Past Speakers

Norm Augustine, author and former CEO of Lockheed Martin Corp.

Ken Hyde, founder of the Wright Experience, rediscovers the Wright Brothers’ pioneering work in aviation. Through reverse engineering, Ken’s organization recreated the first fully authentic 1903 Flyer since the original machine - the aircraft featured at Kitty Hawk on December 17, 2003, and flown elsewhere. Ken is a retired American Airlines captain, and founder of Virginia Aviation, an antique aircraft restoration company with many award winning restorations in museums around the country. Ken is an inductee of the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame, and a recipent of Aviation Week and Space Technology’s 2003 Laureate awards for aeronautics and propulsion.

Stan Piet, presented a scholarly three-part series of lectures on the history of Martin aircraft.

Dr. Jeffery Masek, NASA scientist, on Maryland and the earth sciences from space.

Gary Powers, Jr. on his father’s U-2 incident, spy planes, and spy satellites.

Joseph Thomas, AAI Corporation, discussed the history, current uses, and future of remotely piloted vehicles for civil, military, and intelligence applications, including some within the national airspace. His talk included recent uses of RPVs in Afghanistan and Iraq. He brought an RPV as well as its vehicle mounted controller’s station. The beginning of the end for some manned aircraft???

Brigadier General V. Wayne Lloyd spoke about his experiences and observations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Qatar from his perspective as a Commander of Air Expeditionary deployments as part of Enduring Freedom. Gen Lloyd, a Command Pilot, showed slides and videos to illustrate a talk that ranges from human interest stories to the aircraft and their operations.

Jack King spoke about his personal experiences during more than a half century of flight, including unusual stories as a Martin Flight Test pilot for the airline transports and Navy XP4M1 patrol bombers. Jack also discussed his WWII military flying, conversations with Glenn L. Martin, and flying as a corporate chief pilot. As an aviation writer and author for many years, Jack related his experiences co-founding and editing Professional Pilot Magazine and authoring several books, including his latest, “High Flight” covering the fabulous career of Maryland aviation pioneer Richard A. Henson, chief test pilot for Fairchild and founder of the first commuter airline.

Captain Roy Taylor, Jr., pilot/reporter for WBAL, returned for an encore presentation covering helicopter electronic news gathering for broadcast TV. Local news events discussed were illustrated with video recordings. Captain Taylor brought the Channel 11 news helicopter for viewing by attendees.

Dr Herb Frey, a NASA Goddard scientist, spoke about Mars, including recent events, stunning imagery, and results from the two Mars Rovers. Besides his coverage of Mars, Dr. Frey included some recent photos from other parts of our Solar System including planets and asteroids viewed from rovers, orbiters, and fly-bys. Dr. Frey is Head of the Geodynamics Branch of the Terrestrial Physics Lab at NASA Goddard. His experience includes comparative planetary studies, the evolution of the Earth and Mars, and Solar System exploration programs.

Richard Bruns, flight operations for the Maryland State Police Aviation Command, spoke on the history, current operations and aircraft, and future of the Command. He provided a flier's perspective of their airplanes, helicopters, and varied operational missions from our Atlantic shore to the mountains in Western Maryland.

Marvin Merryman, Jr., a pilot for over 60 years, and a keen observer and storyteller, offered a perspective that spans much of Martin aircraft - and airport - history. His career covers much of Martin history, from his first job building B-10 bombers and Clipper seaplanes in 1938, his WWII military experiences including flying a Martin 187 Baltimore in Africa, a return to Martin manufacturing and flight test through the end of aircraft production in 1960 with the SeaMaster, then on to worldwide NASA flying for the manned space program, and more recently life as a corporate pilot and aircraft owner. Mr. Merryman recently received the prestigious Maryland Aviation Pioneer Award.

Susan Maule
US Airways Captain/International First Officer, granddaughter of B.D. Maule who founded Maule aircraft, and musician, spoke about her family’s history in aviation as well as her own history growing up in aviation. Susan began by soloing 12 airplanes on her 16th birthday and is currently flying Boeing 757s and 767s internationally. Susan also talked about the path through aviation to her current position, experiences flying on 9/11, and illustrate her talk with photos of not only some of the aircraft involved but also some of the incredible sights seen on her flights.

Larry Kelly
The owner and operator of the North American B-25 Mitchell “Panchito” that attended the October Waterfront Festival, spoke about B-25s, their history, as well as what it is like to fly and operate one of these large, 60 year old warbirds. Larry also talked about life on the airshow circuit, and his use of the aircraft to help train today’s test pilot students at the Navy’s Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station.

LtCol Kevin Gross
Deputy Lead of the V-22 Joint Test Sqdn, Patuxent River Naval Air Station, LtCol Gross covered the revolutionary V-22 Osprey vertical take off and landing aircraft’s evolution, test program, and flying characteristics as well as the history, status, and future of the program.

Curtis Meyers and John Seburn
Curtis Meyers and John Seburn presented the history of aviation in the Hagerstown, Md. area, including Bellanca, Kreider-Reisner and Fairchild Aircraft companies during and after the 1920s. They covered the personalities, aircraft, and community influence of one of Maryland’s major aerospace corporations.

Kurtis Meyers has been researching Hagerstown related aviation material for sixteen years. An historian by education and profession, he wrote and hosted “Hagerstown, Remembering Our Aviation Heritage”, an 80-minute documentary film, and wrote the companion book. The film explores the effects of aviation on the Hagerstown community. He is President of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum, dedicated to the preservation of the city’s’s aviation heritage. The museum just opened at the Discovery Station Science, Technology and History Center in downtown Hagerstown.

Elaine Harmon
Elaine Harmon, a WWII WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots), talked about her own and other’s pioneering experiences flying a wide variety of aircraft including fighters, bombers, transports, and trainers. Born in Baltimore, Ms Harmon learned to fly at College Park airport, completed WASP training, and went on to give instrument flight training. Initially focussed on ferrying aircraft, WASPS soon took on all types of pilot duties until deactivated late in 1944. Ms Harmon remains active in the aviation community through speaking engagements and organizational membership.

Norm Birzer
Norm Birzer, USN pilot (ret.), author, and active in the warbird flying community, presented a talk on the Chance Vought A-7 Corsair II aircraft. Mr. Birzer covered the aircraft's history as well as stories from his own and other's experiences.  The Museum has an A-7 on static display at Martin State Airport.

Roger Thiel
Roger Thiel, historian and pilot, covered the Civil Air Patrol in WWII, when civilian pilots flew anti-submarine missions against German submarines that were attacking shipping in the Atlantic, sometimes with sight of our shores. The CAP used single engine light planes up to 100 miles offshore in this little known but rich part of our regional history. Mr. Thiel has authored a number of works on the subject, and was the featured historian in a History Channel program on the CAP.

Mary Nichols and Julia Yoder
Mary Nichols and Julia Yoder led a panel of  "Rosie the Riveters", women  who were employed at the Glenn L. Martin Company during WWII.  They shared their experiences of worklife and homelife and the recollections of the Middle River area of sixty years ago as they built the Martin aircraft during wartime.

Kurtis Meyers and John Seburn
They talked about the recent adventures of the Hagerstown Aviation Museum. They were the successful bidders on the last flyable Fairchild C-82 Flying Boxcar and will describe the auction, ferry preparation, and flight back to Hagerstown of this 1940's aircraft.

Robert Dorr
Air Force veteran (1957-60), author and historian, talked about the history of helicopters from a curiosity to the military and American helicopter pilots and crews in combat.

Ms. Carol Nickisher
She talked about her father’s adventures building South Pacific seaplane bases for Pan American Airways in the 1930s.