The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award

“If you have ever owned a toolbox containing a wrench with which you serviced an aircraft, this month’s recognition is for you. And May 24th is your day because it is the birth date of Charles Edward Taylor.”
– Giacinta Koontz, CAMP InSight, May 2017

Aviation historian, and author, Giacinta Bradley Koontz, or simply ‘Gia," in her monthly column for CAMP InSight magazine, Gia wrote, ‘Many dozens of people helped push for Aircraft Maintenance Technician Day, but three key advocates are John Goglia, Ken MacTiernan, and Richard Dilbeck. Since 2002 Goglia, MacTiernan and Dilbeck have relentlessly gained state Proclamations and now, Resolutions in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate. Goglia has been an aircraft mechanic and former NTSB official; MacTiernan is President of the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association and a long-term maintenance technician for American Airlines. FAA Flight Standards Office employee Dilbeck has gone beyond his job description to keep the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award program on track.’’ 

The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is an honor presented by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior aviation mechanics. It is the most prestigious award the FAA issues to persons certified under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR). The award recognizes individuals who have exhibited professionalism, skill, and aviation expertise for at least 50 years in the aircraft maintenance profession as “master mechanics.” A distinctive certificate and lapel pin is issued after application review, and eligibility requirements have been met. Upon request, a stickpin similar in design to the lapel pin is also provided to the award recipient’s spouse in recognition of his or her support to the recipient’s aviation maintenance career.
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Once the award has been issued, the recipient’s name, city, and state are added to a published “Roll of Honor,” located at www.faasafety.gov.  As of this year, 359 AMTs from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut have received the award, and their names are listed on the Roll.
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