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.
These awards highlight the vital leadership roles these individuals play in promoting safety, education, and professionalism throughout the aviation industry, officials noted.
Recipients of the 2024 National General Aviation Awards are:
- Adam Magee: 2024 Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year
- Marty King: 2024 Aviation Technician of the Year
- Cary Grant: 2024 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year
The FAA will present the awards in July during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and their names will be added to the plaque in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum.
In addition to being recognized at AirVenture and highlighted in the aviation media, the men also will receive gifts provided by sponsors and contributors.
“These important, historic awards highlight the critical role played by accomplished individuals in building a culture solidly based on aviation safety and education,” said GA Awards Board Chair Sandya Narayanswami. “The board and our many sponsors are pleased that these outstanding aviation professionals will receive public recognition before their peers at AirVenture.”
2024 National Certified Flight Instructor of the Year
The General Aviation Awards Committee has selected Adam Magee of Swisher, Iowa as the 2024 National Flight Instructor of the Year.
“Adam is a highly motivated educator and aviation professional who, through his non-profit, the Balloon Training Academy, teaches more than 100 students per year and runs the Lighter than Air (LTA) Outreach Series webinars,” officials said.
Adam’s aviation experience includes flight instruction equivalent to an airplane CFI training 3,156 pilots, check ride prep to even more, and instruction in private and commercial ground school with a 99% pass rate.
Yearly, he administers roughly 10.5% of all LTA-Balloon practical exams as a DPE.
He has organized annual safety seminars, designed private and commercial training syllabi, and created an online flight instructor refresher course for balloon instructors.
In partnership with the National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), he created the Elite Balloon Instructor program to recognize excellence in balloon training.
“He is the go-to person nationwide on hot air balloon questions for both industry and the FAA,” officials continued. “Adam strongly believes that the responsibility of a flight instructor extends beyond flight training and continuing education. It also includes working collaboratively with the FAA to create change and raise the bar on education and training across the industry.”
2024 National Aviation Technician of the Year
The General Aviation Awards Committee has selected Marty King of Elkhart, Indiana, as the 2024 National Aviation Technician of the Year.
Marty has been in aviation since 1968 when, at age 12, he started flying lessons and his first apprenticeship. He learned how to install fabric at age 12, overhauled his first engine at age 15, and built his first airplane, a Pitts S1C, all while still in high school.
In 1972 Marty, age 16, acquired his first paying client when he recovered Art Scholl’s Chipmunk’s rudder after a smoke canister exploded and took the fabric covering with it.
Marty received his A&P in 1991 and later his IA. He established his own GA service, restoration, and fabric shop, King Aero in 1991. His company still provides GA services along with restoration, fabric repair, and replacement. Currently a 1940 Piper J4A-65 and a 1946 Piper J3C-85 are undergoing restorations in his shop.
In 2017 Marty started an A&P intern program with Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan. That was followed by opportunities to train interns from Lansing Community College, Western Michigan University, and Purdue University. He also has an active apprenticeship program.
As a FAAST Team Representative Marty stays abreast of new technologies as information for new topics to use and understand, all while conducting FAAST Team seminars for IAs, A&Ps and pilots.
In 2023 and 2024, Marty received the AMT of the Year award for the State of Michigan and six counties in Northern Indiana and received the Charles M. Taylor Master Mechanic’s Award.
He is an active EAA Technical Counselor for EAA Chapter 132 and oversees several homebuilders’ activities.
Marty is also assisting in developing a STEM program, STAYIndiana.org (STEM in Aviation Youth, Indiana) to teach 13-18-year-old students how to build a plane. After completion of the airplane, students will have an opportunity to fly the airplane they built. For participating in the program, they will eventually receive high school credit and Marty is working on getting them college credit. Marty has a team of six A&Ps, wrote the syllabus, and is a classroom instructor for the program.
2024 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year
The General Aviation Awards Committee has selected Cary Grant of Cave Creek, Arizona, as the 2024 FAASTeam Representative of the Year.
Cary has been an FAA Safety Team Representative since 2009 and is an experienced aviation safety advisor serving as a lead representative, WINGSPro, professor, and flight instructor. He co-hosts quarterly CFI open forums and conducts FAASTeam seminars throughout the state.
He is also an assistant professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Grant is the president of the Arizona Aviation Safety Advisory Group (ASAG), a 50-year-old charitable organization dedicated to aviation safety in Arizona and working with organizations throughout southern California and Nevada. ASAG’s mission is to identify, highlight, and educate aviators throughout the Southwestern United States on safety issues in Arizona’s airspace and host the state’s annual General Aviation Awards Banquet.
He is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel, serving as a flight instructor in T-37s, C-141 Starlifter transport, and Gulfstream G-III. After a 20-year military career, he completed a 23-year civilian career with United Airlines, as a captain, where he flew Boeing and Airbus aircraft until he retired in 2020.
He owns a 1957 Piper Tri-Pacer converted to a taildragger.
For more information: GeneralAviationAwards.com