Within the air ambulance community, there’s no better qualified candidate for this year’s 40 Under 40 award than Lucas Oyen of Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, according to lead AMT Matthew Oliver with Metro Aviation/UW Med Flight.
From 2012 to 2017, Oyen enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. Working as an aircraft mechanic on CH-53E helicopters, he deployed to Afghanistan and completed a ship-based deployment in the Middle East.
As a civilian, his first experience in the aviation industry was working for REACH Air Medical Services (2017-2019). He worked in the heavy maintenance hangar performing component replacements and inspections on EMS aircraft, such as the EC135, AS350 and King Air B-200.
Since 2019, he has been working for Metro Aviation, as a field base mechanic providing service to the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Med Flight). His duties include scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, airworthy compliance and logistics management on program aircraft – EC135 and EC145 platforms.
While he’s been with the program, Oliver said Oyen has made a tremendous impact. “His knowledge of not only helicopter maintenance, but that of the ‘big picture’ world of HEMS is unmatched — especially for a young man of his age,” Oliver said. “Lucas can see a need or discrepancy and quickly develop/implement a corrective action in a safe and orderly fashion.”
According to Oliver, Oyen is highly regarded and respected within the maintenance community and by the Med Flight crewmembers. He’s become a go-to person for all things HEMS-related. Oliver lists qualities of a true leader: respect, humility, commitment, dedication, honesty, integrity, empathy, transparency, hard work and resiliency — and said Oyen possesses all of them.
Oyen said it all started when his father introduced him to welding. “I was immediately hooked on all things mechanical and was right at home working in his repair shop,” he said. With close family members in general aviation, he was exposed to “the flying side of things.”
“When I was a youngster, I thought flying airplanes were the coolest thing in the world and wanted to get my own license or be like any young kid and become a fighter pilot in the military.” In the Marine Corps, he chose aircraft mechanic as his occupational specialty so he could continue working with his hands.
“After graduating from my first aircraft mechanic school as a qualified CH-53E Super Stallions mechanic, my career was off and running," mentioned Oyen.
Previously in the military aviation industry and now in air ambulance/EMS, he said, “I continually strive to reach common goals and maintain a mindset centered around doing my personal best — with heavy emphasis towards providing a safe and reliable aircraft, so when called upon, myself and my fellow teammates can help when and where needed.”
