 Many joined in the LEA Maintenance Hangar, earlier this year, to listen and learn from our FAA-FAASTeam Program Manager David Hintz and Jason Glass, in Ankeny.
The organization also recognized Phil Smith, of Spencer Avionics, with The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award for 50 or more years of safe maintenance experience. “It cannot possibly be 50 years,” Smith said. “… God has blessed me greatly to allow me to work in something that I still enjoy doing. I thank God for the ability to keep on going. I tell my wife that I have not ‘worked’ a day in my life. Yes, there have been tough airplanes that stretched my abilities, but overall I like doing what I do.” The recognition is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to persons with an airframe and powerplant (A&P) certificate. The award, named after Charles Taylor, recognizes individuals who have exhibited exemplary aviation expertise, distinguished professionalism and steadfast commitment for at least 50 years or more of aviation maintenance experience. Gayle Brandt, who oversees the Spencer Airport, said, “I don’t believe any other person has received this Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. There have been a couple of others in the area that have. We knew he would be eligible for it, we needed to gather all his A&P maintenance work history to have proof that he was eligible, so we worked secretly with his wife and gathered what we had to submit the application. She added, “We decided to keep it a secret from Phil and have some special people that he worked with be in attendance for the presentation, one of which was his son surprised him and flew home from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, as well as various other family and friends were here in attendance. Jon Hengeveld, an A&P since December of 2003, was hired by Leading Edge Aviation where he is the shop manager at the site located at the Spencer Airport. “We have a monthly lunch meeting with all of our full-time employees,” Hengeveld explained. “This winter, Phil couldn’t make the meeting on time because he was flying. I brought up the idea to the group that we should nominate Phil for the Charles Taylor award, and everyone agreed. He added, “We talked about how we should do it and when and mostly left it in Gayle’s (Brandt) hands to get it planned from there.”
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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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