NBAA Marks the Passing of General Aviation Icon Hal Shevers

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) pays tribute to Hal Shevers, the founder and longtime chairman of Sporty’s Pilot Shop, who passed away May 12, at the age of 90.

“Hal Shevers’ love and enthusiasm for general aviation is part of his enduring legacy,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Through Sporty’s Academy and Sporty’s Pilot Shop, he trained and equipped countless pilots. But it was his Saturday fly-ins, tireless work on behalf of the Boy Scouts and Aviation Explorer programs, and involvement in the Air Race Classic that made general aviation even more accessible and fun.”

Shevers founded Sporty’s in 1961, growing it from a small operation from the trunk of his car, selling a radio that picked up airport control tower transmissions, to the world’s largest pilot shop and a leader in product development, from ADS-B receivers to pilot-friendly radios. Shevers retired from Sporty’s in 2024 after 63 years.

He was also a pioneer in pilot education, creating one of the first three-day ground school courses in the early 1960s, traveling the country in general aviation aircraft to teach ground school to pilots nationwide. His teaching extended to thousands of pilots through Sporty’s Academy.

His longtime support of Scouting America and Aviation Exploring programs earned him multiple honors, including the Silver Beaver Award. Shevers was inducted into the National Association of Flight Instructors Hall of Fame in 2007.

Shevers is also recognized for transforming Ohio’s Clermont County Airport (I69) into a general aviation center, fostering partnerships with many organizations and the University of Cincinnati.