2016 AMT Next Gen Award: Ryan Wade Eichholtz

Nov. 28, 2016
Senior Aircraft Technician, Cox Enterprises Flight Department Years in Aviation: 14.5

Ryan Wade Eichholtz, 33, is Senior Aircraft Technician for Cox Enterprises Flight Department in Atlanta, GA. His current job responsibilities include post flights, leading inspections, overseeing maintenance at other facilities, maintaining aircraft on international flights, customer service, troubleshooting squawks, maintaining fleet of five aircraft, and hangar maintenance.

Eichholtz' father was an aircraft technician for a corporate flight department and often took Ryan to the hangar on nights and weekends, motivating him at an early age to follow in his aviation footsteps.

As his mentor Harold Ike Eichholtz allowed Ryan to "help him with all of the fix-it projects around the house and on the family vehicles. He taught me everything from wrench sizes to rebuilding the motor in my 1968 Ford Mustang when I was 16 years old. He taught me to measure twice and cut once, to have a reliable work ethic, and to be responsible not only in each job I do but also in my personal life as a husband, father, and son."

During high school and early college he worked at Metro Mustang, restoring classic Mustang aircraft. He also worked at Falcon Field and Hill Aircraft before landing at Cox Flight Department.

He received his training at Clayton College & State University and his A&P training at CCSU Aviation. He has received the FlightSafety Master Technician Award on Gulfstream G5 and Hawker 800-850XP. And he has attended FlightSafety, Honeywell, and Rolls-Royce aviation specific training. He has completed National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies' (NCATT) Aircraft Electronic Technician (AET) and FlightSafety's Cabin Emergency Evacuation Specialist Training. He has an Inspection Authorization certificate.

Eichholtz was nominated by James Lee Bradshaw, assistant maintenance manager at Cox Enterprises. Bradshaw says, "Ryan has certainly earned the respect of his co-workers for his aeronautical expertise, and it has been interesting to watch him grow as a mechanic. His technical credentials include being an A&P with an Inspector Authorization (IA) endorsement. In addition, he has met the training requirements prescribed by FlightSafety International to earn the “Master Technician” title for both the G-V and Hawker aircraft models, and he needs only one more course to be considered a “Master Technician” on the G-280. Ryan also has the Aircraft Electronics Technician (AET) certification from the National Center for Aerospace & Transportation Technologies (NCATT). Technical qualifications aside, he is most beloved for his positive attitude, his work ethic, and his willingness to tackle difficult tasks. For his boundless energy, we gave him the nickname of the “worker bee” many years ago and he has lived up to this fitting moniker every time the flight schedule demands more elbow grease."

Cox Enterprises has an internship program for mechanics and pilots and Eichholtz works alongside interns to share his knowledge and experience.

As for the future, he plans on finishing his G280 and G650 Master Technician training and would like to earn a bachelor's degree in aviation maintenance. He would like to see what other opportunities are presented to him in the Cox Enterprises Flight Department.