The National Aeronautic Association announced that 11 aviation and space achievements will compete for the 2018 Robert J. Collier Trophy.

For 107 years, the Collier Trophy has been the benchmark of aerospace achievement. Awarded annually “… for the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America,” it has been bestowed upon some of the most important projects, programs, individuals, and accomplishments in history.

Past winners include the crews of Apollo 11 and Apollo 8, the Mercury 7, Scott Crossfield, Elmer Sperry, Howard Hughes, and Orville Wright. Projects and programs which have been the recipient of the Collier include the B-52, the Boeing 747, the Cessna Citation, the F-22, and the International Space Station. The five most recent recipients of the Collier Trophy are the Cirrus Aircraft Vision Jet; the Blue Origin New Shepard Team; the NASA/JPL Dawn Mission Team; the Gulfstream G650; and the Northrop Grumman, US Navy, and X-47B Industry Team.

The 2018 Nominees are: • Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (AGCAS)

• Bell V-280 Valor

• Boeing T-X

• Draken International Contracted Close Air Support & Adversary Air Services in Support of Combat Readiness Training

• Embraer E190-E2

• F-35 Integrated Test Force

• General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. Integration of Large UAS into Civil and International Airspace

• NASA/JPL Mars Cube One (MarCO) Project Team

• Perlan Project

• Responsive Environmental Assessment Commercially Hosted (REACH) Project

• Virgin Galactic SpaceShip Two Program

“Each year the Collier nominations show the extent of innovative work being done across the aviation and aerospace industry,” said Greg Principato, President & CEO, NAA. “This year is no exception. It is an exciting time for aviation in the United States, and we look forward to a challenging and rewarding Collier selection process.”

The Collier Trophy Selection Committee will meet on April 4, 2019 in Arlington, Virginia, and the recipient will be announced publicly the following day.

The formal presentation of the Collier Trophy will take place on June 13, 2019 at a location to be determined. More information can be found at www.naa.aero.