Ocean Aviation Flight Academy Founder Michael Freed to Receive FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award
Award Presentation at Maryland Aviation Association Meeting in Ocean City on June 12, 2025
OCEAN CITY, MD (June 10, 2025) – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will present Michael Freed, founder of Ocean Aviation Flight Academy, with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award—the agency’s highest honor for certified pilots—on Thursday, June 12, 2025, 11:30am, during the Maryland Aviation Association (MAA) meeting at the Princess Royale Hotel in Ocean City, Maryland.
Established in 2003, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award recognizes pilots who have demonstrated professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise by maintaining safe operations for 50 or more consecutive years without accidents or violations.
Over the course of five decades, Freed has built a legacy rooted in safety, discipline, and excellence. As both a pilot and educator, he has made safety the cornerstone of his work, training hundreds of future aviators with that same philosophy.
“This award is deeply meaningful to me—not just as a pilot, but as someone who has spent a lifetime committed to excellence and safety in aviation,” said Freed. “Safety isn’t optional in aviation—it’s everything. I’ve always believed that if you train with purpose and fly with discipline, you can achieve great things. I’m proud of the careers we’ve helped launch and the legacy we continue to build at Ocean Aviation.” As founder and director of Ocean Aviation Flight Academy, Freed has led the school for over 18 years in Ocean City, Maryland. In 2022 he expanded the program by opening a second location in Georgetown, Delaware. Today, the academy is recognized as one of the leading flight training institutions in the Mid-Atlantic region, launching the careers of pilots now flying for major airlines, international carriers, and the U.S. military.
The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award presentation will take place during the Maryland Aviation Association’s annual meeting, which gathers aviation professionals, educators, and enthusiasts from across the region. Media are invited to attend the ceremony and speak with Mr. Freed following the award presentation.
About the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award The FAA’s Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the most distinguished honor awarded to pilots certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 61. Recipients must have a minimum of 50 years of civil and/or military piloting experience and a record of safe flight practices with no accidents or violations.
About Ocean Aviation Flight Academy Founded by Mike Freed, Ocean Aviation Flight Academy is an FAA-certified Part 141 flight school with locations in Ocean City, Maryland, and Georgetown, Delaware. Known for its rigorous training programs, modern fleet, and culture of safety, the academy prepares students for successful careers in commercial, corporate, and military aviation.
