Born 1934, San Bernardino, CA. As an NROTC midshipman from the University of Missouri, McKinnon was assigned to a summer training cruise on the USS Roanoke. It was on that cruise that he became enamored with the new HUP-2 helicopter and decided, at least in his own mind, that helicopters were where he wanted to go. Following graduation in June 1956, he entered Navy flight school and earned his coveted "Wings of Gold" flying helicopters. After a period of four years on active duty, McKinnon had tallied an amazing sixty-two air/sea rescues. In an era of rapid technological growth in aviation, failure of machines became almost commonplace, providing McKinnon a platform for his remarkable peace-time record--one that still stands today. President Ronald Reagan named McKinnon as Chairman of the Civil Aeronautics Board, and during its most critical years, he oversaw the bankruptcies of two airlines, Braniff and Continental, the complete deregulation of the airline industry, and the shutdown of the Civil Aeronautics Board in 1984, making him the first and only person to close a government regulatory agency. McKinnon always maintained a strong presence in the aviation world, and realized his dream-come-true in 1989 when he founded North American Airlines. From its modest beginnings, one Boeing 757, it grew to a fleet of eight aircraft and was the largest charter airline based at Kennedy Airport in New York, as well as one of the largest in the country. North American proudly served the U. S. military by dedicating one-third of its business to flying soldiers for duty in Iraq and other hot-spots around the globe. McKinnon operated the airline profitably for 16 years before ultimately selling to World Airlines.
Inducted in 2012.
Portrait Location: Hall of Fame Hallway

Induction Video