|
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. 
0 Comments
 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. |
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.
Archives
January 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed
