Knowledge, Skill & Integrity

 

C.E.T. Master Mechanic Award Recipient Thomas E. Hendershot  (RH side of photo.)

Mr. Hendershot has worked in the aviation industry for 51 years. From May 15, 1955 to the present. He was born October 22, 1940 in Painesville, Ohio and his interest in aviation developed at a very young age. At 6 years old he was flying with his Sunday School Teacher! He soloed on October 22, 1955 at Sundorph Aeronautical Corporation, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Cleveland, Ohio.

Mr. Hendershot began his career as an Aircraft & Powerplant Apprentice while attending West Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio where he majored in aviation. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S.A.F. and became a Jet Aircraft and Engine Crew Chief. He continued flight lessons while working in maintenance and attending Howard County Jr. College in Big Springs, Texas and Cuyahoga County Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. In addition to his A&P/IA, he also possesses an ATP Single & Multi-Engine Land, Commercial Single & Multi-Engine Sea, Master Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument - Airplane Single and Multi-Engine Land and Sea, and Ground Instructor Certificate. He has logged 22,175 hours flying time in 104 different aircraft, which includes 6,970 hours of dual given in aircraft. He also has over 30,750 hours of classroom training. He has also obtained Phase 19 of the Wings Program, and has mentored 8,743 technicians in the aviation maintenance technician awards program, for the outstanding safety record of U.S. Registered Aircraft.

Mr. Hendershot has held numerous management positions in FAR 121, 135, and 145 operations including Director of Operations: Chief Pilot: Assistant Chief Pilot: Director of Compliance: Director of training: Director of maintenance, and Chief Inspector in addition to flying the line as Captain, Check Airman and IOE Pilot.

Over the past 50 years, Mr. Hendershot has been involved with many aviation associations including the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), National Aviation Transportation Association (NATA), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), National Association of Flight Instructors (NAFI), Colorado Pilots Association (CPA) and the Civil Air Patrol (CAP).

Mr. Hendershot is currently employed by Frontier Airlines, Inc. where he is Director of the AMT Awards Program. He is also on the Advisory Board for the Adams County One Stop career Center, the Advisory Board for Metropolitan State College of Denver Aerospace Science Department, the Advisory Board for Denver Public Schools Emily Griffith Opportunity School, the local and National Advisory Board of Directors for the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association serving as Director of the Northwest Mountain Region. Additionally, he is serving concurrently as Chairman of the Council of regional Directors. He served four consecutive two year terms 1980 - 1988 as President of the Northern Ohio Aviation Maintenance Association in Cleveland, Ohio. He founded and is currently serving his tenth consecutive year as President of the Rocky Mountain Aviation Maintenance Association PAMA's Denver Chapter. He is also an Accident Prevention Counselor for the Denver FSDO covering Colorado and Wyoming Operations since 1972 and adding Airworthiness in 1995. Mr. Hendershot is also a Regional Accident Prevention Counselor for the Western Pacific Region, and is currently Chairman of the FAA/Industry Aviation Maintenance Technician Awards Steering Committee.

Mr. Hendreshot has an enviable record by virtue of the fact that no one he has ever recommended has had to retake any written or practical examination that has prepared them for. Also, he has worked with several FAA GADO's/FSDO's to gain authorization for 143 individuals to get A&P written authorization, and worked with the Denver FSDO to gain course approval for 11 Frontier Airlines employees to obtain their A&P certificates. He has worked with the Community College of Aurora for course approval for seven courses for college credit to be used for the Aviation Maintenance Technician Program.