Sun, Jun 08, 2003
Receives Safety Award Two Days After Fatal Crash
By ANN Contributor Rob Stapleton in Palmer (AK) and Associate
Editor Pete Combs
Ultralight pioneer, advocate and instructor Mike
Jacober was the guest of honor Saturday morning at the annual
Ninety-Nines/FAA Aviation Safety Fly-In in Palmer (AK). He was
honored with the FAA Aviation Safety Award. Dozens of people looked
on, but seemed unusually subdued. Mike Jacober, you see, wasn't
there to receive the unique honor. He had been killed last week
along with a student pilot in the crash of his ultralight
trike.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
A Widow's Heartfelt Gratitude
The award was to be a surprise presentation by the FAA planned
before Jacober’s untimely death. Mike’s wife Ginny
Jacober received the award on Mike’s behalf. “The
family was absolutely thrilled that the FAA thought so much that
they gave this award to Mike. I don’t think they have given
one of these to any other ultralight pilot in the US,” Mrs.
Jacober told ANN after the ceremony.
“We gave this award to Mike for all the
years that he put into making ultralight flying safer at Birchwood
Airport," said Jerry Nunley, representing the Anchorage FSDO.
“He made many concession to the GA community to be able to
continue to operate in the same airspace. This award his for that
effort.”
“After trying to dissuade Michael all these years to get
out of ultralight flying they finally figured out that, he’s
not giving up,” said Ginny after the posthumous ceremony.
The award which was signed by FAA FSDO officials the day before
Mike Jacober was killed, said it was framed the same day as
Mike’s crash.
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