Richard "Skip" Anderson, an employee at Cobalt Aero Services, was recently recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration in a surprise ceremony, where he was presented the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award for 50 years of service in aviation maintenance.
The Hot Springs resident is only the second local recipient of the award, as Bob White, whom Anderson worked for at AAR Corp., received the award in 2015.
The award recognizes the lifetime accomplishments of senior mechanics and is named in honor of the first aviation mechanic in powered flight, Charles Taylor, who served as the Wright brothers' mechanic. Taylor is credited with designing and building the engine for their first successful aircraft.
"I'm very humbled quite by all of this; I have modified some bicycles in my day, but I don't think I'll be building any engines anytime soon," Anderson said laughing after a presentation on Taylor, who got his start fixing bicycles. "I just appreciate all of this and working with you all, and it just makes a nice finish to a little career."
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Originally from St. Paul, Minn., the 75-year-old joined the U.S. Navy Reserve upon graduating high school, eventually transferring to full-time active duty. Serving as a Navy aircraft structural mechanic from 1965 to 1990, he worked on such models as the Lockheed P-2V Neptune, the P-3 Orion, the Douglas EA-3B Sky Warrior, McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom, and many others.
His civilian career included time at Northwest Airlines, AAR Corp., and Cobalt, where he has worked on the likes of Boeing 757s and 747s, among others. After receiving his Airframe certification in 1990, he received his Powerplant the following summer.
"It was the absolute high point of my life," he said of receiving the award. "It came as a total surprise because I had no clue it was coming. So I'm appreciative of all the support I've had over the years. ... Back in high school, I studied a little bit on aircraft maintenance and mechanics, and that got to be a goal. And the Navy approved a pathway to it, so here I am 50-something years later."
He said his personal key to longevity and success is going to the YMCA every Saturday. When asked what drives him to go to work every day, he said he simply enjoys what he does.
"I enjoy the work. I enjoy the people I work with, and there's always a feeling of accomplishment, especially when you see (a finished airplane) taxiing down the runway, you know, and then you know you've done your job," he said.
Anderson continues to work part-time in Cobalt's Evaluation Department, where he assesses damages to parts sent in for repair. He noted he has no plans for slowing down just yet.
"I don't have an end date to it," he said. "When it happens, it happens."
FAASTeam program manager for Arkansas, Jamie Black, read a letter from Little Rock Flight Standards District Office manager, Jonathan Moss, who said the FAA's mission is to provide the safest, most efficient aerospace system in the world, and Anderson has been a part of that.
"We use many tools to make this happen, including recognizing individual people that have helped to make our aerospace system great. We recognize great mechanics by honoring them with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award is presented to those airmen who have 50 years or more of practicing and promoting safe aircraft maintenance," he said.
"The Little Rock Flight Standards District Office is proud to present you with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. Your professionalism as an airman has contributed to the safety of our national aerospace system and has enabled safe air travel by many Americans for more than half a century of flight."
Anderson received a certified Blue Ribbon package along with his award, containing copies of his airman records and his award certificates.
Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award recipient Richard "Skip" Anderson, at right, is presented a certificate recognizing his 50 years of service by Cobalt Vice President and General Manager Michael McWilliams on July 18. - Photo by Lance Porter of The Sentinel-Record