- Senior Mechanics Don Albrecht and Bob Mervar, Each with 50 Years of Experience, Receive the Prestigious FAA Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award
CLEVELAND, November 3, 2016 – Flexjet LLC, offering travelers access to the world’s most luxurious fleet of private jets, today announced that Senior Mechanics Donald Albrecht and Robert Mervar have received the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award, the highest honor available to an aviation mechanic.
Named for Charles Taylor, an early collaborator of the Wright Brothers who built the first aircraft engine and is acknowledged as the first aviation mechanic, the award is made by the FAA to honor the lifetime achievements of senior aviation mechanics. Conferred by FAA Administrator Michael P. Huerta, the award recognizes “the professionals who inspect, troubleshoot, maintain, and repair the engines, structure and onboard systems of all types of aircraft.”
“We are proud that Don Albrecht and Bob Mervar have been recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration for this distinguished honor,” said Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro. “Don and Bob exemplify the daily heroics of the Flexjet and Flight Options mechanics who keep our aircraft in the air and our flight crews and passengers safe.”
“It seems fitting that Bob and I won this at the same time, since we worked together in the military and we’ve both been at this airport since the 1970s,” said Albrecht at the presentation ceremony Wednesday. “It’s been a long career and a good career. It goes pretty fast.”
Albrecht, of Painesville, Ohio, began his career in 1966 at the U.S. Air Force’s Amarillo Air Force Base, working as a jet engine technician. After graduating from the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology, Albrecht joined Ohio Aviation Company. He then worked for 23 years at Rockwell Automation/Reliance Electric before joining Flexjet’s sister company, Flight Options, in 1998. After working as Director of Aircraft Maintenance for TRW Flight Services and Steiner Aviation for three years, Albrecht rejoined Flight Options in 2004. He holds multiple professional licenses and certifications and currently serves as a Quality Assurance Consultant, auditing the computerized maintenance tracking systems for Flight Options and Flexjet.
Mervar, of Euclid, Ohio, also began his career in 1966 at Amarillo Air Force Base. After completion of his military service, Mervar graduated from the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology. He worked for several aviation companies, including Midwest Aviation, Mercury Aviation, TRW Flight Services and Eagles Wings Aviation, before joining Flexjet’s sister company, Flight Options, in 2001. He currently serves as a Quality Assurance Auditor and manages the weight and balance program for a fleet of more than 100 aircraft at Flight Options and Flexjet. In addition to his professional licenses and certifications, Mervar holds a private pilots’ license.
About Flexjet
Flexjet first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995, and celebrated its 21st anniversary in May 2016. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing. Flexjet’s fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, and Flexjet is the first and only company to be honored with its 17th FAA Diamond Award for Excellence. Flexjet’s fractional program fields an exclusive array of business aircraft—some of the youngest in the fractional jet industry, with an average age of approximately six years—including their LXi Cabin Collection consisting of the Learjet 75LXi, Challenger 350, the Embraer Legacy 450 and 500, Global Express, the Gulfstream G450, G500 and G650, and the Aerion AS2 supersonic business jets. In addition, the overall jet collection includes the Embraer Phenom 300, Challenger 300 and Challenger 605. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit fxmultiprod.wpengine.com or follow us on Twitter @Flexjet.
Contact:
Nicholas Parmelee
The Hubbell Group, Inc.
216-406-5602 (cell)
781-878-8882 (office)
[email protected]
