Joshua Lyon’s path into aviation began as a child at the airport, watching his father leave for business trips.
“My earliest interest in aviation stemmed from seeing my Dad off for business trips at the airport when I was a kid. I loved watching the airliners and ground crews through the terminal windows. During high school, I read a book called Jungle Pilot about the life of missionary pilot Nate Saint. After reading that book, I really wanted to pursue working with aircraft and serving God simultaneously. I chose to enroll at LeTourneau University, which is a great school to learn about God and aviation,” recounts Lyon.
Lyon then took his first step into the aviation working-world in the summer of 2008, during his Junior year of college, as an intern at Dynamic Aviation. From there, his job path took flight. A year later, Lyon had his first full time job as an A&P for Take Flight Alaska. “A great place to sink my teeth into aviation maintenance,” said Lyon.
Fast forward another year and Lyon found himself working at Bering Air in Kotzebue Alaska with a “good group of mechanics” taking care of Navajos and Caravans. While at Bering Air, he tested for and received his IA in the summer of 2012. Simultaneously, Lyon also ran a small business working on Piper Cubs and other small privately-owned aircraft, eventually doing annuals. He also became involved in the local church, which “church had a big need for people to serve and help with ministry locally and in outlying villages. My location and flight privileges enabled me to serve in ministry while working with aircraft a lot,” Lyon described.
Come the summer of 2014, Lyon’s career came full circle by landing in his current position as the director of maintenance at LeTourneau University.
“LeTourneau is a Christian University that offers a variety of degrees. The bulk of the student population at LeTourneau comes for engineering and aviation. I was hired on as Director of Maintenance for the 141 flight school in the College of Aviation. I was technically qualified to attain this position but was surprised to get it. Typically, such a position goes to someone with a lot more experience. However, with a great crew working for me, very knowledgeable faculty right outside my door, and God’s blessing, running Flight Maintenance for LeTourneau has been wonderful overall,” said Lyon.
“My responsibilities as DOM include anything that is required to acquire, sell, or maintain the aircraft we use for flight training. We typically run a little less than 8000 flight hours in a year. Besides myself, I have two full time A&Ps and four to five part-time mechanic’s helpers/washers. My main goals are ensuring safe and legal aircraft, available aircraft, resource stewardship and a professional shop environment,” Lyon continued.
Lyon says that he has had a handful of mentors along the way that have helped him and his career. Among them are faculty members at LeTourneau – Lauren Bitikofer, Matt Poelman, David Scroggins, Jerry Foulk, and Fred Ritchey ¬– and his first boss Pete Johnson of Take Flight Alaska, who, “invested a lot in me when I was very green,” Lyon said.
And now, Lyon serves as a mentor to others.
“In my current position I hire 4-5 students per semester as mechanic’s helpers and washers. I am blessed to pass on whatever knowledge and tricks of the trade I’ve been given to these students as they work in the hangar. When time permits, I try to include the mechanic’s helpers on the in-depth jobs such as opening and repairing a magneto or changing a cylinder. In keeping our flight training aircraft safe and legal I also have a part in delivering training for future pilots in the industry,” he said.
