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Photo Credit: Lone Star Flight Museum

The Lone Star Flight Museum Celebrates The Superstars of Air and Space with the Class of 2026.

Individual tickets are now on sale.

 

HOUSTON, Texas (March 30, 2026) – The Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) will host the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame (TAHOF) Induction Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, April 10, at 11:30 a.m.  Hundreds of supporters are expected to attend this special event in the Waltrip Hangar at 11551 Aerospace Avenue at Ellington Airport in Houston.

The TAHOF Class of 2026 Bonnie Dunbar, NASA astronaut, aerospace and engineering leader with significant contributions in human space flight; John Dyer, U.S. Air Force Vietnam veteran, accomplished flight instructor and Federal Aviation Association Wright Brothers Master Flyer award recipient; and posthumously, Meg Lonero, longtime City of Houston airport executive, aviation industry leader, and accomplished pilot.

 

Anna Hawley, president and chief executive officer of the museum added: “We are excited to celebrate three accomplished aviators and their role in strengthening the aviation industry and Texas’ undeniable impact in shaping the future of aerospace. We are proud to induct this year’s deserving individuals into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. Bonnie Dunbar, John Dyer, and Meg Lonero represent stories of passion, determination, and incredible accomplishment. We are proud to be the home of the hall of fame and celebrate the legacy of excellence in Texas aviation, and we are grateful for the support of our generous sponsors. It’s going to be a great day.”

 

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame was established through a resolution by the 74th Texas Legislature and signed by then Governor George W. Bush to honor and recognize Texans and Texas companies or organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions to the advancement of aviation. In 1997, the first class, which included Lloyd Bentsen, President George H.W. Bush, Beryl Erickson, and Joe Kilgore were inducted.  With the addition of the Class of 2026, the number of Texas Aviation Hall of Fame inductees has grown to 103.

Members of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame are featured in one of four categories: Trailblazers & Explorers, Military Aviators, Leaders, and Entrepreneurs & Innovators. The 2026 Texas Aviation Hall of Fame inductees join an impressive list of members including Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and George W. Bush, the Doolittle Raiders, the Tuskegee Airmen, Bessie Coleman, Eileen Collins, Gene Cernan, Gene Kranz, and many more.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available and individual tickets for the event are now available for purchase. For questions about sponsorships or individual tickets, please contact Sam Waters at 346-352-7678 or sam.waters@lonestarflight.org.

 

About the Class of 2026

 

Bonnie J. Dunbar has been serving on the Lone Star Flight Museum’s board of directors since 2013. She is a former NASA astronaut and a recognized aerospace engineering leader.  Dunbar was born on March 3, 1949, in Sunnyside, Wash. After receiving her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in ceramic engineering from the University of Washington, she earned a doctorate in Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston in 1983.

 

Following positions with Boeing and Rockwell International Space Division building the Space Shuttle, Dunbar joined NASA as a payload officer and flight controller. She was selected as a NASA astronaut in 1980 and flew five Space Shuttle missions:  STS-61A in 1985, STS-32 in 1990, STS-50 in 1992, STS-71 in 1995 and STS-89 in 1998. She logged more than 50 days in space. Dunbar later served as President and CEO of The Museum of Flight in Seattle, expanding aerospace education programs.

 

Dunbar is a professor of Aerospace Engineering at Texas A&M University. She has many honors for her contributions to human space flight and leadership in STEM education, including induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, Living Legends of Aviation, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame. Dunbar is a longtime resident of Seabrook, Texas.

 

Captain John Dyer was born in Atlanta, Ga., in 1949. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., he joined the U.S. Air Force Flight School after graduating from North Carolina A&T University in 1971.  Dyer served as the top flight instructor and was the face of the U.S. Air Force recruiting efforts during the Vietnam War. As part of the 89th Airlift Wing, he flew high-ranking members of the U.S. government.

 

Dyer has logged more than 21,000 flight hours, which include flying for Continental Airlines and FedEx. He was a pioneer in the Ultralight movement.  He retired from commercial aviation in 2009.

 

A lifetime member of the Experimental Aircraft Association and Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Dyer has remained deeply committed to aviation education and mentorship. In 2022, he received the prestigious Federal Aviation Administration Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award which recognizes 50 or more years of safe civil and military flying. On Nov.  15, 2025, the City of Houston proclaimed, “John Dyer Day,” recognizing his achievements and contributions to the Houston community through aviation.  Dyer is also an accomplished jazz musician, avid golfer, and longtime resident of the Houston suburb of Spring, Texas.

 

Margaret “Meg” Lonero was born in Omaha, Neb., in 1938. She moved to the Houston area in 1965 with her husband and son and began her aviation career. She earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in psychology from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She later earned her pilot’s license and held a seaplane rating for many years.

 

In the mid-1970s, Lonero became a founding partner of Clear Lake Aviation, a Houston area aviation and flight training operation. She later sold that business, became an Accredited Airport Executive, and built a 21-year career with Houston Airport System, the aviation department of the City of Houston.

 

Working in management roles at all three airports, Lonero served in Airport Operations and as Manager at William P. Hobby Airport where she directed a $227 million modernization program, construction of a new central concourse, improved instrument landing capability, and coordinated federal security operations during major city events and governmental visits. She was also a manager at Ellington Airport and an assistant manager at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Lonero retired in 2005 and died in 2015.

Recognized for her mentorship of college aviation students, Lonero received the Bessie Coleman Woman of the Year Award in 2006.

 

About Our Sponsors

 

The Texas Aviation Hall of Fame is generously supported by the following sponsors:

• Award Sponsor: Bristow Group Inc. , Friend of Lone Star Flight Museum, and The Johnson Family
• Gold Sponsors: Hillwood Development Company, The Patricia Jayne Keefer Foundation*, Patrice and Ed Noel, Mary and David Novelli*, Deborah J. Rihn-Harvey, Lisa and Jerry Simon*, and Texas A&M University Aerospace Engineering
• Silver Sponsors: Flora and Brian Antweil*, Diane and Steve Biegel* , Ellen and Robert Wagnon*, Burando Energies, John Dyer, Anthony W. Hall, Jr.*, Houston Airports, Intermountain Business Insurance, Nancy and Pete Olson*, Tavaero Jet Charter*, TechTrans International, and Texas Southern University Aviation

 

*Members of LSFM Board of Directors

 

 

 

About the Lone Star Flight Museum

The Lone Star Flight Museum (LSFM) is a 501 (c)(3) aviation museum and STEM learning center with a mission to celebrate flight and achievements in Texas aviation as well as educate and engage our youth through science, technology, engineering, and math. The 130,000-square-foot museum is home to the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame, and a flying collection of rare and historic commercial, general aviation and military aircraft. Guests can experience the wonder of flight in a warbird ride and get hands-on in the Flight Academy and Flight Simulator Bay. Multiple public and STEM-focused education programs create an unforgettable museum experience for visitors of all ages. Located at Ellington Airport, just 20 minutes from downtown Houston, LSFM is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Tickets start at $12 with senior and military discounts. Free Museum Days are presented by ExxonMobil every Tuesday. Memberships are also available. For details, visit lonestarflight.org or call 346-708-2517. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.