MAster Mechanic Albert Leonard

For Albert “Bud” Leonard, a career in aviation maintenance has been about more than keeping aircraft flying. It has also been about passing the knowledge, judgment, and problem-solving skills of an experienced mechanic to the next generation.

Leonard began his aviation maintenance career in 1964 when he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Following four years of military service, he continued his career in the commercial helicopter industry, working for Keystone Helicopters and later Erickson Air-Crane, operator of the distinctive heavy-lift Skycrane helicopter fleet.

In 1981, Leonard began what would become a nearly four-decade association with Piasecki Aircraft Corporation. His work there placed him in the challenging world of rotorcraft research and development, where mechanics are often called upon to do more than simply follow established maintenance procedures. Troubleshooting, fabrication, testing, and finding solutions to new problems are part of the job.

Leonard described himself simply as a “problem solver” when it came to maintenance—a skill particularly valuable when working with experimental aircraft and components.

His influence on aviation maintenance, however, extends well beyond the aircraft he worked on.
Leonard also taught aviation maintenance at Delcastle Technical High School in Delaware, where he helped train more than 350 students to become aviation mechanics. Many went on to careers throughout the industry, including more than 50 former students who, according to Leonard, worked for Piasecki Aircraft over the years.

For Leonard, seeing young people establish careers in aviation was one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.

In January 2020, the Federal Aviation Administration presented Leonard with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award, recognizing more than 50 years of aviation maintenance experience and a career dedicated to aviation safety. He became the first Piasecki Aircraft employee to receive the honor.

The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior aviation mechanics who have demonstrated decades of professionalism and dedication to aviation maintenance.

Leonard's career reflects that legacy not only through the aircraft he helped maintain and develop, but through the hundreds of future aviation professionals he helped prepare to carry the profession forward.
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Sources: Federal Aviation Administration; Piasecki Aircraft Corporation.

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