The 5th Annual Living Legends of Aviation ® awards ceremony, held Jan. 24, 2008, at California´s Beverly Hilton Hotel, was a spectacular, star-studded event. Aviation legends such as Buzz Aldrin, Maj. Gen. Bill Anders, Bob Hoover, Cliff Robertson, George McGovern, John Travolta, Clay Lacy and many more walked the coveted red carpet.

John Travolta, the 2007 Ambassador of Aviation award recipient, shared both his love of aircraft and film. During the ceremony, he read two pages from his childhood book, "Gordon´s Jet Flight," by Naomi J. Glasson, which he credited for giving him inspiration to become a pilot

Harrison Ford, born in Chicago, on July 13, 1942, became fascinated by aviation at an early age.

"Aviation captured my imagination when I was very young," Ford said. "When I was growing up, there was no television. There was radio, and one of the shows that I used to listen to was ´Sky King.´ I really enjoyed it. My dad was in advertising, and one of his accounts was that show. I got a chance to meet Sky King."

His interest in aviation continued. After graduating from high school in 1960, Ford attended Ripon College, in Wisconsin.

"While I was in college, I scraped together enough money to take maybe five or six lessons, in a TriPacer," he said.