2026 SFTE Awards Nominations Now Open
Call for Nominations: 2026 SFTE Kelly Johnson & J.S. McDonnell Awards
We are excited to announce that nominations are now officially open for the 2026 Society of Flight Test Engineers (SFTE) Awards! Every year, SFTE takes pride in recognizing the outstanding individuals and teams who push the boundaries of our profession.
We invite you to submit nominations for our two most prestigious honors:
The Kelly Johnson Award
First presented in 1973, the Kelly Johnson Award is the highest honor an individual can receive from SFTE. It recognizes and honors outstanding lifetime or significant achievement in the field of Flight Test Engineering. If you know a colleague whose technical excellence and dedication have made a lasting impact on flight testing, we encourage you to nominate them.
The James S. McDonnell Award
The J.S. McDonnell Award is our premier group award recognizing outstanding team achievement in the field of Flight Test Engineering. Flight testing is inherently a collaborative effort, and this award honors a team that has demonstrated exceptional innovation, safety-focused discipline, and technical accomplishment in a recent flight test campaign.
How to Nominate
Any active member of SFTE may submit a nomination. Please take a moment to reflect on the exceptional work being done in our community and help us recognize those who deserve to be celebrated.
- Submission Details: Nominations should be submitted via the awards section of the SFTE website
- Requirements: Please review the specific criteria and formatting requirements (e.g., page limits, requested testimonials) for each award on our website before submitting.
Nomination Deadline: July 31st 2026
The winners will be announced and honored later this year at our Annual International Symposium Awards Banquet.
Thank you for helping us recognize the best and brightest in the world of flight test. We look forward to reading about the incredible achievements of your peers and teams!