Bob Carpenter To Be Inducted At Gala Ceremony In October 2017

Carpenter Avionics, an award-winning aviation services company based in the Nashville area, announced today that its founder, Robert L.  “Bob” Carpenter, has been selected for enshrinement in the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame at its next annual Gala event in October 28, 2017, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.  Three others also will be enshrined during the event.

“Mr. Carpenter was a giant in the avionics industry, and he made significant and enduring contributions to aviation,” said Mark Lee, President of Carpenter Avionics.  “I never had the privilege to meet him, as he passed away in 2010, though since I acquired the business he founded in 1981, I have come to learn much about his contributions to our industry.  We strive each day to perform to his high standards, and we are deeply appreciative of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame for its recognition of Mr. Carpenter.”

“Bob had a deep passion for aviation his entire life, and that passion combined with his intellect and drive led him to great achievement,” said Fran Carpenter, Bob Carpenter’s wife of 46 years.  “He was a humble person of high integrity. Our family is profoundly moved by this honor, as I know Bob would have been, particularly given that we’ve called Tennessee home since 1981.”

Bob was an accomplished and recognized leader in the avionics industry.  His company was selected as one of the top seven avionics shops in the country in 20 annual reader polls by Professional Pilot Magazine.  His reach and positive impact extended well beyond the customers he served and the employees and colleagues he developed and mentored directly.  His reach extended across the industry.

In 2009, Bob was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA) to recognize his many years of consistent excellence.  Bob was elected twice to serve on the AEA board as an international officer, secretary and then as treasurer.  Bob participated in the AEA’s successful outreach efforts with Congress that helped lead to the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, an important milestone that helped usher in a new wave of innovation and re-start general aviation.

Bob was chosen as Bendix Man of the Year in 1988.  His fellow AEA members honored Bob by selecting him as AEA Member of the Year in 1990.  In 2006, Bob was selected to receive the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Perhaps Bob’s most enduring legacy is the leadership role he and a handful of others played to create what is now known as the National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies (NCATT) Certification program for Aircraft Electronics Technicians.  Prior to the creation of the NCATT program, there was no official certification credential from the FAA or the industry that an advanced avionics technician could earn to demonstrate his or her knowledge or to promote the safety, integrity and professionalism in the aerospace workforce.  Bob and his colleagues worked together under the auspices of the National Science Foundation to define and develop these standards.  Today, the NCATT, now affiliated with ASTM International, offers four endorsements and two certifications for avionics professionals, and there are more than 20 distinguished universities and learning institutions set up as NCATT Accredited Training Providers.  

The existence of the NCATT program exemplifies Bob’s commitment to excellence, professionalism and thought leadership in aviation.  Bob made industry-wide contributions that will continue to benefit aviation for years to come.  He did so as a Tennessean, as he lived and worked with his family in Tennessee from 1981 until his passing in 2010.  

(Image provided with TNAHOF news release)

FMI: www.CarpenterAvionics.com, www.tnaviationhof.org