Hall of Fame

Persons who achieve in a noteworthy manner in soaring or who have made noteworthy contributions to the sport of soaring, as determined by the SSA Directors, are eligible for inclusion in this Hall of Fame

The Soaring Hall of Fame received its start through an athletic foundation originally founded in 1936 by Paul Helms, Sr., of Helms Bakery in Los Angeles.   The Foundation, in 1954, decided that soaring was a sport of such national and international stature as to rate a Soaring Hall of Fame.   Accordingly, the Directors of the Soaring Society of America were asked to select and recommend to the Foundation candidates for recognition in the Helms Soaring Hall of Fame.   In 1975, the SSA Board of Directors decided to transfer the Hall of Fame to the National Soaring Museum.

Inasmuch as the sport of soaring had been going on for a considerable number of years before its recognition by the Helms Athletic Foundation, the Foundation decided that SSA should be permitted to "pick-up" past outstanding exponents of soaring.   Accordingly, the SSA was allowed to select six persons for inclusion in the Soaring Hall of Fame for 1954, and one less in each succeeding year until 1958 and thereafter when two persons could be added annually.   In general, it is intended that one position each year go for a soaring achievement and the other for an outstanding contribution.

Each person named to the Soaring Hall of Fame receives a certificate, mounted on a wood plaque with a SSA Gold metal attached below, from the National Soaring Museum attesting to the honor.   The chairman of the SSA Awards Committee requests all Directors to submit to him names for consideration for this honor.   Based upon the names submitted, the Chairman of the Awards Committee prepares a preferential ballot for submission at or before the midwinter SSA Directors' meeting.   Those chosen by the Directors will be honored in ceremonies held at the annual opening of the National Soaring Museum each spring.

The official listing is maintained at the National Soaring Museum WWW site.

Persons named to the Hall of Fame are as follows: