National General Aviation Award Winners Revealed

The General Aviation Awards (GAA) Board of Directors, in partnership with the FAA, have named the 2026 national honorees:

• Mike Kloch of Bend, Oregon, the 2026 Certificated Flight Instructor of the Year
• Roger Whittier of Phoenix, Arizona, the 2026 Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year
• Mike Jesch of Orange, California, the 2026 FAA Safety Team Representative of the Year.

The three were chosen from district honorees for the award, which recognizes aviation professionals “for their exceptional contributions to flight instruction, aviation maintenance, and flight safety,” according to officials.

The FAA will formally present the awards in July during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026. In addition to receiving gifts from industry sponsors, each honoree’s name will be etched onto the perpetual plaque displayed in the lobby of the EAA AirVenture Museum.

GAA Live! Featuring the 2026 Honorees

Continuing a tradition started in 2018, two-time past honoree John Teipen will produce GAA Live!, an hour-long broadcast that will feature the three honorees sharing their insights and technical knowledge. A date and time for the broadcast will be announced soon, according to officials.

To reach full biographies of each of the honorees, go to GeneralAviationAwards.com.