The president of Charles City Aeronautics, which does business under the name North Iowa Air Service in Mason City and Charles City, Iowa, has been awarded the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award.
The FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is named for Charles Taylor, the mechanic who is credited with building the engine that the Wright brothers used in their first airplane. It is awarded to senior aviation mechanics with over 50 years of experience in the industry. Bill becomes the third mechanic from Charles City Aeronautics to win this award, following in the footsteps of Ben Cordes and his own father, Lyle Kyle. Lyle and Bill are the first father-son duo in the state of Iowa to receive this award.
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![]() At the 66th annual Aircraft Electronics Association International Convention & Trade Show in Orlando, Florida, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) honoured Ric Peri, AEA Vice President of Government and Industry Affairs, with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. The award, named after Charles Taylor, the first aviation mechanic in powered flight, recognizes the lifetime achievements of senior mechanics. Robert Jex, FAASTeam Program Manager, presented the award to Ric Peri. Peri also has over 25 years of experience in association management and supports the AEA membership through consultation and advocacy of aviation issues, with an emphasis on global maintenance, manufacturing, and certification regulations. In a recent reception at Duncan Aviation’s headquarters in Lincoln, Nebraska, two airframe technicians who recently retired from Duncan Aviation, Ron Grose and Tim Garity, were honored as recipients of the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award.
The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is named in honor of Charles Taylor, the first aviation mechanic in powered flight. Taylor served as the Wright brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft. The award recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. Award recipients are required to have worked for 50 years in an aviation maintenance career and must have been an FAA-certificated mechanic or repairman working on N-registered aircraft for a minimum of 30 of the 50 years required. Ron Grose’s aviation career began in 1973. He joined Duncan Aviation in 1976, advancing through roles including Lead Mechanic, Team Leader, Airframe Service Shop Supervisor, and eventually Falcon Technical Representative & Program Manager. The president of Charles City Aeronautics, which does business under the name North Iowa Air Service in Mason City and Charles City, Iowa, was awarded the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award.
The FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is named for Charles Taylor, the mechanic who is credited with building the engine that the Wright brothers used in their first airplane. It is awarded to senior aviation mechanics with over 50 years of experience in the industry. “I am honored and humbled to receive this award from the FAA,” said William R. “Bill” Kyle. “I started in this business over 50 years ago cleaning the grease off of the bottoms of airplanes, and am now blessed with two thriving FBOs and a hard-working staff that I am extremely proud of.” Bill becomes the third mechanic from Charles City Aeronautics to win this award, following in the footsteps of Ben Cordes and his own father, Lyle Kyle. Lyle and Bill are the first father-son duo in the state of Iowa to receive this award. ![]() Taye Yemeru really wanted to go to the coast with his wife that Friday. He requested the day off work, but was denied. Yemeru's boss at the Federal Aviation Administration's Certificate Management Office in Hillsboro told him he had to be there for an important training session. Expecting a work meeting, Yemeru entered a carpeted room filled with family, friends, coworkers and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, who all greeted him with smiles and cheers or applause. Bonamici presented Yemeru with the FAA's Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award, which honors selected senior mechanics who have worked in aviation maintenance for at least 50 years and are U.S. citizens, in a surprise ceremony earlier this month at his workplace. Yemeru plans to retire at the end of the year after 57 years as an aviation mechanic, he said. It was the first Charles Taylor award Bonamici has presented, and the opportunity was "a great honor," she said. Five Washington County residents have received the award: Four from Hillsboro and one from Beaverton, spokeswoman Alexandra Gilliland said in an email. ![]() Leo Sawatzki, retired manager of engine acquisition and sales and a long-time aircraft technician with Duncan Aviation, has received the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. The award is named in honor of Charles Taylor, the first aviation mechanic in powered flight. Taylor served as the Wright brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft. Recipients must have worked for 50 years in an aviation maintenance career. They must have been an FAA-certificated mechanic or repairman working on N-registered aircraft maintained under the federal aviation regulations for a minimum of 30 of the 50 years required. As of June 2022, 3,207 mechanics have earned the award. Sawatzki was awarded this recognition in 2020, but the pandemic delayed its presentation. During a reception held at Duncan Aviation, Leo and his wife Linda were honored and presented the award by Owen Grimm, FAA FAASTeam Program Manager. ![]() During a special ceremony held April 5, 2023, the FAA awarded its Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award to Long Island aviation mechanic Ed Libassi. Named in honor of Charles Taylor, the Wright brothers’ mechanic who designed and built the engine for their first successful flight, the award is given only to those with more than 50 years of aviation service, honoring an individual’s lifetime accomplishments, sacrifice, and dedication to the aviation industry. More than 50 people, including Ed’s family and friends, were on hand when representatives of the FAA presented him with the award during a special ceremony. Ed, 70, is the owner and president of A&P Aircraft Maintenance at Long Island Mac Arthur Airport (KISP) in New York. Joe Lienau, a Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin native who lives in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, was recently awarded the Federal Aviation Agency’s (FAA) highest, most prestigious awards: the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award and the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award.
The awards recognize 50 continuous years of exemplary aviation flight experience, professionalism and steadfast commitment to aviation safety. Fewer than 1% of all pilots and mechanics in the United States have ever received both awards. Lienau is one of two recipients in Wisconsin. ![]() NetJets Maintenance Technician Justin Siak recently received the Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award, for 50 years in aviation maintenance, from the Federal Aviation Administration.The award ceremony was held on Aug. 15, 2015 and the audience included Justin’s family, present and former co-workers and representatives from the greater aviation community. Mark Harden, FAA FAAST Team Coordinator for the Columbus, Ohio FSDO presented the award. Justin began his aviation career in 1962 as an Aviation Machinist. He served as a Troubleshooter in the VS-22 “Checkmates”, anti-submarine warfare squadron aboard the USS Lake Champlain, USS Wasp and USS Essex. Following his military service, he attended Pittsburg Institute of Aeronautics and was hired by Delta Airlines as a Line Maintenance Technician in 1969. After retiring from Delta in 1999, he joined NetJets, Inc. where he currently serves as an AMT. ![]() A Southeastern Oklahoma State University aviation adjunct instructor is the recipient of the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) prestigious Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. The award is named in honor of the first aviation mechanic in powered flight and recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. Charles Taylor served as the Wright brothers’ mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft. According to a press release, that instructor is Drew Spears, who served for 20 years on active duty in the United States Air Force. Since 2005, Spears has been employed at Tinker AFB, AAR Corporation, Mundo-Tech Inc., L-3Com Vertex, Dassault Falcon Jet, Ozark Aircraft System, and Pratt-Whitney. Spears has held an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic’s license since 1980, keeping hundreds of aircraft airworthy and safe to fly. |
The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is named in honor of Mr. Charles Taylor, the first aviation mechanic in powered flight. The Charles Taylor "Master Mechanic" Award recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics. Mr. Taylor served as the Wright brothers' mechanic and is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft.
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