The General Aviation
Awards Committee announced selections for the 43rd annual National GA
Awards, whose recipients will be honored by FAA Administrator Marion
Blakey during a Wednesday, July 27, ceremony at AirVenture Oshkosh 2006.
The recipients are: Rich Stowell, 2006 Certificated Flight Instructor
(CFI) of the Year; Gene Hudson, Aviation Safety Counselor (ASC) of the
Year; Joe Hawkins, Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) of the Year;
and Terry Markovich, Avionics Technician of the Year.
"These awards
highlight the important role played by these individuals in promoting
aviation education and flight safety," said JoAnn Hill, GA Awards
Committee chairperson. "The program sponsors are pleased that these
outstanding aviation professionals will receive the recognition they so
richly deserve before their peers in Oshkosh."
The selection process
begins at local Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) and then moves
on to the nine regional FAA offices. Panels of aviation professionals
within the various fields then select national winners from the pool of
regional award recipients.
CFI of the Year: Master
CFI-Aerobatics Rich Stowell, EAA 237157, of Ventura, California,
specializes in spin, emergency maneuver, aerobatic, and tailwheel
training. When not conducting training clinics nationwide, he instructs
at CP Aviation, Inc., a CFR Part 61 flight school at Santa Paula Airport
(SZP).
Stowell represented the
Van Nuys FSDO and the FAA’s Western Pacific Region. Other regional CFI
winners include Master CFI Michael Berlin of West Hartford, Connecticut
(New England Region); Janice Driscoll of Kernersville, North Carolina
(Southern Region); Master CFI Helen "Pat" Knight of
Naperville, Illinois (Great Lakes Region); Master CFI Janice Walton of
Marion, Iowa (Central Region); and Charles "Bud" Welch of
Arkadelphia, Arkansas (Southwest Region).
ASC of the Year: Master
CFI Gene Hudson, EAA 737166, of Mission Hills, California, is the chief
flight instructor and president of Gene Hudson Flight Training a CFR
Part 61 flight school at Van Nuys Airport. He specializes in instrument,
high-performance and technically advanced aircraft training.
Hudson represented the
Van Nuys FSDO and the FAA’s Western Pacific Region. Other regional ASC
winners include air traffic controller Andrew Applegate of Nashua, New
Hampshire (New England Region); Randy Coller of Jackson, Michigan (Great
Lakes Region); Homer Ellis, CFI & AME, of Fort Smith, Arkansas
(Southwest Region); air traffic controller Robin Huston of Wichita,
Kansas (Central Region); Harold "Joe" Johanson of Port Orange,
Florida (Southern Region); John Scott, CFI, of Denver, Colorado
(Northwest Mountain Region); and Frank Scotto, CFI, of Brooklyn, New
York (Eastern Region).
AMT of the Year: Joe
Hawkins, EAA 678398, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, has been an airframe
& powerplant (A&P) technician for nearly 30 years with
inspection authorization (IA) for 15 of those years.
Hawkins represented the
Nashville FSDO and the FAA’s Southern Region. Other regional AMT
winners include Patrick Davis of Lafayette, Colorado (Northwest Mountain
Region); Donnie Joe Lewellen of Friona, Texas (Southwest Region); Leroy
Muise of Trenton, Maine (New England Region); James Tafralian of Howell,
Michigan (Great Lakes Region); and Robert Takamine of Honolulu, Hawaii
(Western Pacific Region).
Avionics Tech of the
Year: Terry Markovich, a Houston native, started training part time in
Atlantic’s avionics department in April of 1977 and upon graduation
from high school, became a full time avionics technician.
Markovich represented the
Teterboro FSDO and the FAA’s Eastern Region. Other regional avionics
technician winners were Alan Hosier of Alma, Arkansas (Southwest
Region); Charles Lirette of Memphis, Tennessee (Southern Region); and
Gary Ross of Grand Ledge, Michigan (Great Lakes Region).
The GA Awards program executive committee
includes representatives from the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA);
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); National Association of Flight
Instructors (NAFI); and the Professional Aviation Maintenance
Association (PAMA). Additional support and sponsorship are provided by
Women in Aviation International (WAI); National Business Aviation
Association (NBAA); National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO);
National Air Transportation Association (NATA); Helicopter Association
International (HAI); General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA);
Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA); the Aircraft Owners and Pilots
Association (AOPA); and Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA).
