Charles Taylor Award Page

Charles E. Taylor, the Third Wright Brother.

The Charles Taylor Award 

The Federal Aviation Administration established The Charles Taylor Award to recognize the lifetime accomplishments of Senior Mechanics. To earn this award, person must work on N registered aircraft for 30 to 50 years and have 50 years of contribution to the Aviation Industry.

The award consists of a certificate and lapel pin with the spouse of the recipient also receiving a smaller version of the lapel pin for their contribution to that long career.

With Central Ohio being on of the early contributors in Aviation history, we have many Charles Taylor Award recipients of our own. We are proud of them for they are/were our mentors, supervisors, instructors, leaders, co-workers and friends. May we ever be grateful for their efforts to maintain the aircraft we fly on and fly over us and helped to keep us safe.

The Recipient Database link below, lists the names of the recorded Roll of Honor and at the time of writing this section, was last updated on May 7th, 2021 with 3034 honorees. A search of the data shows 96 from the State of Ohio, 27 from the towns and cities of our chapter. Men from Blacklick, Canal Winchester, Columbus, Gahanna, Johnstown, Westerville and Zanesville.

Just like any database, it is only as accurate as those who have knowledge of it's contents. I would encourage you to search for those you know who have received this award and verify that they are included in the list and their data is correct. Only 3 of the honorees from Ohio had a date listed when they received the award.

The awards are usually given during aviation gatherings and COPAMA has been a part of some of those presentations.

In September of 2003, the COPAMA meeting was the event where Ralph Graves received his Charles Taylor award with wife Shirley standing by his side to also be honored. These two have been an integral part of the Chapter since inception and are always volunteering their time, talents and possessions to support it. It's hard to find a chapter event where they're not there to help. We're grateful to have them as COPAMA members! Pictured with Ralph and Shirley are Louie Fura, COPAMA President and FAA Safety Inspector, Roger Olson.

On March 18th, 2004 Wesley S. Hines received his Charles Taylor showing his life long commitment to a career in aviation maintenance. The photo shows Wes in the center holding the award and Patsy, his wife, wearing the lapel pin she received from the FAA for her contribution. Long time co-worker and friend, Cliff Kelling to his right helped present the award at the Ohio Aviation Maintenance Symposium that year.

This photo shows Cliff Marr on the left receiving his Charles Taylor Award on March 8, 2005 from Roger Olson, our long time support and representative from the FAA F.S.D.O in Columbus. Both men have been a sourse of information and support for COPAMA throughout the years. Observing to the right in red is Clare Kosbab another one of our Central Ohio Charles Taylor Award recipients. Roger has since retired from the FAA and can't attend many of our meetings due to a medical condition. We know that he's with us in spirit and visits us when he can.

The first day of the 2012 Maintenance Symposium featured the opening presentation of the Charles Taylor Award to Cliff Kelling for his 50 years of service in aviation maintenance as both a technician and educator. Tim Sokol, our FAASTeam program manager started the presentation by sighting several facts about Cliff's career that prompted 30 letters of recommendation received by his office. Tim jokingly told the group they could stop sending letters, his mailbox was overflowing. Only three letters of recommendation are required for consideration of the award.

Tim handed the podium over to Mark Harden of the Columbus FSDO who advised that Cliff's wife Marylyn and son Greg were also in attendance for the award presentation. As part of the award, Marylyn received a pin to acknowledge her support over those 50 years of Cliff's aviation career. Mark then shared highlights of Cliff's life that helped win him the award.

Jerry Peer received Charles Taylor Award, July 25th, 2013

On Sunday, July 25th, Jerry Peer, a long time member of the Central Ohio aviation community received the FAA Charles Taylor Award. The ceremony took place at his home with Inspectors Mark Harden and Jay Wilkins representing the FAA. There were 25 attendees, which included family and friends. Mr. Peer was pleasantly surprised and grateful. Many thanks to Matt Drenten, who play a major role in bringing everything together.

COPAMA congratulates Jerry on receiving the award and thanks him for his long time commitment to aviation safety!

Chuck Paul received Charles Taylor Award, Sept 6th, 2013

L to R: FAA Inspectors Mark Harden and Jay Wilkins, Chuck Paul and AirNet CEO John Dupuy.

Mr. Chuck Paul of AirNet received the Charles Taylor Award on September 6th for his 50+ year career in aviation maintenance. The award was presented by FAA Inspectors Mark Harden and Jay Wilkins with AirNet Systems CEO Mr. John Dupuy in attendance.

We at COPAMA congratulate Chuck and thank him for his contribution to aviation safety. He joins a long line of  Charles Taylor Award recipients that call Central Ohio their home.

Justin Siak Charles Taylor Award

NetJets Sales Inc. extended an invite to all on Friday, August 14th for the Charles Taylor Award presentation to Aircraft Maintenance Technician, Mr. Justin Siak. Congratulations, Justin, on this 50 year career accomplishment.

Earl Redmond receives the Charles Taylor Award
at OAMS 2019

Congratulations to Earl Redmond on receiving the Charles Taylor Award at the 2019 Ohio Aviation Maintenance Symposium. FAASTeam Inspector Mark Harden presented the award at the lunch break in the main lecture hall. Earl has been a COPAMA Board member since 2010 and Treasurer for the group since 2012.

Click on the links below for more info on the Charles Taylor Award.

The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award on the FAA website

The Charles Taylor Award Recipient List on the FAA website.

The Man and the First Days of Aviation Maintenance.

The May/June 2011 edition of Director Of Maintenance Magazine has an article on page 14 about Charles Edward Taylor written by Giacinta Bradley Koontz who is an aviation historian, magazine columnist and author. There's an old saying "Why reinvent the wheel?" and her article is a historical account of "Charlie Taylors" life and his many contributions to the maintenance sector of the aviation industry.

Please click on the magazine link for her account of Taylor's life and to read more about the author who was awarded the 2008 National DAR History Medal and has appeared in documentaries on PBS and The History Channel.

Learn more about her aviation history projects at www.harrietquimby.org. Some of her other works include The Harriet Quimby site about America's first licensed female pilot and first woman to solo across the English Channel. Honoring A & Ps and Portal of the Folded Wings Charles Taylor's final resting place near Burbank Airport in California.

D.O.M. Magazine is published by Greg Napert.  

May 24th and National Aviation Maintenance Technician's Day (AMT)

Each year on May 24th the anniversary of his birthday, 45 of the United States of America acknowledge all the men and women engaged in the maintenance of aircraft and aerospace vehicles. To learn more about National AMT Day, please follow the links below.

COPAMA 2008 Events page article about H-Res 444
Wikipedia article on National AMT Day.
AMT Online National AMT Day Brochure

A personal note on Charles E Taylor.

Charles E. Taylor II speaks at 2007 Maintenance Symposium Dinner.

Charles Taylor's son and grandson gave the event's presentation that included personal remembrances of this early pioneer of aviation. Click Here to go to that section of the 2007 Events page.