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.

FMI: www.arcticsparrow.com/index.html