Last night the best of the best in general aviation were honored at Theater in the Woods during the 45th annual National General Aviation Awards Presentation

The selection process began with local FAA Safety Team managers at Flight Standards District Offices (FSDO) and then moved on to the eight regional FAA offices. Panels of aviation professionals from within those four fields then selected national winners from the pool of regional winners.

This awards program is a cooperative effort between the FAA and more than a dozen industry sponsors. The program executive committee includes the Aircraft Electronics Association (AEA), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI). Additional support and sponsorship are provided by Women in Aviation International (WAI), the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO), the National Air Transportation Association (NATA), the Helicopter Association International (HAI), the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), the Aircraft Maintenance Technology Society (AMT Society), the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), and the Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA).

Adkison was born in Northern Ireland, the son of a U.S. Navy master chief petty officer. He attended the Institute of Electronic Technology in Paducah, Kentucky, and ultimately graduated second in his class with a degree in electronic engineering technology in 1988. After graduation, he took a position as an avionics technician with Allied Signal Aerospace in Lawrence, Kansas, where he became a lead technician. He later took a position with Carpenter Avionics at Nashville International Airport (BNA).

In 1993, Adkison moved back home at Paducah’s Barkley Regional Airport (PAH). He started with Tomlinson Avionics, a new facility going through the first phase of becoming a repair station. He was promoted to Midwest Aviation’s avionics manager in 1999.

Adkison represented the Louisville FSDO area and the FAA’s Central Region. This year’s other regional avionics technician winners were Andrew Scanlon of Ellsworth, Maine (FAA’s Eastern Region); Charles Boldin of Oxford, Michigan (FAA’s Great Lakes Region); Mark Dietz of Searcy, Arkansas (FAA’s Southwest Region); and Dwayne Comer of Glendale, Arizona (FAA’s Western Pacific Region).

See Tim's video bio here: Avionics Technician of the Year: Timothy D. Adkinson (Benton, Kentucky)

Trescott, a Master CFI and Master Ground Instructor, is a native of northern Pennsylvania. He completed his private pilot certificate at the age of 19 and acquired his CFI rating in September 2001. He later added an ATP certificate as well as CFII and MEI ratings. After leaving a 25-year career at Hewlett Packard, he began teaching full-time as an independent flight instructor with several flight schools at the Palo Alto Airport (PAO), but shifted his focus to glass cockpit aircraft. He is now a factory trained Cessna FITS instructor, a Cirrus Design CSIP, and a Columbia (Cessna) 350/400 instructor.

In 2006, Trescott founded Glass Cockpit Publishing (www.G1000Book.com), launched with the release of his Max Trescott’s G1000 Glass Cockpit Handbook. As the corporation’s president, he is responsible for new product development.

Trescott represented the San Jose FSDO area and the FAA’s Western Pacific Region. This year’s other regional CFI of the Year winners include Master CFI David Paul St. George of Ithaca, New York (FAA’s Eastern Region); Master CFI Richard Michael "Rich" Funcheon of Vero Beach, Florida (FAA’s Southern Region); Master CFI Thomas Turner of Rose Hill, Kansas (FAA’s Central Region); Master CFI Craig Patterson of Midland, Texas (FAA’s Southwest Region); Master CFI Mark Levin of Richmond, Illinois (FAA’s Great Lakes Region); and Master CFI Darrel Dilley of LaSalle, Colorado (FAA’s Northwest Mountain Region).

See Max's video bio here: CFI of the Year: Max Trescott (Mountain View, California)

Busch earned his private pilot certificate as a 20-year-old college student, and has since amassed more than four decades of aviation experience as a mechanic, inspector, pilot, flight instructor, aircraft owner, A&P mechanic, aviation author, educator, and lecturer.

After retiring from a long career as a software engineer, Busch founded AVweb, the well-known, web-based aviation news service. He served as editor-in-chief and one of AVweb’s most prolific writers for the first seven years of its existence.

He has published hundreds of articles in numerous aviation publications such as the American Bonanza Society, Cessna Pilots Association, and Cirrus Pilot magazines.

The founder and president of Savvy Aviator (www.SavvyAviator.com), Busch provides in-depth technical training to aircraft owners and their mechanics focusing on maintenance and troubleshooting in single- and twin-engine aircraft.

In addition to his A&P ratings, Busch is also a CFI as well as a glider and seaplane pilot, and has earned phase 11 in the FAA’s WINGS program.

Busch represented the San Jose FSDO area as well as the FAA’s Western Pacific Region. This year’s other regional AMT winners include Eric Christenson of Bellevue, Washington (FAA’s Northwest Mountain Region); Brian Crafford of West Paducah, Kentucky (FAA’s Central Region); Leroy Muise of Trenton, Maine (FAA’s Eastern Region); and David Mills of Portage, Michigan (FAA’s Great Lakes Region).

See Mike's video bio here: Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year: Michael Busch (Arroyo Grande, California)

Teipen, a Master CFI as well as a Master Ground Instructor, is involved in many areas of pilot education including FAA WINGS seminars, FAASTeam online courses, flight instructor revalidation clinics (FIRCs), and youth aviation education programs.

He earned his private pilot certificate in 1984, later becoming a CFI, an FAA aviation safety counselor (ASC), a FAASTeam representative, and a designated pilot examiner (DPE).

Teipen established www.AVTrain.net, a website dedicated to promoting safety through education, to create and host online educational programs. This effort led to the first national courses for FAASTeam representatives and industry members, the new WINGS Pilot Proficiency Program, and additional www.FAASafety.gov online courses.

Teipen also created and introduced the highly successful My First Logbook and Young Eagles Flight Education programs for youths participating in KidVenture during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

Teipen represented the St. Louis FSDO area and the FAA’s Central Region. This year’s other regional winners include MCFI Clifford Floyd Chetwin of Littleton, Colorado (FAA’s Northwest Mountain Region); John Anderson of Gilford, New Hampshire (FAA’s Eastern Region); George Vose of Alpine, Texas (FAA’s Southwest Region); Janese Thatcher-Buzzell of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota (FAA’s Great Lakes Region); and Dennis Renzelman of Granada Hills, California (FAA’s Western Pacific Region).

See John's video bio here: FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year: John Teipen (University City, Missouri)