The Clifford P. Burton Memorial Ambassador Award
This award is reserved for members who have not only contributed to the quality, safety, or efficiency of
air traffic control but also have devoted much time and effort in furthering the goals and objectives of
ATCA and the profession.
Clifford P. Burton became ATCA’s first Executive Director in 1956 after he helped found the
organization. He planned to serve only until it achieved a “permanent footing” but stayed on for two and a
half years, during which time the monthly ATCA Bulletin was started, the Journal of Air Traffic Control was
launched, the 1st and 2nd Annual Meetings were conducted, and he began the long road of Congressional
hearings relative to the FAA ACT of 1958 and, in later years, early retirement legislation for controllers.
Cliff was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and was the product of various schools including the Coast
Artillery School at Fort Monroe, Virginia where he studied civil and electrical engineering. In 1929, he
received his Air Corp wings from Kelly Field as a bombardier pilot, was commissioned and subsequently served
six years on active duty. In 1935, following military duty he started his ATC career in the world’s first
Airway traffic Control Center located at Newark, New Jersey. During World War II, Cliff was liaison officer
between the British Directorate of Aircraft Safety and the US Eight Air Force. From 1946 to 1949, he served
with distinction as Chief of the Civil Aeronautics Administration’s Technical Mission where he was
responsible for the preparation and coordination of the US position on air navigation facilities and
services to be presented to the International Civil Aviation Organization. He participated in 15
international meetings in various parts of the world and was designated by the Secretary of State to be
Chairman of the US Delegation for seven of the meetings. For his outstanding efforts, Cliff was awarded the
Department of Commerce Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Public Service. Following his tenures with the
Technical Mission, he returned to CAA in 1950 and held several high level positions until he retired in
1954. Following his service to ATCA in 1958, he reentered government service with the FAA as chief of
Airspace Utilization and Acting Director of FAA’s Air Traffic Service. After he fully retired in 1968 he
lived in Virginia Beach, Virginia until his death in 1998.
The Earl F. Ward Memorial Team Award for Outstanding Achievement
This award is presented to a group for an outstanding achievement during the previous year, which has added
to the quality, safety, or efficiency of air traffic control.
Earl F. Ward was a pioneer airmail and airline pilot who recognized the need for aircraft
separation as air traffic increased. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1896. In his youth his main
interest was baseball. After finishing high school, he worked as a telegraph lineman and then became a
driver of racing cars.
In 1917, Ward joined the United States Naval Air Service and became a Marine Pilot. He first climbed into an
airplane on a Saturday, (there was no flying on Sunday). The following Monday he made his first solo flight
after three hours and forty minutes of instruction. Ward was assigned to instructor duty and specialized in
“stunt” flying. Toward the end of World War I, he shipped overseas as the Assistant Flight Commander of the
only Marine Unit that deployed to Europe.
In France, he collapsed from the stress and strain of stunt flying and instructing, six to eight hours a
day, and was consequently hospitalized until shortly after the end of the war. After the war the Post Office
organized the first airmail routes in 1918 and 1919. Ward was one of the first pilots recruited to fly the
mail. In 1924, he became the first man ever to fly the mail at night.
In 1927, he left Government Service and joined the newly organized National Air Transport Service, flying
the mail between New York and Cleveland. Ward left N.A.T. in 1928 to become Operations Manager for
Interstate Airlines, carrying the mail between Chicago, Atlanta, Evansville, Indiana and St. Louis. The
Interstate Airlines merged with American Airways, which later became American Airlines, Inc.; and in 1929,
he became Operations Manager of the larger organization.
Ward was elected Vice-President of American Airlines in 1934. After becoming an American Airlines Management
pilot based in Chicago he became concerned that the increase in instrument flight operations in those early
days would result in a mid-air collision unless something was done. Military flights and planes flown for
large corporations were also engaged in instrument flight operations. He came up with the idea of having
American’s radio operators exchange traffic information between all AA flights in and out of Chicago using
procedures developed by Glen Gilbert. While this did afford some small measure of safety for AA flights,
Ward realized that there was a need for all carriers in the area to participate if the procedure was to be
truly effective. He wasted no time in seeking and obtaining the cooperation of TWA, United and Eastern in an
extension of this venture.
Glen Gilbert, for whom the prestigious “ATCA Glen Gilbert Award” is named, worked for Ward in Chicago. Earl
Ward assigned Glen Gilbert responsibility for preparing detailed procedures suitable for use by the
collective group of airlines at Chicago, and the inter-airline tests of these procedures at Chicago proved
successful; but they still provided only for an exchange of traffic information. Resolution of any potential
traffic conflicts was accomplished by voluntary actions by individual companies and pilots. It became
evident to Ward that it was necessary to go a step beyond, that is, to implement mandatory procedures and
rules requiring the adherence to altitudes and routes assigned by a central control group. Armed with
innovative procedures developed by Gilbert, Ward prepared an interline agreement, the first such document
ever, in which American, United, TWA and Eastern Airlines agreed to implement these procedures to prevent
collisions. Using the newly developed separation procedures and with the blessing of the Federal Government,
the airlines used their own personnel to set-up enroute air traffic control facilities at Newark, Chicago
and Cleveland in 1935.
In July 1936, the Bureau of Air Commerce took over the traffic control stations established by the airlines
including the employment of most of the people working in these centers. Earl A. Ward was appointed the
first Supervisor of Airways Traffic Control in the Bureau of Air Commerce.
The David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management
This award is presented to an individual working in the field of Aviation Traffic Management for outstanding
achievement or contribution in the area of ATC collaborative decision-making, balancing air traffic demand
and capacity, or maximizing airspace and airport use, which has added to the quality, efficiency and/or
safety of the Global Airspace Systems.
In Herndon, Virginia, the Air Traffic Control Systems Command Center stands as a legacy to the vision of
David J. Hurley. Early on Mr. Hurley recognized the importance of system and system
leadership and worked tirelessly on the relocation of the Command Center from its location in FAA
Headquarters to its current location in Herndon. Mr. Hurley played the key role in redefining Traffic
Management and positioning it to meet the challenges of the future. This legacy is enjoyed and built
upon daily. As Director of Air Traffic Management, David J. Hurley was recognized for his vision and
leadership. He received the Secretary’s Award for Meritorious Achievement in 1990. In 1992, he
received the Senior Executive Service Presidential Meritorious Rank Award. Mr. Hurley returned to the
region where his illustrious career began and became the Air Traffic Division Manager for the New England
Region. In April of 1997, Mr. Hurley passed away. In summer of the same year, the Air Traffic
Control System Command Center was rededicated as the David J. Hurley Air Traffic Control System Command
Center. On the left, as you enter the operations room of the command center there is a prominently
displayed portrait of Mr. Hurley. Along with the portrait, a sentiment, in bold letters, states “His
vision… our reality.” of David J. Hurley.
The Andy Pitas Memorial Aircraft Save Award
This award is presented to an individual or group who provided flight assistance in the previous year that
resulted in the safe recovery of an emergency aircraft through the application of exceptional air traffic
service.
Andy Pitas:Andrew Frank Pitas, “Andy” was a founding member and first President of the Air
Traffic Control Association. Pitas along with some colleagues founded the Air Traffic Control Association in
March, 1956. He served in the United States Navy in the Naval Air Traffic Control, where he rose to Chief
Air Controlman. He served in World War II, 1939-1945.
He is hailed by ATCA as a legend as he was involved with all aspects of the association,
especially the Scholarship Fund, which supports the financial needs of students who have chosen to seek
higher education in the science of air traffic control and other aviation disciplines.
The General E. R. Quesada Memorial Award for Outstanding Civilian ATC Manager of the Year Award
This award is presented to an individual for an outstanding achievement or contribution during the previous
year as an ATC Manager.
General E. R. Quesada:Elwood R. “Pete” Quesada became the first Administrator of the
Federal Aviation Agency on November 1, 1958. Quesada was born in Washington, DC in 1904, and attended
Maryland and Georgetown universities. He joined the Army in 1924, received his pilot’s wings, and returned
to civilian life before reentering active duty in 1927. Quesada was a member of a special Army Aviation
unit, which, under the command of Major Carl Spaatz, broke world endurance marks in January 1929 by
remaining in the air for more than 150 hours. During World War II, Quesada flew many combat missions and
held a series of important commands, including the 12th Fighter Command, the 9th Fighter Command, and the
9th Tactical Air Command. Units under his leadership made important contributions to the successes of the
Normandy invasion and other campaigns by achieving air superiority, flying interdiction missions, and
providing close air support to ground troops. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal with one
cluster and the Distinguished Flying Cross. After retiring from the Air Force in 1951 with the rank of
Lieutenant General, Quesada held a variety of positions in private industry before returning to government
as Special Assistant for aviation matters under President Eisenhower. He was later appointed Chairman of the
Airways Modernization Board. Sixty days after Quesada’s appointment as the first FAA Administrator, FAA
assumed the full scope of its responsibilities and Quesada served as Administrator for the remainder of the
Eisenhower Administration, resigning effective January 20, 1961. The Quesada Memorial Award recognizes the
extraordinary achievement of General Quesada as head of the FAA in bringing together the scattered aviation
initiatives and staffing key posts in the new agency to cope with critically needed ATC modernization.