2022 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Luncheon Presented by Northrop Grumman

Bruce A. Bohannon

An aviation legend, record setter and inspiring instructor, Bruce Bohannon was born and raised in Alvin, Texas. With a passion for flight from a very young age, he soloed at 16, cut his teeth flying crop dusters, became an acrobatic pilot, flight instructor, air racer and aviation record setter.

Bruce raced his aircraft, “Pushy Galore” between 1989 and 1998 winning numerous races and setting many records before retiring it to the Experimental Aircraft Association Museum in Oshkosh, WI. He set thirty more records between 1999 and 2005 in “The Exxon Flyin’ Tiger.” The Tiger was built for setting time to climb and altitude records. As of 2006, it was the fastest climbing piston-engine aircraft at various heights.

Having set 35 World Performance Records, Bruce is the only pilot ever awarded the prestigious “Louis Bleriot Medal” by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale three years in a row, in 2001, 2002, & 2003. He currently owns and operates Flyin’ Tiger Flying School in Angleton, Texas and inspires pilots of all ages.

Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr.

Born in Temple, Texas, Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. is a former NASA astronaut who on February 9, 1995, became the first African American astronaut to walk in space and logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles on two space shuttle missions. He was a mission specialist on the space shuttle Columbia in 1993 and a payload commander on space shuttle Discovery in 1995.

Harris’ commitment began early on in his life and after earning a Doctor of Medicine from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, he completed a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center and trained as a flight surgeon at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine.

Philanthropy, education and inspiring young people have always been a priority for Harris. He founded the Harris Institute & Foundation and is thecurrent CEO of the National Math and Science Initiative organization. Dr. Harris is also CEO and managing partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., and serves on several boards across various industries.  

Marion P. Jayne

Marion P. Jayne is recognized on six continents for world records, pioneering achievements, entrepreneurial innovations, and encouragement of women to be successful in the field of aviation. She is the only U.S. pilot to race her airplane in two competitions around the world. Marion and her daughter Patricia Jayne Keefer won the 1994 Round the World Air Race in her Piper Twin Comanche and received the Federation Aeronautique Internationale Gold Medal. It was the longest race in history—21,000 miles.

Jayne holds the record for the most cross-country speed air race victories and soloed a Mooney across the Atlantic Ocean in the early 1980s and in 1990 in a vintage 1949 V-tail Bonanza. 

She amassed many air racing awards including induction into the Women In Aviation International Hall of Fame and being named as one of 100 Aviation Heroes at the First Century of Flight Kitty Hawk Celebration in 2003 She left an inspirational legacy that all things are possible.

Mark A. Welsh III

General Mark A. Welsh III (ret) was the 20^th Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.  Born in San Antonio, TX, he was commissioned in June 1976 upon graduation from the Air Force Academy and led a distinguished 40-year career spanning numerous operational, command and staff positions. As a pilot, General Welsh flew more than 3,300 hours in the F-16, A-10, T-37 and TG7A earning two Distinguished Flying Crosses as a combat pilot in Desert Storm.

Welsh served as Commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, as the Associate Director for Military Affairs of the Central Intelligence Agency, and as the Vice Commander of Air Education and Training Command, and other leadership roles in his career.

Named Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force in 2012, Welsh served as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible 660,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the U.S. and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, he served as a military adviser to the Secretary of Defense and the President. He retired from the military in 2016 and now serves as Dean of the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University.