Springfield, Virginia

Inducted in 2010, George W. Lutz’s love of aviation inspired him to dedicate his time and efforts to improving safety, education, and the enjoyment of general aviation through his work with the FAA, Experimental Aircraft Association, and the Quantico Marine Corps Flying Club. George Lutz served as an FAA safety counselor for 20 years, beginning in 1980. He was instrumental in the planning and presentation of safe pilot programs for the Dulles FSDO 27 for 22 years. He initiated the planning, research and development of Advisory Circular 90-89A, amateur build aircraft and ultralight flight testing handbook. This Advisory Circular is recognized throughout the world and has provided a recognized safety program for the flight testing of amateur build aircraft. He served as official Experimental Aircraft Association liaison with FAA headquarters on sport aviation issues, National Aviation Weather user forums, traffic at non-towered airports, GPS, and other FAA programs. He was instrumental in founding EAA Chapter 186 and served six terms as president. During his tenure Chapter 186 organized, developed and managed the long-running and very successful Winchester EAA fly-in. He served as chief flight instructor and supervisor for standardization for the Quantico Marine Corps Flying Club, which maintained 17 airplanes, carried 26 instructors on staff and had a membership of over 550 pilots. In the early 1960s he helped found a flying club at Rose Valley Airport in Prince Georges County, MD, which then moved to Quantico Marine Base. Lutz joined the Army Air Corps in 1942 after graduating from the University of Iowa. In 1946 he left the service and moved to Seattle where he went to work for Boeing as a staff engineer. He re-entered the service when the Air Force was created and went to Air Force flight school in San Antonio. While in the Air Force Lutz served as a B-47 test pilot, held a number of staff assignments at the Pentagon and Andrews AFB, and was base commander at Nakon Phanom airbase in Thailand. He retired from the Air Force with the rank of Colonel in 1972. While in the service he was awarded the Legion of Merit medal and the Air Medal.