The Aircraft Maintenance Technology Top 40 Under 40 showcases top talent and leading thinkers in the aviation industry who are building success today and innovations for the future.
Candidates are vetted on innovation, outstanding attributes and commitment and involvement in the industry.
Adeeba Ghazal is mechanically inclined by her own admission, meaning it would only make sense for her to find her way into aviation. “My passion for aircrafts has motivated me...
It was February 2003 when Albert “Al” Eike found himself entering the aviation field. Propelled by a natural love of math, numbers and organization, Eike left a customer service...
Alphonso Torrez got into aviation via the United States Navy, where he was an Aircraft Electrician’s Mate from 2008 to 2013, serving as the night lead, top rank held: E5, surface...
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...
For Caesar Strait, his trip into the field of aviation began in 2005 when he became an automotive mechanic. Eventually, though, Strait would trade in wheels for wings. “I started...
Carlos Orrego’s aviation aspirations took flight with a rocket as a boy. “My father took me to see a space shuttle launch when I was a young boy and ever since I saw that beautiful...
Chris Haskell’s career in aviation set sail when he joined the US Navy in 2001. Originally looking to be a cryptographer when enlisting, his aptitude tests showed his strengths...
Not many people go from studying to become a doctor and working in a hospital to becoming an aircraft mechanic, and while Chris Wilson’s journey into the aviation industry may...
"A complex and dynamic business", "aircraft technology and development", "the wide range of associated challenges", and "interdisciplinary cooperation" – those are the factors...
Colin Estes is good with his hands. He says he’s had a passion for fixing things since childhood, helping his dad work on cars. “Growing up, I always worked on cars with my dad...
Daniel Neeley was always fascinated with aircraft and flying at a young age so it was no surprise he ended up in the field for his career. Neeley started at StandardAero in 2000...
Darrel Forest joined StandardAero 16 years ago and has in that time risen through the ranks. “I’ve always loved airplanes and flying, when I got a chance to join StandardAero,...
Delio Esquibel’s strong work ethic has carried through many of the rungs of the aviation world, from general airport maintenance, to working with ground support equipment and ...
The aviation industry is like equal parts mysticism and puzzle for Jason Barrett, an allure that sucked him in. “The aviation industry has complex systems and problems. To work...
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...
When asked what made him join the aviation industry as a structural engineer for Hawaiian Airlines, this is what Kevin Sakumoto will tell you: “I’ve always enjoyed traveling and...
Since he was a boy, the act of “putting an aircraft into the sky” has fascinated Kyle Pillar.“The technology, engineering, and all other activities involved in aviation is something...
Michael Barnes started his secondary education studying to be an architect, but a childhood passion for aviation pulled him elsewhere. “I have been interested in airplanes and...
As the product manager of PROTO Industrial Tools, Nicholas Filipone provides the aviation community with what they need to get their jobs done and done well. “I have a great sense...
Nick Vartanian took to the sky as a kid, setting in motion his career to follow. “I was always around aviation as a kid, my dad took me on my first helicopter ride when I was ...
From a young age, Rachel Klebe says she has loved to fly and when she started on the question of picking a career, she knew she wanted something that would challenge her as well...
An affection for traveling as a child is what Sandra Granados says “brought on the curiosity of the many layers in Aviation” for her. “The airplanes, the apparent defiance of ...
Aviation, you could say, is just a part of Sean Segers make up.“As a child my mother worked for Ozark Airlines as a resevationist to start her career. She really took advantage...
A fascination with the way aircraft do what they do and go where they go is what propelled Simon Victor N. Kagwe to pursue a career in the field of aviation, saying: “For as long...
Aerial applicators and hearing stories from his grandfather about Word War II bomber flights in the Pacific is what planted the seed of what would become a career in the head ...
Curiosity, that’s what Zachary Flora says got him started in aviation – that and a little help from Grandma’s house. “My grandma happened to live on the final approach flight ...
