Five Honored for 50 Years in Flight

FAA Award Winners, from left, are Rodney Hatcher, Tony Hurst, John Lemmon, John Eiler, and Warren Eaton. They earned mechanical and/or pilot master awards from 50 years of service in the Jackson area.  Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV News.

By Jeff Steers
JTV News

(September 15, 2023 9:13 PM ET) More than 250 years of flight and mechanic work was honored at Jackson County Airport on Friday.

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration awarded five Jackson area residents awards for flight and mechanical work during a ceremony at Reynolds Field.

The recipients received the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic and/or Wright Brothers Master Pilot Awards. 

Receiving awards were Tony Hurst, John Eiler, John Lemmon, Rodney Hatcher, and Warren Eaton.

Hurst is known as the father of the Jackson Hot Air Jubilee but has an extensive background in flying. Hurst took his first flying lessons as a student at Kent State University in 1964. A decade later he started a flight school at Reynolds Field and has been a fixture at the airport for more than six decades.

Eiler has been flying since 1973 and owned three aircraft and built one. He worked as a private pilot for a number of years.

Lemmon was honored with both awards for his work as a pilot and mechanic. Lemmon served as a mission aviation fellowship from 1978 to 2021. 

Hatcher grew up around airplanes as flying was in his family. He still works as an aircraft maintenance instructor and also earned both of the FAA awards Friday.

Eaton spent more than 11,000 hours flying civilian aircraft. He was a licensed commercial pilot and worked as an aerial photographer. 

Pat Ryan from Willow Run Airport and the FAA presented the awards with Jessica Patuano.