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.
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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. 
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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.
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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.
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Spears has held an Airframe & Powerplant mechanic’s license since 1980, keeping hundreds of aircraft airworthy and safe to fly.