2013 National GA Award Winners

OSHKOSH, WIS. – The Federal Aviation Administration’s General Aviation Awards Committee named William Thomas “Bill” Fifles, A&P / IA, of Honolulu, Hawaii, “Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year” at ceremonies held during EAA AirVenture, August 1. Fifles represents the Honolulu Flight Standards District Office and the Western Pacific Region.  He is director of maintenance at Kamaka Air, Inc., was recently hired by United Airlines, and is relocating to California. He enjoys mentoring youth and young technicians.

Bruce Allan Lundquist of Willis, Michigan, was named Avionics Technician of the Year during the same awards program. Lundquist represents the East Michigan (Detroit) Flight Standards District Office and the FAA Great Lakes Region. He is employed by Pentastar Aviation at the Oakland Pontiac Airport. Lundquist has been the lead technician and supervisor for more than 30 years.

Dean W. Eichholz of Soldotna, Alaska, was named Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) of the Year. Eichholz represents the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office and the Alaskan Region. Eichholz is an independent flight instructor and FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, as well as a broker for Falcon Insurance Agency of Alaska, Inc.

Mark Madden of Anchorage, Alaska, was named FAASTeam Representative of the Year. Madden is a three-time Master Certified Flight Instructor and represented the Anchorage Flight Standards District Office and the Alaska Region. Madden is a professor of aviation technology at the University of Alaska. He is a leading safety educator with the local FAASTeam, the university, and the Alaskan Aviation Safety Foundation.

An awards luncheon that followed the presentations was sponsored by Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation.

The mission of the General Aviation Awards Program is to recognize individual aviation professionals on the local, regional, and national levels for their contributions to aviation, education, and flight safety.

The program is a cooperative effort between more than a dozen general aviation industry sponsors and the Federal Aviation Administration (www.GeneralAviationAwards.org).

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