2025 AMT Under 40: Philip Neeper

Philip Neeper found his passion for aviation early as a pilot. He states, “The taste of flight is addicting. Once you are above the clouds, in cruise flight, in an aircraft that you poured your heart into, it’s pure bliss.”

A current active-duty military member, Neeper currently works as the director of aviation maintenance at USASOC Flight Company, where his colleagues praise his technical skill and dedication to ongoing improvement.

Aside from his accomplishments in military and civil aviation, Philip is most proud of the satisfaction his clients receive from his small, independently owned repair shop, Airborne Aviation, LLC. He says, “Knowing that owner/operator entrusts us to perform safe, reliable, industry standard maintenance as a small shop, is what drives our accomplishments.”

Philip’s colleagues note his outstanding work in aircraft repair and preservation, stating, “He likes to take older model vintage working aircraft that may have been neglected and restore them to flying condition. His desire to keep aircraft flying that would otherwise be forgotten about is something that is not common in our industry.”

When asked about what brought him to where he is today, Neeper points to three mentors. First, he discusses his father’s impact on his career journey by introducing him to the world of aviation. He recalls, “As we talked for hours, watching planes fly over, I decided to give it a try. Two short weeks later I found myself at Phoenix Aviation in KDAB, FL getting my pilot’s license.”

Philip also shows gratitude to Brian Griffin, his first supervisor in an aviation job, and CW3 (Ret.) Jeremiah Still, who guided Neeper through the process of pursuing his love of aviation within his military career.

Neeper can be considered a mentor himself as he inspires those around him with his passion for aviation and commitment to his craft.

He offers advice to new aviation professionals, urging them to connect with veteran mechanics and take in their tribal knowledge. He says, “While it may be intimidating at first, find the “grey beard/ old timers” and attach yourself to their hip. There is so much knowledge lost in our community due to the gap in the blue collar workforce.”