2025 AVIATION RECORDS CELEBRATION

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) held its 2025 Aviation Records Celebration presented by Bombardier on July 11th at the Kansas Aviation Museum in Wichita, Kansas.

Since 1905, the NAA has served as the official U.S. representative to the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI). As the nation's official record keeper for aeronautic and astronautic achievements, the NAA remains dedicated to recognizing excellence across all levels of flight and honoring those who continue to push aviation and aerospace to new heights.

The following records were presented:

James K. Black

Class C-1 [Landplanes]

Speed Over a Commercial Airline Route: 528.12 mph

Venice (Italy) to New York, NY (USA)

-and-

Speed Over a Commercial Airline Route: 585.53 mph

New York, NY (USA) to Naples (Italy)

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-300ER

2 Pratt & Whitney PW4060, 60,200 lbs

6/2/2024 and 7/24/2024

James K. Black

Class C-1 [Landplanes]

Speed Over a Commercial Airline Route: 629.16 mph

New York, NY (USA) to Milan (Italy)

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-400ER

2 General Electric CF6-80C2, 63,500 lbs

1/26/2025

Scott Evans, Nicholas Freeman, and Michael Hyland

Class C-1.m, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 99,208 < 132,277 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 536.30 mph

Honolulu, HI (USA) to Da Nang (Vietnam)

-and-

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 556.80 mph

Da Nang (Vietnam) to Honolulu, HI (USA)

Gulfstream GVIII-G700

2 Rolls-Royce RB3043, 18,250 lbs

10/14/2024 and 10/17/2024

Nathan J. Finneman

Class RPL2T [Paraglider, Landplane, Two Persons, Thermal Engine]

Altitude: 11,293 ft

Leadville, CO (USA)

Fly Products Xenit

1 Vittorazi Cosmos 300, 36 bhp

11/2/2023

Nathan J. Finneman

Class RPF1E [Paraglider, Foot Launched, Solo, Electric Engine]

Altitude: 14,790 ft

Leadville, CO (USA)

Gin Carve 18 m

1 MAD M50C35, 25 kW

11/2/2023

Jarious D. Gordon, Mya J. Coley, and Tanya Austin

Class C-1.c, Group I (Internal Combustion) [Landplanes, 2,205 < 3,858 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 111.33 mph

Columbus, OH (USA) to Poughkeepsie, NY (USA)

Piper PA-28-181 Cherokee Archer II

1 Lycoming IO-360, 180 bhp

7/29/2022

Bart T. Gray, John R. Bone, Kirby K. Ezelle, and Joshua E. Podlich

Class C-1.f, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 13,228 < 19,842 lbs]

Speed Around the World, Westbound: 341.08 mph

Wichita, KS (USA)

Learjet 36A

2 Honeywell TFE731, 3,500 lbs

4/7/2024

Douglas G. Matthews

Class E-1.c, Group II (Turbine) [Helicopters, 2,205 < 3,858 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 139.45 mph

West Palm Beach, FL (USA) to Daytona Beach, FL (USA)

-and-

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 135.55 mph

Daytona Beach, FL (USA) to West Palm Beach, FL (USA)

-and-

Speed Over a Recognized Course, Round Trip: 116.22 mph

West Palm Beach, FL (USA) to Daytona Beach, FL (USA) (and return)

Aerospatiale SA 341F Gazelle

1 Turbomeca Astazou IIIC, 320 shp

6/7/2025

Michael P. Steiger

Class C-1.e, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 6,614 < 13,228 lbs]

Speed Over a 15 km Course: 546.03 mph

Lovelock, NV (USA)

Aero Vodochody L-39

1 Ivchenko AI-25, 3,792 lbs

4/24/2024

Richard A. Vandam

Class C-1.e, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 6,614 < 13,228 lbs]

Speed Over a 3 km Course: 542.8 mph

Lovelock, NV (USA)

Aero Vodochody L-39

1 Ivchenko AI-25, 3,792 lbs

4/23/2024

Mark A. Johnson

Class C-1.e, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 6,614 < 13,228 lbs]

Speed Over a 100 km Closed Course: 536.77 mph

Angleton, TX (USA)

Aero Vodochody L-39

1 Ivchenko AI-25, 3,792 lbs

4/22/2025

David Strassburg and

Stef de Wit

Class C-1.l, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 77,162 < 99,208 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 524.60 mph

London (UK) to Montreal (Canada)

Bombardier BD-700 Global 6500

2 BMW Rolls-Royce BR700, 15,125 lbs

7/5/2024

Kerry J. Swanson and

Grant R. Russell

Class C-1.l, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 77,162 < 99,208 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 515.67 mph

Mumbai (India) to Dubai (UAE)

Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500

2 General Electric Passport 20, 18,920 lbs

9/27/2024

Kerry J. Swanson, Bernard J. Ferro, and

Carolyn Forrest

Class C-1.m, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 99,208 < 132,277 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 562.15 mph

Nashville, TN (USA) to Recife (Brazil)

Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500

2 General Electric Passport 20, 18,920 lbs

10/5/2024

Kerry J. Swanson

Class C-1.l, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 77,162 < 99,208 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 620.81 mph

Los Angeles, CA (USA) to St. Louis, MO (USA)

Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500

2 General Electric Passport 20, 18,920 lbs

12/4/2024

Kerry J. Swanson and Charles W. Samuel

Class C-1.m, Group III (Jet) [Landplanes, 99,208 < 132,277 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 577.56 mph

Hartford, CT (USA) to Dubai (UAE)

-and-

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 522.10 mph

Hong Kong (China) to Montreal (Canada)

Bombardier BD-700 Global 7500

2 General Electric Passport 20, 18,920 lbs

12/7/2024 and 3/27/2025

Ardy Williams and John Williams

Class C-1.c, Group I (Internal Combustion) [Landplanes, 2,205 < 3,858 lbs]

Speed Over a Recognized Course: 136.75 mph

Fort Worth, TX (USA) to San Antonio, TX (USA)

Cessna 182

1 Lycoming IO-540, 230 bhp

6/17/2025

We are deeply grateful to our generous sponsors, whose support made this celebration possible:

Presenting Sponsor: Bombardier (NAA Corporate Member)

Reception Sponsor: Doug Matthews (NAA Lifetime Member)

Premium Sponsor: Vivian Fung & Daniel Cheung (NAA Lifetime Member), Patrice & Ed Noel (NAA Lifetime Member), and Global JetCare

Missed the event or want to relive the event?

Browse the event photos to revisit the celebration’s highlights!

Check out the slide deck featuring the records presented during the ceremony.

Don’t forget to tag the NAA when sharing:

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