Benjamin Fox grew up working on and racing hot rods with his brothers and father, taking trips to regional tracks on weekends in the highly competitive circle track racing circuit. His mother was his inspiration with his attention to detail and desire to pursue numerous interests as he grew to adulthood. His diverse interests and the thrill of speed naturally drove Fox into aviation.
Capitalizing on his mechanical background and attention to detail, he gravitated into earning his Airframe and Powerplant license. Right out of A&P school, Fox took a job for a defense contractor working on drones in the desert southwest. There, he gained valuable experience working on reciprocating and turbine engines, completing line maintenance and overhauls. He compiled critical knowledge with composite structures and repairs and had his first professional experience with non-destructive testing.
He later moved to Minnesota and accepted a career with Cirrus Aircraft. At Cirrus Fox started as a quality inspector working the Cirrus Vision SF50 production line. In this role, his expertise in inspection processes were honed, as well as his knowledge in non-destructive testing on composite structures. Fox accepted a promotion into the Cirrus Factory Service Center and has excelled with his previous experience and willingness to learn and grow as an A&P mechanic and Level II NDI certified technician. Benjamin was the primary NDI technician working with Cirrus Engineering to validate and reach FAA approval for the Cirrus Aircraft SR2X critical project. “His keen attention to detail and NDI prowess made him the perfect candidate for this critical project,” says Gerald Mensen, senior crew chief and inspector, Cirrus Aircraft Factory Service Center.
“Gerald has helped provide a large background of general industry knowledge on how to operate successfully , efficiently, and safely,” says Fox. “With the help of mentors like Gerald and Mike Hassebrock, I have been able to progress my career with the knowledge and skills to be successful. I think people like them help us younger guys get ahead and without them we would not be able to succeed.”
Benjamin is actively working toward his Repair Station Inspector qualification and a degree in Aviation Management. “My career goals are to one day operate a maintenance hangar that would provide a maintenance experience both for customers and the mechanics that would set industry standards and provide a level of service and quality that would be the envy of the field and could not be matched.”
