Roger Whittier of Phoenix, Arizona, was named “National Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year.” He is an active Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic with Inspection Authorization (A&P/IA). He is also an instrument-rated private pilot. Roger operates a local aircraft maintenance shop where he specializes in owner-assisted annual inspections, using the process as a training opportunity for aircraft owners. Pilots have traveled from across the country to work with him and gain a deeper understanding of their aircraft, and to learn from this hands-on approach.
Mike Jesch of Orange, Calif., was named “National FAASTeam Representative of the Year.” Jesch just did not fall into aviation; he was born into it. Growing up watching his dad work on the Apollo Lunar Landing program, at six years old, Mike decided he was going to be a professional pilot. By 14, a discovery flight sealed the deal. He earned his Private Pilot Certificate before he finished high school, was instructing by age 21, and landed his first airline job at 23. Today, with over 40 years of professional flying under his belt, Mike is a Senior Captain on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for American Airlines, regularly crossing the Pacific to the Far East and Australia.
Mike “Cuckoo” Kloch of Bend, Oregon, was named “Flight Instructor of the Year” by the FAA. With over 8,300 hours in the air across 75 different aircraft types, ranging from the F/A-18 Hornet and the CM-170 Fouga Magister to Carbon Cubs and helicopters, Mike has spent his career exploring every corner of the aviation world. While he’s a combat veteran and a former Marine Corps pilot, his true mission these days is making general aviation (GA) safer. As the CEO and Chief Instructor of Specialized Aero Works (SAW), Mike doesn’t just teach people how to fly; he teaches them how to handle the unexpected. He is one of the few instructors in the country offering Part 141-approved Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT), and as the 2026 Portland FSDO CFI of the Year, he is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of instructors to ensure the highest standards of safety.
