Every summer, the nonprofit entity behind the General Aviation Awards honors the top certified flight instructor (CFI), aviation maintenance technician (AMT), and FAA FAASTeam representative in the industry, as nominated by their peers. The program, ongoing since 1962, recently recognized the following winners at Oshkosh in late July, at an event at the Theatre in the Woods, presented by then-deputy FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau:
* Mike Jesch, 2026 FAASTeam Rep of the Year
* Mike Kloch, 2026 CFI of the Year
* Roger Whittier, 2026 AMT of the Year
You can read the biographies of the 2026 winners on the GAA website.
Nominations are now open for next year’s awards, and they close on November 30. The selection process starts with the Flight Standards District Offices (FSDOs), where winners at the regional (district) level are chosen and honored. A panel of judges then convenes to determine the national winners, convened from a mix of last year’s honorees and industry folks. This year’s national judges included: John Niehaus, Doug Stewart, Amy Hoover, Adrian Eichorn, Jimmy Rollison, David Dagenais, Jim Gardener, Catherine Cavagnaro, Mariellen Couppee, Justin Madden, Bob Hepp, and Gary Brossett.
Winners receive the ability to educate with their award and share their expertise through a livestream presentation. They also win a trip to EAA AirVenture and a bevy of gifts from the more than 22 industry and individual sponsors, along with a commemorative plaque.
Please promote this program to honor the GA community instructors, AMTs and FAAST reps. I have served as a judge on the national selection committee for over ten years.