Presented To Individuals And Organizations Who Improve GA
NATA's Industry Excellence Awards are given each year to
exceptional individuals and organizations that have helped improve
the general aviation community. This year's winners will be honored
during the NATA Industry Excellence Awards Dinner on May 4 at the
Hyatt Regency in Washington, D.C. The dinner will be held in
conjunction with the association's Day on the Hill, Annual Meeting
and Election of Officers, and Spring Committee Meetings.
Pat Epps, president of Epps Aviation, will be presented the
William A. "Bill" Ong Memorial Award, named in honor and memory of
the association's co-founder and first president and given for
extraordinary achievement and extended meritorious service to the
general aviation industry.
A native of Athens, Georgia, Epps graduated from Georgia Tech in
1956 and entered the U.S. Air Force in 1957. A distinguished
graduate of Class 58L, he was the fifth of Ben Epps' sons to become
a military pilot.
With over 10,000 flying hours as a commercial pilot and
type ratings in North American B-25 Mitchell, Douglas DC-3,
Learjet, and Cessna Citation, Epps continues to go "Above and
Beyond." Epps has been recognized amongst the honorees of the 1998
Gatherings of Eagles, an international group setting standards and
paving the way for future air and space power.
Epps led an 11-year quest to recover the Lost Squadron. In 1992,
he succeeded in retrieving a WWII Lockheed P-38 Lightning buried
beneath 265 feet of the Greenland ice cap. In June 1994, Epps
piloted a friend's DC-3 to France. As he flew over Normandy,
veteran War World II paratroopers jumped to commemorate the 50th
Anniversary of D-Day landings.
In 2011 more recognition is bestowed on Pat Epps. In January,
Epps received the Harrison Ford Aviation Legacy Award at the 8th
Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards event in Beverly Hills,
California. Epps was also honored as an inductee into the Georgia
Aviation Hall of Fame in April 2011.
"Epps Aviation continues to be one of the crown jewels in the
FBO industry thanks to Pat and his leadership," stated NATA
President James K. Coyne. "The NATA Board of Directors is
absolutely thrilled to be able to present this award to such an
aviation legend."
The NATA Award for Distinguished Service is given to an
individual or organization still active in general aviation on a
regular, day-to-day basis and recognizes outstanding service and
ongoing contributions to the industry. This year's NATA Award for
Distinguished Service will be presented to James C. Christiansen,
whose involvement in the aviation community spans 46 years. His
achievements from the late 80s to early 90s include managing a
fleet of approximately 70 aircraft for Jet Aviation Business Jets
as president of the company and serving as president for Executive
Jet Aviation of Columbus, Ohio.
Subsequently, he was recruited by the Rockefeller family to be
president of its aircraft management company, Wayfarer Ketch, in
White Plains, New York. While at Wayfarer, Christiansen and his
team started a new fractional aviation company called StarShares.
The company was eventually sold to TAG, where a 50/50 partnership
with Cessna was formed creating CitationShares. Christiansen was a
member of the board of directors of CitationShares. In 2001,
Christiansen re-joined Executive Jet, now known as NetJets Inc., to
undertake the project of bringing the NetJets fractional aircraft
ownership product to existing corporate flight departments for
supplemental lift. He was promoted to president of NetJets Aviation
in January 2007. In March 2010, Christiansen was appointed vice
president of sales, Central U.S. at Hawker Beechcraft, where he
manages a sales team responsible for the sale of Hawker jets in the
central U.S.
Christiansen has served as chairman of the National Air
Transportation Association and as chairman of the Federal Aviation
Administration's (FAA) Fractional Ownership Aviation Rulemaking
Committee that developed the new FAR Part 91K to regulate
fractional operators. He currently serves as chairman of the Air
Charter Safety Foundation, an organization devoted to raising the
safety awareness of Part 135 charter operators and the traveling
public.
"The NATA Board of Directors is deeply honored to celebrate
Jim's many outstanding achievements," stated Coyne. "Jim's
contributions in leading the development of new Part 91k
regulations as well as being chairman of NATA and now the ACSF are
just a few of his many outstanding accomplishments."
NATA will also present five awards to the following
recipients:
Jeff Burger, editor of Business Jet Traveler, will receive the
Aviation Journalism Award that identifies a journalist, writer, or
publication excelling in consumer education or editorial support
that is beneficial to the FBO/Air Charter industry. Burger joined
Business Jet Traveler in early 2004, a few months after the
publication's launch. Besides editing the magazine, he writes its
"Inside Fractionals" column and has conducted its interviews with
such people as Sir Richard Branson, James Carville, Suze Orman,
David Neeleman and F. Lee Bailey. He helped to oversee BJT's
redesign and its introduction of an annual Buyers' Guide issue,
which is now in its fourth year; he also conceived last year's
popular special issue on The Bizav Advantage. During his years with
the magazine, it has won one bronze and two silver awards in the
prestigious Folio: Editorial Awards in the Best
Transportation/Travel Magazine category. Articles edited by Burger
have also won national and regional awards.
The Columbus Flight Standards District Office will be the
recipient of NATA's FAA Customer Service Excellence Award and will
be recognized as an FAA facility that has represented the highest
degree of customer service and elevated the quality of interaction
between the FAA and aircraft maintenance and repair facilities,
Part 135 certificate holders, airport service organizations, and
flight schools. They were nominated by NetJets for their
dedication, professionalism, and willingness to work through a very
challenging project.
The ATP/NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award
acknowledges the exceptional performance of a licensed airframe and
power plant mechanic or radio repairman who has practiced his or
her craft for a period of 20 or more years. Steve Taylor, long-time
Epps Aviation employee, has been named as this year's recipient.
After securing his A&P certificate in 1973, he was employed by
Epps Aviation and has been a fixture since that time. Rising
through the ranks from mechanic in the piston shop to head of all
maintenance services at Epps, Taylor epitomized the virtues of
loyalty, commitment, continued education and patience. During his
tenure, Epps Aviation has developed into one of the leading service
centers in the southeast United States.
John Bales, airport director of Spirit of St. Louis Airport in
Missouri, is this year's recipient of the NATA Airport Executive
Partnership Award, sponsored by Airport Business Magazine. The
Airport Executive Partnership Award recognizes an airport manager
for his or her outstanding efforts to foster relationships between
aviation businesses and airport operators. Recipients of the award
must illustrate leadership in the "partnership" between airport
operators and airport tenants. Bales has been the airport director
at the Spirit of St. Louis Airport since 2008. He has done an
exemplary job of maintaining a customer service mentality, and at
the same time promoting responsible growth and development of the
airport. Bales takes a partnership stance with regard to all
airport tenant business dealings, and he is always willing to help
with any problem. He has successfully lobbied for state and federal
funding for key infrastructure projects, and also successfully
introduced a Missouri House of Representatives bill establishing
tax incentives to help promote aircraft maintenance operations in
Missouri.
William M. Hays will be this year's recipient for the Excellence
In Pilot Training Award for his outstanding contributions in
safety, professionalism, leadership, and excellence in the field of
pilot training. As a flight instructor, he has recommended a
countless number of pilots for certificates and ratings from
Private Pilot through Transport Pilot with a pass rate near 100%
for the past 36 years. Hays presently focuses the majority of his
efforts on the overall operations of ATD flight training and air
charter operations with an emphasis on quality, safety,
standardization and regulatory compliance.