Sam Graves is 2026 recipient of EAA Freedom of Flight Award for service and contributions to recreational aviation

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (July 10, 2026) — Sam Graves, the longtime U.S. Representative from Missouri who as House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair led many efforts on behalf of general aviation, will receive the Experimental Aircraft Association’s 2026 Freedom of Flight Award, the organization’s highest honor.

The EAA Freedom of Flight award will be presented to Graves by Jack J. Pelton, EAA CEO and Chairman of the Board, at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 25, during the Congressional Forum held in Forum Pavilion 4 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. The 73rd edition of EAA’s fly-in convention is July 20-26 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

“Sam Graves’ congressional career has embodied his dedication to aviation and to public service,” Pelton said. “His bipartisan efforts and achievements have supported, preserved, and advanced recreational aviation in America. EAA’s Freedom of Flight Award not only recognizes Sam for all that he has done, but it serves as a thank-you to him for his strong advocacy on behalf of aviators and the general aviation community.”

Graves is retiring from Congress at the end of the current term after representing Missouri’s 6th District since 2001. He has served as the top Republican on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee since 2019 and co-chaired the House General Aviation Caucus.

Among the many notable accomplishments on behalf of aviation are:

• Instrumental in the development and passage of the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, which for the first time, included a General Aviation title and encompassed such important items as a timeline for MOSAIC implementation, expanded BasicMed, and increased Airport Improvement Program funding;
• ATC modernization and funding;
• Defending against ATC privatization;
• Pilots Bill of Rights;
• LODA/Experimental Flight Training.

The EAA Freedom of Flight Award has been presented since 1986 and recognizes contributors to aviation who closely mirror the integrity, entrepreneurship, and innovativeness of EAA members. Past recipients include Neil Armstrong, Cliff Robertson, Burt Rutan, and Scott Crossfield.