Page 6 - June 2022

Members of the selection committee:
Kim Blonigen: As editor of the King Air magazine, I am responsible for the monthly content of the publication. I also have deep roots with Beechcraft as I worked for the company for 13 years in various marketing roles, working my way up to managing all of the company’s customer newsletters and magazine.
Kevin Carson: Kevin operates the King Air Academy training center located in Phoenix, Arizona, and is also the founder of the King Air Gathering. He is often accused of being a Beechcraft zealot, as he has owned and/or flown almost every different model of Bonanza, Baron and King Air manufactured. Of special interest, Kevin has owned and flown his T-34 for over 20 years.
Bill Crutchfield: Bill is CEO and founder of Crutchfield Corporation, one of the nation’s largest online retailers of consumer electronics products. Bill has owned and operated his King Air C90B for over 25 years; he has accumulated 6,000 flight hours between business and recreational flying. He also holds the FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilots Award.
Carl Davis: A pilot, A&P mechanic and FAA 145 accountable manger, Carl owns King Air Nation which specializes in selling King Air parts, engines and aircraft. This year Carl and his company have graciously taken over the planning and management of the King Air Gathering.
John Glidewell: A devoted King Air owner, John is president and owner of Sunset Logistics which operates approximately 500 trucks throughout Texas. He has flown his B200 for 11 years and before it, he owned and operated a model E90. He has a total of over 9,000 flight hours with over 6,000 in King Airs. When time is available, he enjoys supporting the King Air educational support groups.
Chip McClure: The president of Jet Acquisitions, Chip is a 20-plus-year veteran of aviation and has found his professional niche helping buyers purchase aircraft. Chip and his wife Amy started the company in 2015 with a focus on King Airs and have expanded to include a wide variety of current production turboprops and jets.
We selected Bill as the chair of the selection committee since he had been on selection committees for various business awards as well as being the recipient of many. The first thing the committee decided was the selection criteria for the Hall of Fame recipients. They needed to meet one of two criteria:
= Would the King Air have ever been made without the recipient?
= And/or would the King Air have become the civilian aircraft with the longest production run in history without the recipient?
The team then took some time to research, ask those they knew who worked at Beech through the years and ›
4 • KING AIR MAGAZINE
JUNE 2022