William A. Wheatley Award
In 1940, William A. Wheatley retired at the age of seventy as the Dean of the State Teacher’s College at Edinboro, PA, and embarked upon a new career as Director of the School and College Service Department of United Airlines. His personal sponsor was W. A. Patterson, long-time President of United. Professor Wheatley established a relationship between educational institutions and the aviation industry--and particularly United Airlines--which endures to this day.
Wheatley is widely recognized for his many publications, teachers’ manuals, and other documents that brought aviation to the classroom. In 1942-43 alone, over 300,000 students received a packet of aviation education materials, and in succeeding years more than fifteen million students viewed his slide presentation, “Behind the Scenes of a Coast to Coast Flight.” In the seven years before his retirement from United in 1947, Professor Wheatley set a standard for aerospace education that few have challenged to this day. Each year, UAA proudly honors William A. Wheatley, with United Airlines sponsorship, with this award.
Wheatley is widely recognized for his many publications, teachers’ manuals, and other documents that brought aviation to the classroom. In 1942-43 alone, over 300,000 students received a packet of aviation education materials, and in succeeding years more than fifteen million students viewed his slide presentation, “Behind the Scenes of a Coast to Coast Flight.” In the seven years before his retirement from United in 1947, Professor Wheatley set a standard for aerospace education that few have challenged to this day. Each year, UAA proudly honors William A. Wheatley, with United Airlines sponsorship, with this award.