Leader in Aviation Safety: Jetaire Group Founder Named 2025 Neil Armstrong Outstanding Achievement Award Recipient
DAYTON, OH, March 25, 2025—The National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) is proud to announce that Michael Williams, founder of Jetaire Group will be honored with The 2025 Neil Armstrong Outstanding Achievement Award. A visionary in aviation safety and a transformative figure William’s innovations have revolutionized the field.
Motivated by a close encounter with tragedy in 1982, Williams has dedicated his career to making aviation safer. In 1996, in the wake of the devastating ValueJet Flight 592 disaster, he began work on what would later become the groundbreaking INVICTA Fuel Tank Flammability Reduction System, the proprietary reticulated polyurethane foam technology installed on over 100 commercial and VIP aircraft worldwide. As one of the youngest African Americans to become a Federal Aviation Administration Designated Engineering Representative, Williams has achieved nearly 200 major design approvals and over 500 FAA certifications. Under his leadership, Jetaire Group has become a global leader in aviation safety solutions, operating in over 60 countries. His work has earned numerous accolades, including the EPPS Aviation Lifetime Achievement Award and upcoming induction into the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. His legacy embodies the essence of the Armstrong Award, combining innovation, leadership, and a lifelong commitment to saving lives.
“I am honored to be recognized with this prestigious award,” Williams says. “Our industry has an obligation to make safe air travel a foregone conclusion, and I will continue to make it my life’s work.”
Says NAHF President and CEO Aimee Maruyama, “With his ‘life-long dedication to leadership in promoting aviation and the values of citizenship, dignity, integrity, and service, Williams embodies what it means to be an Armstrong recipient, and I am thrilled to be able to recognize him with this award.” Neil Armstrong’s son, Mark Armstrong, agrees. “We owe Michael Williams a debt of gratitude for his incredible efforts to keep us all safe in flight. Thank you, Michael, and keep up the great work!”
Williams will be honored at the President’s Reception on September 18, 2025, as part of the NAHF 61st Enshrinement Dinner and Ceremony in Wichita, Kansas. Over 600 people— including aviation enthusiasts, industry leaders, and several returning Enshrinees—are expected to attend two days of events. The events are open to the public by advance registration only. For more information, visit nationalaviation.org or call 937-256-0944 ext.16.
About the Award
The Neil Armstrong Outstanding Achievement Award is a highly prestigious aviation award named after Neil Armstrong, the military aviator, test-pilot, astronaut, educator, and 1979 NAHF Enshrinee. The award is for exceptional aviation performance of national or international significance by a US citizen or by a group, the majority of which are U.S. citizens. It may be given for a one-time event that establishes a new level of performance in an aviation activity, a demonstration of an exceptionally high level of personal skill in an aviation event, the development or demonstration of a breakthrough in aviation technology, or an enduring series of events that demonstrate life-long dedication to leadership in promoting aviation and the values of citizenship, dignity, integrity and service.
About the National Aviation Hall of Fame
The National Aviation Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, is the only Congressionally chartered aviation hall of fame in the United States. Based in Dayton, Ohio, the NAHF’s Heritage Hall & Education Center is committed to informing the public about American aviation heroes, their accomplishments, and their impact on advances in aviation from early flight to space travel. The NAHF strives to create a distinctive educational resource that will inspire future generations to appreciate our nation’s extraordinary aviation heritage through the men and women who created it.
