Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login

Subscribe for Updates

Get the latest local airport and aviation news delivered right into your inbox each week!

News Updates
New program gives access to First Officer jobs while candidates complete their military service

United Launches Industry-leading Program to Provide Active-duty U.S. Military Pilots Conditional Job Offers

September 29, 2023
PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

PANYNJ Unveils New Construction Facility at JFK Airport

September 29, 2023
Chrissy Toskos, Chief Human Resources Officer, Securitas North America.

Securitas North America Announces Chrissy Toskos as Chief Human Resources Officer

September 27, 2023
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
  • Airport News
    • Publisher’s Message
    • Fast Five
    • On Duty
    • Air Cargo
    • Airline News
    • Airport Community
    • Airport Employment News
    • Airport Safety & Security
    • Company Spotlight
    • Ground Services
    • Intermodal
    • New York Aviation History
    • Non-Rev Traveler
  • Airport & Aviation Events
  • Airport Employment
  • Latest Issue
  • Login
Metropolitan Airport NewsMetropolitan Airport News
Home»Aviation News»Cradle of Aviation 11th Annual Air & Space Hall of Fame Luncheon
Aviation News

Cradle of Aviation 11th Annual Air & Space Hall of Fame Luncheon

Roberta DunnBy Roberta DunnJuly 1, 2021No Comments2 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Cradle of Aviation 11th Annual Air & Space Hall of Fame Luncheon
Sally Smyth, widow of test pilot Robert Smyth, accepts her husbands induction into the LI Air & Space Hall of Fame. Andrew Parton, the museum’s president, said the 11th Hall of Fame class represents “some of the best that we’ve ever had.”

The Cradle of Aviation held its’ 11th Annual Air & Space Hall of Fame luncheon on June 29, 2021, honoring aerobatic pilot David Windmiller, founder of GSE Dynamics Daniel J. Shybunko and test pilot Robert Smyth, recognized for their achievements in aeronautics and technology and their passion for aviation.

Cradle President Andrew Parton welcomed the sizable group, smiling while remarking “You don’t know how happy we are to be here today,” a sentiment met with thunderous applause from all present. And promised a new experience “Lunch!” -referring to the first of in-person events held.

Now a little about the Class of 2021 inductees:

  • David Windmiller began flying at 14. Intensely interested in aerobatics, he earned a spot on the US Aerobatics team in 1999 and became a finalist at the World Championships in 2000. Now retired from professional competition, David still performs at the annual Jones Beach Airshow and is a FAA designated pilot examiner for both airplanes and helicopter. He spoke of being fortunate to watch and be involved in the evolution of aviation, from wartime to the present day technology.
  • Daniel J. Shybunko worked as a structural engineer with Grumman for 25 years and while still working there founded his own firm, GSE Dynamics to produce better quality parts for aerospace companies. Daniel steadily developed GSE into a major aerospace and defense firm on Long Island and then nationally, working with his daughter Anne Sybunko-Moore, who has taken over the business after his death in October 2019.
  • Robert Smyth was a naval fighter pilot who then graduated in 1952 as a Navy test pilot. His wife Sally Smyth remarked “he flew everything the Navy ever created.” Joining Grumman as a test pilot in 1955, he became their Chief Test Pilot by 1967, and in 1990 he performed the first flight of Long Island built F-14A tomcat! After leaving Grumman in the early 1980”s Robert became the director of flight operations for Gulfstream Aerospace and served as the pilot on most of the world-circling record-setting flights of the Gulfstream III and IV in the late 1980’s. Sally Smyth, widow of Robert Smyth, accepted his award posthumously and spoke of his long and successful career, and how he modestly attributed it to being in the right place at the right time.
Cradle of Aviation 11th Annual Air & Space Hall of Fame Luncheon
Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Roberta Dunn
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn

After graduating from Bard College with a major in languages, Roberta spent a year in Germany and France before joining Trans World Airlines in the early 70’s. At TWA she became the Ambassador and Constellation Club supervisor at JFK. An interest in food fostered by her international travel lead to “Deliciously Dunn”, her catering and gift basket business for 20 years, while still working at TWA. After the demise of the airline, Roberta became the North American sales rep for La Source, a 5 star resort in Grenada. When hurricane Ivan destroyed the island, she went on to work for Airport Press. Most recently Ms. Dunn is the Skating Director at the City of Long Beach, NY skating rink. Roberta is a US Figure Skating Gold Medalist in ice dancing and has skated since she was 17. Another of her passions is photography and her photos have been used in several publications. Roberta still travels extensively, enjoys cooking and entertaining and skates practically every day.

RELATED NEWS & UPDATES

Midnight receives FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate, expected to begin flight test and become the first eVTOL aircraft to be delivered to a customer as part of Archer’s contracts with the Department of Defense (DoD).

Archer Accelerates Path to Market

August 11, 2023
SWISS Bids Farewell to a Fleet Icon

SWISS Bids Farewell to a Fleet Icon

July 26, 2023
NexGen Deicing Trucks

Equivu Capital Launches NexGen Deicing

June 22, 2023

F-35 Investment Keeps Manufacturing Flying High

June 19, 2023
CAP aircrew carrying out preflight checks before a training mission from Long Island MacArthur Airport in a Cessna U206 Stationair.

With Eyes to Future, Civil Air Patrol Puts Mission to Work for Long Island

June 8, 2023
Uniquely-livered 747-400 ‘Ed Force One’ piloted by Iron Maiden front man and aviation enthusiast, Bruce Dickinson.

Celebrity Pilots: Living the Dream of Flight

June 7, 2023
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

AIRPORT & AVIATION EVENTS
2023 Kiwanis Kids Day (Cancelled)
September 30, 2023 - September 23, 2023
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  • LaGuardia Airport-(LGA)
Queens, New York
Civil Air Patrol Falcon Squadron Meeting
October 09, 2023
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
  • John F. Kennedy International Airport-(JFK)
Jamaica, New York
LAAMCO Monthly General Meeting
October 10, 2023
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
  • LaGuardia Airport-(LGA)
East Elmhurst, New York
  • >> More Airport & Aviation Events

Subscribe for Weekly Email Updates

Get the latest local airport news, events, and jobs delivered right into your inbox each week.

Metropolitan Airport News provides timely news, information and updates for both Port Authority of New York & New Jersey (PANYNJ) employees and businesses that provide services at, and around the major New York airports (JFK, LGA, EWR).

John F. Kennedy International Airport
PO Box 300877
Jamaica, NY 11430 USA
Phone: (347) 396-0904
Email Us

Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn Flickr
SEPTEMBER 2023 ISSUE
Metropolitan Airport News - September 2023
LATEST COMMENTS
  • Robert Waldvogel on Long Island MacArthur: New York’s Secondary Airport
  • USN Veteran on Long Island MacArthur: New York’s Secondary Airport
  • Stephen Adams on The Ultimate Airline Employee Incentive
  • Jeff Landgrebe on The Ultimate Airline Employee Incentive
  • About Us
  • Advertising Options
  • Charitable Giving Program
  • Back Issue Archive
  • Contact Us
© 2023 Airport Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.