EAA Sport Aviation

AVIONICS TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR

RICK OCHS, EAA 782615, owns and manages Spirit Avionics Limited, an FAA-certified Part 145 repair station at Port Columbus International Airport (CMH) in Columbus, Ohio. He obtained his formal avionics training in the U.S. Navy and began his career on the flight deck of the carrier USS Forrestal (CV- 59) as an avionics troubleshooter. After his discharge, he received additional avionics education in the industry via a succession of positions at large and small companies.

In March 2000, he founded Spirit Avionics,
which employs 10 people and services military,
federal, corporate, and private aircraft.
In addition to serving on the Aircraft
Electronics Association (AEA) board
of directors, Rick is chairman of the
AEA’s Member Benefits Committee
and is the FAA ambassador for the
Columbus FSDO. He serves on NBAA’s
Maintenance Committee and co-chairs
the Advanced Training and Education
Subcommittee. He also serves on
the board for the Youth Aviation
Adventure program.

FAA SAFETY TEAM REPRESENTATIVE OF THE YEAR

JEANNE WILLERTH, EAA 763382, grew up in
Omaha and learned to fly from her mother,
who was an instructor and Powder Puff Derby
air racer. Twice she brought Jeanne along as
copilot in the Air Race Classic, and in 1998,
Jeanne brought her mother and daughter on
the 2,400-mile Air Race Classic. Jeanne has her
instrument, single-, and multiengine commercial
ratings, plus CFI, CFII, AGI, IGI, and MEI.
She instructs at Air Associates, a Cessna Pilot
Center at Johnson County Executive Airport
(OJC) in Olathe, Kansas, as well as Lee’s Summit
Municipal Airport (LXT), where she chairs the
airport board.

Support and sponsorship for the General Aviation Awards program is provided by: Aeronautical Repair Station Association Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Aircraft Maintenance Technology Society Experimental Aircraft Association Federal Aviation Administration General Aviation Manufacturers Association National Air Transportation Association National Association of State Aviation Officials National Business Aviation Association Ninety-Nines International Professional Aviation Maintenance Association Society of Aviation and Flight Educators Women in Aviation International Additional support is provided by: Advocates for Aviation Safety Foundation Aeronautical Proficiency Training LLC Master Instructors LLC National Aviation Safety Foundation Rich Stowell Consulting

WELCOME, NEW
LIFETIME MEMBERS

Harry Bartel (EAA 524184), Hugoton, Kansas
Jeffrey Benzing (EAA 999760), Saratoga, California
Victoria Benzing (EAA 529264), Saratoga, California
William Buerschinger (EAA 837746), Green Bay, Wisconsin
Chris Froula (EAA 56806), Saint Paul, Minnesota
Virginia Gallenberger (EAA 20215), Ocala, Florida
Christopher Gustafson (EAA 541566), Big Lake, Minnesota
Mark Homer (EAA 548650), Oregon, Ohio
Margaret Larson (EAA 314456), Oshkosh, Wisconsin
John Ockenfels (EAA 253633), Swisher, Iowa
William Race (EAA 383420), Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Richard Rasmussen (EAA 528990), Fallbrook, California
Max Segler (EAA 1060859), Shoreview, Minnesota
Ari Tamminen (EAA 105851), Inkoo, Finland
Hilda Whistler (EAA 1083879), Seymour, Indiana
Mark Whistler (EAA 764002), Seymour, Indiana
Hanne Zak (EAA 1082834), Bellevue, Washington