Kenn Ricci to Receive Lifetime Aviation Honor at Living Legends of Aviation Awards

35-year aviation veteran will be honored for developing innovative services in the industry

BEVERLY HILLS, California, Jan. 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kenn Ricci, principal of Directional Aviation Capital, will be honored with the "Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award" at the 14^th Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards on Friday, January 20, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Calif.  Ricci will be one of several honored that evening for their contributions to the world of aviation.

In 1980, Ricci founded Corporate Wings, an aircraft management and charter operation providing charter flight service to corporate clients.  In 1990, he founded Inertial Airline Services, providing service and repair of electronic and avionics systems, with a customer list of the world's major airlines, U.S. and foreign militaries, and corporate aircraft operators.  In 1998, Ricci revolutionized the fractional aircraft ownership industry by founding Flight Options.  When Flight Options merged with Raytheon Travel Air in 2002, Ricci had grown Flight Options to rank as the second largest company in the industry with a fleet of more than 200 aircraft, 1,500 employees and almost 1,000 pilots.

Ricci's creative amalgamation of business aviation services created a higher standard of expectations.  His current vision and leadership at Directional Capital as an umbrella facilitator have created efficiencies in fractional aircraft ownership, aircraft management and services that improved the entire industry. Ricci embodies the entrepreneurial spirit in every sense of the word.

John Travolta, the official Ambassador of Aviation, hosts the event. Other honorees this year at the Living Legends of Aviation Awards include:

• Phebe Novakovic, chairman and CEO of the General Dynamics Corporation will receive the "Aviation Industry Leader of the Year Award."
  
  
• Mark and Scott Kelly, twin brothers, astronauts and Navy captains will each receive the "Aviation Inspiration and Patriotism Award."
  
  
• Steve Hickok, president of Hickok and Associates, will receive the Bell Helicopter "Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award."
  
  
• Peter Paul Luce, board member for "Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum" in Denver, CO, will receive the "Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award."
  
  
• Clay Lacy, founder of Clay Lacy Aviation, will receive the "Bob Hoover Freedom of Flight Award," a continuation of the award named for the late aviation legend who passed away last fall.

The Living Legends of Aviation will also welcome several new members into their ranks at the event:

• Ray Conner, vice chairman The Boeing Company
• Dr. Tom Enders, CEO of Airbus Group
• Elling Halvorson, founder and chairman of the board for Papillon Group
• Nick Popovich, airplane repossession man extraordinaire
• General Mark Welsh III, recently retired Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force

The Awards are produced by the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a 501-c-3 non-profit organization. Kiddie Hawk's mission is to educate children about and spark their interest in aviation.  A few seats are still available for this "Red Carpet, Black Tie" event. Please visit LivingLegendsOfAviation.org for more information.

Media/Red Carpet Access Patty Kovacevich,
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