The awards for flight instructor, aviation technician, and FAASTeam representative of the year will be presented by the FAA at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2023.
Every year for more than 50 years, the General Aviation Awards program and the FAA have recognized aviation professionals for their contributions to general aviation in the fields of flight instruction, aviation maintenance/avionics, and safety.
The 2023 recipients are:
2023 National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year
Robert “Bob” Raskey of Ponce Inlet, Florida, has been named the 2023 National Flight Instructor of the Year.
He is a Gold Seal flight instructor, FAASTeam industry member, and B-777 captain at United Airlines. He has more than 40 years and over 23,000 hours of general, commercial, and military flight operations experience. Bob has been a flight instructor and pilot examiner on various airplanes, helicopters, warbirds, and experimental aircraft.
His aviation experiences include flight instruction, developing flight training curricula, promoting aviation career pathways, and mentoring the next generation of aerospace professionals toward opportunities in commercial and military aviation.
Bob was an Instructor Pilot (T-38) with the United States Air Force, Combat Flight Lead and NATO Tactical Evaluator (F-16), and SAR (Search and Rescue) Combat pilot (HC-130) for over 20 years in the military. He was awarded the USAF’s Aerial Achievement Medal for combat flight operations during Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Bob dedicates his time and personal planes, a Piper Aztec and Piper Cherokee 6, to instructing military aviators in obtaining their FAA ratings and flight instructor certificates as they transition to careers in general aviation and commercial FAR 135/121 operations.
2023 National Aviation Technician of the Year
William “Bill” Allen Ross of Irvington, Alabama, has been named the 2023 National Aviation Technician of the Year.
Bill, who earned his Inspection Authorization (IA) in 2016, heads the Product Support Department at Superior Air Parts, where he has been employed since 2015 and assists mechanics, owners, and pilots with technical support. Bill is often called upon to assist in product analysis during NTSB in Accident Investigations.
In his many recommendations for this award, Bill is described by his colleagues and other industry professionals as a selfless expert who sleeps, eats, and breathes aviation in all facets of his life. While it is not required, Bill attends several IA renewals during renewal periods to further his education. Each year he attends many vendor-sponsored seminars and panels designed to make parts safer and more reliable for the aviation community.
In 2017, Bill wrote “Engine Maintenance 101” to dispel many of the myths around our industry regarding best practices for caring for your aircraft’s engines. As of this release, the book has been distributed to more than 15,000 readers free of charge in both hardbound and electronic copies.
Bill is also a pilot who enjoys flying his 1941 Stearman and taking veterans and Young Eagles for their first flights.
2023 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year
Dennis Miller of Mishawaka, Indiana, has been named the 2023 FAASTeam Representative of the Year. He has been working as a FAASTeam representative since 2016, an endeavor that has proven to be a natural outgrowth of his passion for flying.
After almost three years with the Grand Rapids District, Dennis transferred to the Greater Chicago District and quickly established relationships with the general aviation community in northwest Indiana. He uses his knowledge and experience as a pilot and flight instructor to complement safety programs and stimulate discussions with other general aviation pilots.
Dennis’ fascination with airplanes began as a young boy when his grandfather would take him to the airport to watch planes take off and land.
“I remember spending several Thanksgivings sitting with my Uncle Bob, watching the movie, ‘The Spirit of Saint Louis.’”
His uncle owned a Tri-Pacer, but Dennis’ parents would not allow him to go for a ride, thinking it was too dangerous.
As a teenager, Dennis finally had the opportunity for his first airplane ride. Jim Temple, a family friend and former mechanic with the United States Marine Corps, took him out in his Taylorcraft. The experience made Dennis realize how much he wanted to learn to fly and he began taking lessons at a local airport. Dennis even used a portion of his unemployment check to cover the cost of lessons after being laid off from his job.
Dennis received his private pilot’s certificate in 1979 and went on to earn his instrument and commercial ratings. Over the years, he instructed a variety of students and became a Gold Seal instructor upon completion of his AGI and IGI certifications.
From 2009-2022, Dennis served as the Aerospace Superintendent for his local 4-H Club and enjoyed encouraging young people to seriously think about aviation-related careers. In that capacity, he hosted many guest speakers, planned tours of the local control tower and college flight schools, and arranged several First Flight experiences through the local EAA chapter.
He has also earned his commercial drone license and has given a number of presentations on drones for the local 4-H program and the St. Joe Valley Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol.