SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa - A local aircraft mechanic is being celebrated for five decades of service to the aviation industry.

Vincent Chicoine was given the most distinguished aircraft maintenance award recognized by the FAA, the Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award, This award is given to celebrate senior mechanics who have worked for 50 years.

Chicoine was not only gifted a plaque, pins, and certificates commemorating his achievements, but the FAA also printed and bound every document on file they had that showed what projects he’s worked on spanning back to the 1970s.

After receiving his award, Chicoine said he hoped that the next generation could follow in his footsteps.

”I’d like to encourage young people to think about getting into the aircraft maintenance business because there’s a lot of different skills you can learn there,” said Chicoine.

He is just the 30th Iowan to receive the Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award.
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​Clifford G. Johnson was presented with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award for 50 years of ‘Dedicated Technical Aircraft Maintenance Service and Safety’ by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the American Airlines Tech Ops Department at LaGuardia Airport.

Clifford Johnson was born and raised in Corona, Queens. At an early age, he enjoyed assembling model airplanes, cars, and warships. He got his first job working in an auto parts store, and while working in the machine shop, he enhanced his mechanical skills. He applied and was accepted into the Aviation High School’s Aircraft Maintenance Program, where he excelled and was awarded a mechanic’s toolbox at graduation. After passing the test for his Powerplant License, Clifford was accepted into the extended 12th-year program at the high school, where he obtained his Airframe License to complete his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) requirements.

After Aviation High School, Clifford started working as a baggage handler for Trans World Airlines (TWA). A year later, he transferred to aircraft maintenance at JFK International Airport’s Hangar 12, where he was a technician and supervisor. He worked with TWA from 1973 to 2001.

Between 1981 and 1984, TWA awarded Clifford a position that required him to relocate to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he trained maintenance technicians at Saudi Arabian Airlines. In addition to training staff and performing routine and non-routine assignments, he supervised and directed the maintenance operations on the Boeing 707, 737, 747, and Lockheed L1011 aircraft.