary Layer

1937

  • Bennett Melvill Jones
    Awarded
    AIAA Citation: Boundary Layer Experiments in Flight