FAA Recognizes Aviation Professionals For Contributions In
Their Fields
In each of the past 48 years, the General Aviation Awards
program and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have
recognized a small group of aviation professionals in the fields of
flight instruction, aviation maintenance, avionics, and safety for
their contributions to aviation, education, and flight safety.
This awards program is a cooperative effort between the FAA and
more than a dozen industry sponsors. The selection process begins
with local FAA Safety Team managers at Flight Standards District
Offices (FSDOs) and then moves on to the eight regional FAA
offices. Previous national awards winners from each of those four
fields then select national winners from the pool of regional
winners.
Recipients of this year's national awards are Joseph "Joe" Morales
of Lakewood, Colorado, Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT) of the
Year; Russell John "Russ" Callender of Houlton, Wisconsin, Avionics
Technician of the Year; MCFI-Aerobatic Judy Ann Phelps of Santa
Paula, California, Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) of the
Year; and MCFI Vicki Lynn Sherman of DeLand, Florida, FAA Safety
Team Representative of the Year. Previously, this award was the
Aviation Safety Counselor (ASC) of the Year.
The FAA administrator will present the national awards in July
during a "Theater in the Woods" program at EAA AirVenture 2011 in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Included in the prize package for all four
national winners is an all expense paid trip to Oshkosh for the
recipient and a guest to attend the awards presentation and other
GA Awards activities.
"These awards highlight the important role played by these
individuals in promoting aviation education and flight safety,"
said JoAnn Hill, General Aviation Awards Committee chairperson.
"The awards program sponsors and supporters are pleased that these
outstanding aviation professionals will receive the recognition
they so richly deserve before their peers in Oshkosh."
2011 National AMT Of The Year
Joe Morales of Lakewood, Colorado, has been an airframe
and powerplant (A&P) technician for 31 years and has held
inspection authorization (IA) for 18 of those years. Joe works at
the US Air Force Academy for Doss Aviation Inc performing
contract maintenance on aircraft used in the academy's soaring and
skydiving programs. Joe is also a CFI and provides flight training
at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC) in Broomfield,
Colorado, on a part time basis.
Joe Morales
He currently serves as chief inspector at two repair stations
operated by Doss Aviation. A single parent and the father of two
young daughters who are the love of his life, Joe carefully divides
his time between his two passions, family and aviation. A member of
the AMT Society and AOPA, he is a FAASTeam representative and a
captain in the Civil Air Patrol.
Morales represented the Denver FSDO area as well as the FAA's
Northwest Mountain Region.
2011 National Avionics Technician Of The Year
Russ Callender has been selected by the General Aviation
Awards program as the 2011 National Avionics Technician of the
Year. He holds an FAA repairman certificate and is a certificated
private pilot with over 32 years of avionics maintenance and repair
experience ranging from a light sport aircraft through cabin class
business jets.
Russ Callender
He is president of RC Avionics with the main facility
on Anoka County Airport (ANE) in Blaine, Minnesota. Additional
servicing facilities are located at Crystal Airport (MIC) in
Minneapolis, Saint Paul Downtown (STP) in Saint Paul, and New
Richmond Regional Airport (RNH) in New Richmond, Wisconsin.
RC Avionics, a part 145 operation, has recently expanded its
facility to add electronic flight simulation. Russ's philosophy is
with today's aircraft panel instrumentation, pilot training is an
essential ingredient of every sale. RC Avionics has teamed up with
SimFlite Minnesota, to provide 'niche' training for pilots with new
avionics. Customers now have access to flight training and glass
cockpit simulators while their aircraft are being up-graded or
their panels redesigned with state-of-the-art avionics thereby
enhancing pilot proficiency and aviation safety.
A US Army veteran, he is a member of AEA, AOPA, EAA, and
NATA.
2011 National CFI Of The Year
Master CFI-Aerobatic Judy Phelps of Santa Paula,
California has been named the 2011 National Certificated Flight
Instructor (CFI) of the Year. Bringing a rare but effective
feminine perspective to aviation education, she has provided more
than 5,000 hours of flight training ranging from primary,
instrument, and commercial instruction to tailwheel endorsements,
experimental aircraft checkouts, emergency maneuver, spin, and
aerobatic training.
Judy Phelps
Judy and her husband Clay, also a CFI, own and operate the popular
and well-known CP Aviation at Santa Paula Airport
(KSZP). She runs the flight school side of their business, while he
oversees the maintenance side. Their FBO averages approximately
6,000 flight hours per year with pilots coming from around the
world to train there.
Judy sponsors an annual EMT Program scholarship worth more than
$2,000 as well as tailwheel training scholarships. She has also
hosted an annual judge's school for the International Aerobatic
Club (IAC). In addition, she leads FAA safety seminars throughout
California.
Women comprise less than ten percent of the pilot population.
But as a role model and advocate for women in aviation, Judy has
had a noticeable effect on the number of women learning to fly.
Counting Judy, CP Aviation currently has three female instructors
on staff, and it's not uncommon for female voices to outnumber male
voices on the radio in the pattern.
A 3-time Master CFI-Aerobatic -- the country's first and only
woman to earn that accreditation -- Judy's involvement
reaches well beyond the cockpit and classroom. She is a proactive
member of organizations such as the Society of Aviation and Flight
Educators (SAFE), the Ninety-Nines, AOPA, EAA, International
Aerobatic Club (IAC), Women in Aviation, and Rotary. Judy has also
competed in aerobatic contests in a Pitts and is an IAC regional
judge. She currently serves as president of the Aviation Museum of
Santa Paula and is a FAASTeam representative.
2011 National FAA Safety Team Representative Of The
Year
Master CFI Vicki Lynn Sherman is a teacher, mentor, and
aviation safety advocate. As an Aviation Safety Counselor and
FAASTeam Representative, she has been involved in the FAA's safety
program since 1992. She works at the FAASTeam's National Resource
Center in Lakeland, Florida, as a video production crewmember,
presentation developer, and presenter for the North Florida FSDO
and the FAA Production Studios. She is also the owner and president
of Aero
Supplies & Express, Inc located in Daytona Beach,
Florida.
Vicki Lynn Sherman
During the year as a FAASTeam Lead Representative, Vicki
conducts monthly safety programs. She arranges for a wide variety
of aviation experts to speak to local pilots. She is a member of
the Safety Program Speakers Bureau for north Florida. During the
week of the annual Sun 'n Fun International Fly In and Expo in
Lakeland, she serves as a crewmember for the FAA Production
Studios.
Vicki has been a lifelong supporter and member of The
Ninety-Nines having served at every level of the organization from
chapter chairperson to International President. Currently, she is a
permanent member of the Board of Trustees for The Bonnie &
Archie Gann Scholarship for flight instructor applicants.
Representing The Ninety Nines, she has contributed to Sun 'n Fun,
the NASA Aerospace Education Program, and the National
Intercollegiate Flying Association.
An advisor for Women in Aviation-Florida First Coast Chapter,
she shares the goals of the organization. Vicki mentors other women
to attain their objectives in aviation and works to educate young
women in the important roles women play in the aviation industry.
Numerous boards of directors benefit from her experience including
the Florida Association of Flight Instructors, the National
Aviation Safety Foundation, the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical
University Board of Visitors, and the National Silver Wings
Fraternity. She is a member of AOPA, EAA, SAFE, and Women in
Aviation while also serving in the Civil Air Patrol.