2016 AMT Next Gen Award: Greg B. Everett

The uniqueness of the field and the exclusiveness of the industry drew him in. "The idea of being in aviation with the great people that have made many contributions to the world, appealed to me," Everett says. 

He graduated from Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA) and was hired at Constant Aviation in Youngstown, OH, about a week later. Early on in his career, he inspected the Embraer Legacy and Cessna Citation X aircraft. He began volunteering to be a part of Constant's DART team and has literally been able to stand on each coast. The team he was on completed the transplant and installation of a wing on an Embraer 135 in the field, completed the first vertical stabilizer change in the field on an EMB-145, and also recovered and repaired a Phenom 300 that lost control on a runway. After these projects, he became a lead technician. Less than a year later, he was promoted to supervisor and works with the small cabin aircraft.

There are many mentors, big and small, good and bad, that have helped to mold him. "I believe that everyone you encounter influences the person that you are, as long as you are open to the experience. To name a handful of mentors that have had a large impact would be Jim Rady, Shawn Ehrhart, Jason Morrow, Darren Fronk, Dan Podojil, and Kevin Dillon (all employees of Constant).

He was awarded the Golden Wrench Award while enrolled at PIA. The award is given to one individual from each graduating class that most exhibits ambition, talent, and attention to detail. 

He has continued his education by attending classes on the Beechjet 400A, with four hours of simulator time at CAE and a management training course at Global Jet Services.

He was nominated by Shawn Paul Ehrhart, director of operations, nondestructive testing, Constant Aviation; Samantha Petersen, business administrator, Constant Aviation; and David Noall, director of operations, Rite Flite Aviation. Noall says, "I have been working with Greg for the past two years. He has helped us a tremendous amount with our new Phenom. He has great attention to detail and he has a great ability to communicate effectively with customers. He has helped us work through several annoying problems on the aircraft and each time he has been successful in troubleshooting and problem solving. The incident that sticks out most in my mind with Greg is that when we had an issue just prior to a departure, I called to pick his brain. He helped me do some troubleshooting over the phone but we weren't having any luck. I hung up with him and was dealing with the passengers when I look up and Greg was standing there. I didn't ask for him to come, but it is his commitment to customer service that causes me to nominate Greg for this honor."

Ehrhart states, "I completely believe that Greg Everett embodies the modern, professional AMT. Greg chose aviation as a career to follow his passion, after working different non-aviation jobs in his 20s. Greg is a leader who was inspired by senior AMTs to believe in the Mechanic's Creed and treat every task like his own family would be flying on the aircraft. I watched Greg learn these good habits, apply them dutifully, and now teach young mechanics just leaving A&P school the same professional techniques. In addition to his mechanical abilities, Greg is an excellent communicator who has forged amazing relationships with both our customers and FAA representatives."

Everett would like to be a mentor to his fellow technicians, experienced and new. He says, "With future projections of technicians retiring, it looks like the industry will take a hit and need intelligent and motivated individuals to keep the torch going."

As for the future Everett would like to gain a foothold in management, possibly operations manager.