First Archie "Presidential Award" Winner to Be Featured at Aviation Historical Society
Thursday, December 30, 2010

On Jan. 22, the New Hampshire Aviation Historical Society will feature the dramatic air traffic control rescue of August 9, 2004 by then-NATCA member Ken Hopf.

Hopf, since retired, was working the Laconia, N.H., sector that day at Boston TRACON when he was faced with an in-flight passenger whose pilot had gone unconscious. Now, visitors will have the opportunity to hear the dramatic story first hand as Hopf relives the details.  

Hopf's calm demeanor and expert advise during this event is what guided the passenger to a successful landing at Laconia, and in the end, also earned him the title of not only NATCA’s New England Regional winner but the overall President’s Award winner at the first ever Archie League Medal of Safety Awards banquet.

Last week's newspaper article in The Citizen corresponds with NATCA's preparation for the next set of Archie League winners, whose actions of 2010 proved above and beyond for both general and commercial aviation across the country. This year's winners will be honored during the March 2011 Communicating for Safety conference in Las Vegas.


To read more about the Archie League Medal of Safety program, click here. Or, to read in full the details of Ken Hopf’s winning save, visit: http://natca.org/cfs2005.aspx?zone=CFS 2005&pID=436#p436.

For more information on January's museum event, click here.