Picayune Airport Manager Andrew W. Greenwood was awarded a prestigious national award, The Federal Aviation Administration’s Charles Taylor Mechanic Award, at an FAA seminar at the Picayune airport on Saturday.

The award, presented to Greenwood by Theo Mavridoglau, an FAA manager, during a break in the seminar, is given only to those who have more than 50 years experience in the aircraft mechanic and service industry.

In association with the award, Greenwood’s name will be inscribed on a roll of honor that will be on prominent display in the Washington, D.C., Federal Aviation Building, said Mavridoglau.

The award is named after Taylor who was the mechanic who designed and built the engines for the Wright brothers.

Greenwood, showing emotion, thanked the FAA for the award and told those at the seminar that he felt honored by the award. “I have always loved my profession, and I could not think of doing anything else,” he said.

Greenwood received a plaque and lapel pin, and his wife will be honored as a help to his success.

Greenwood is noted here for helping institute more businesslike practices in the running of the Picayune airport, which has made it more profitable, city officials said.

A mechanic is not even considered for the award unless they have more than 50 years of experience. “This is a very prestigious award,” said Mavridoglau.

Greenwood began his aviation career as a teenager through the Civil Air Patrol in 1955, becoming a member of the New Orleans Lakefront Civil Air Patrol Squadron.

Shortly after that he began working as an apprentice mechanic, working for flying time at the  various flight schools at the airport, Hobbly Maynard Air Service and Buck Davis Flight School. This was accomplished while he was in high school.

He received his Civil Aeronautics Administration’s Airman ID Card in 1955.

In 1957 he went full-time, working as an apprentice mechanic with Pan Air Corp. after high school. He worked for Pan Air for several years, receiving both his airframe and powerplant certificate.

He joined the Louisiana Air National Guard/U.S. Air Force Reserve and worked as a hydraulic mechanic for eight years from 1957 to 1965 and was discharged as a staff sergeant.

In 1963 he went to work at the California Co. as an aircraft mechanic for approximately five years.

In 1968 he went to work in Victoria, Texas, for J.D. Scarborough as his pilot mechanic for a year and a half.

In 1970 he went to work for Chevron Oil Co. as a helicopter pilot, working 4 and 4 and 7 and 7 until he retired in 2000. On his own time, he worked on fixed-wing aircraft, doing annuals and 100-hour inspections.

He also worked for the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Dept., working on and flying their Bell Helicopter as a deputy sheriff from 1972 to 1985.

In 1998 he build a house and hangar at Diamondhead airport, and started refurbishing a Stinson 108-2 airplane, until 2005 when Hurricane Katrina destroyed his home and hangar.

He is currently refurbishing a 1959 Cessna 150 and working for the City of Picayune as airport manager.

Says Greenwood, “With my job as manager I have the opportunity to counsel pilot/owners on their maintenance requirements, airworthiness of their aircraft, FARs and current and upcoming changes that would affect their aircraft.” In 1997 Greenwood received a BS degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and in 2000 a master’s degree from the same institution.