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Four-time NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy pilot, and general aviation industry advocate Capt. James Arthur "Jim" Lovell Jr. passed away on Aug. 7 at the age of 97.
Lovell completed his flight naval flight training in February 1954 and operated the service's earliest carrier-based jet fighters, completing a total of 107 carrier deck landings. He transferred to the Naval Air Test Center in Jan. 1958, where he graduated top of his class.Lovell is most well-known as an astronaut. He was the pilot for Gemini 7, the commander of the final Gemini 12 mission, the command module pilot of Apollo 8, and the commander of the Apollo 13 moon mission, which NASA calls one of the most intense episodes in the history of space exploration. Lovell retired from NASA in 1973 and was very active in the general aviation community, frequently attending Oshkosh over the past 30 years.
He was part of the Salute to Apollo at the 1994 EAA Fly-In Convention, the Apollo 13 anniversary at Oshkosh in 2015, the Apollo astronaut reunion during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2017, and was the main speaker for the Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet virtual event in 2020.
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"We at EAA had a close connection to him for decades, as he first met EAA founder Paul Poberezny in their mutual hometown of Milwaukee," said the EAA. "Jim was a regular visitor to Oshkosh for the EAA fly-in convention for many years and graciously retold his experiences as a Naval Aviator and an astronaut to our audiences on numerous occasions. We express our condolences to Jim's family and many friends, and say, Godspeed and thank you."
In 2017, Lovell supported general aviation's objections to the privatization of the nation's air traffic control (ATC) system, calling it a solution in search of a problem. At the NBAA-BACE the same year, he spoke of the importance of encouraging future generations to pursue careers in aviation and aerospace.
"Jim Lovell is an American hero who represented his country and all of humanity with distinction," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "We will remember him not only for his leadership in the fight against turning over our ATC system to a monopoly, but also his powerful example in maintaining focus and strength in the face of adversity."