Arizona Aviation Hall of Fame
Enshrined 1993
Alfred Hudgin was born in Nogales, Arizona. He learned to fly in 1927 and in the following years he created a unique stable of successful family-owned aviation enterprises that contributed significantly to local and state economies. He bought his first airplane in 1931 and went on to establish aviation facilities at Del Rio, Texas, Nogales and Tucson. During World War II he became chief of operations for Consolidated Vultee’s Tucson plant. After the war, he founded and headed Hudgin Air Service and Hudgin Aero – Tech in Tucson. Hudgin operations included air taxi and charter service, aircraft sales and service, and flight training.
In 1960 he became owner and operator of Grand Canyon Airlines. He also developed procedures for dropping forest firefighters and supplies in fire zones which are still in use today. A true pioneer and a positive force in Arizona aviation, Al Hudgin’s remarkable career ended in a bizarre helicopter accident near Flagstaff in 1961.
