EAA Homebuilders Tony Bingelis Award Winners

2007 Recipient - Richard Koehler

Richard Koehler, of Burke, VA has been selected as the 2007 recipient of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Tony Bingelis Award, recognizing his involvement as an active volunteer Technical Counselor and aircraft builder.

The Tony Bingelis Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the homebuilt aircraft community, and honors the memory of the late Tony Bingelis, noted homebuilding authority and EAA Sport Aviation Columnist. Koehler was nominated by John Clifford of EAA Chapter 186 and will receive his award during the EAA AirVenture Homebuilder’s Dinner on Thursday, July 26th, 2007.

Richard has volunteered as a Technical Counselor for over 17 years, sharing his knowledge and providing thousands of hours of advice to builders, and also teaches the electrical systems class as a volunteer EAA SportAir workshop instructor. He has contributed many articles to EAA Sport Aviation magazine, an also has had many articles published in chapter newsletters. He has been a recipient of the Bax Seat Trophy. Additionally, Richard has continued to educate and guide aircraft builders through his presentation of forums and by instructing the sheet metal and composite workshops at AirVenture.

Richard built a KR-2 and has restored two Mooneys and a Swift.

2006 Recipient - Jim Miller

Jim Miller, of Kansas City, MO, has been selected as the 2006 recipient of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Tony Bingelis Award, recognizing his involvement as an active volunteer Technical Counselor and aircraft builder.

The Bingelis Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the homebuilt aircraft community, and honors the memory of the late Tony Bingelis, noted homebuilding authority and EAA Sport Aviation columnist. Miller was nominated by Ray Huffman from EAA Chapter 91, and received the award during the EAA AirVenture Homebuilders’ Dinner on Thursday, July 27th, 2006.

Miller has been an EAA Technical Counselor since 1973, advising aircraft builders on the safe completion of their projects. He has documented over 150 aircraft project visits, and has helped builders develop practical and low cost techniques to achieve complex or critical aircraft building operations. He is also volunteer Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) for amateur built aircraft. As a volunteer DAR, Miller saves builders hundreds of dollars in certification fees. In addition, he has written several articles for EAA’s Sport Aviation magazine and other aviation publications, and he continues to educate and guide aircraft builders through numerous presentations in his local area, as well as presenting forums during EAA AirVenture.

Miller constructed an all-wood Taylor Titch that has won numerous awards since 1972. The aircraft is one of only a few aircraft that have been featured on both the front and back covers of EAA's Sport Aviation magazine.

2005 Recipient - Mel Asbury

Mel Asberry of Farmersville, Texas, is the 2005 recipient of EAA's Tony Bingelis Award, recognizing his involvement as an active volunteer Technical Counselor, Flight Advisor and aircraft builder. Asberry will receive the award during the annual Homebuilders' Dinner on Thursday, July 28, at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, the World's Greatest Aviation Celebration, which takes place July 25-31 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

The Bingelis Award was created in 2002 to honor Tony Bingelis, noted aircraft building authority and EAA Sport Aviation columnist who passed away in 2001. Asberry was nominated by EAA Chapter 168 for his numerous contributions. He has volunteered as an EAA Technical Counselor since 1986, advising other aircraft builders on safe completion of their projects. Asberry added responsibility as an EAA Flight Advisor in 1994, helping local pilots assess their flying skills to be able to safely fly their newly built or restored aircraft. For more than 14 years he has also been his chapter's safety officer.

Asberry has also written several articles for the benefit of the aviation community. He has written nine programs and 37 technical articles for his chapter newsletter. He has also written two chapter programs for other chapters. Asberry has also presented a number of forums at the Southwest EAA Regional Fly-In, an event co-founded by Tony Bingelis.

Today, Asberry continues to educate and guide aircraft builders through numerous presentations in Texas, as well as forums during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh. He has constructed two ultralights and one motorglider, as well as an RV-6 aircraft that has won numerous awards. In 1993 he won the Southwest Regional Fly-In Kit Built Custom Workmanship Award, while in 1994 he won the Best All-Metal Homebuilt Airplane award at the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Florida, as well as the Grand Champion Kit-Built award at the All-American Sport Aviation Fly-In. In 1995, Asberry won Homebuilt Outstanding Aircraft at Sun 'n Fun.

2004 Recipient - Alex Sloan

Alex Sloan, an active Experimental Aircraft Association volunteer Technical Counselor, Flight Advisor and aircraft builder, as well as the first Chairman of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council, has been selected as the 2004 recipient of the Tony Bingelis Award. The Bingelis Award recognizes an individual’s contributions to the homebuilt-aircraft community, and honors the memory and involvement of the late Tony Bingelis. Sloan will be recognized for his 30 years of contributions and service to EAA members and the homebuilt aircraft community. He will receive the award during the annual Homebuilders’ Dinner on July 29 at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh, which is scheduled July 27-August 2 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh.

“Alex Sloan truly embodies the values of EAA and the legacy established by Tony Bingelis,” EAA President Tom Poberezny said. “He epitomizes volunteerism within the organization and is consistently willing to share his knowledge and resources to promote better airplanes, more prepared pilots and safer flight. He is an outstanding and most deserving recipient of the Bingelis Award.”

Sloan, of Florence, Ala., was a founding member of EAA Chapter 615 in the 1970s and has served in numerous capacities within that group. He volunteered as an EAA Technical Counselor in 1985, advising other aircraft builders on safe completion of their projects. Sloan added responsibility as an EAA Flight Advisor in 1994, helping local pilots assess their flying skills to be able to safely fly their newly built or restored aircraft. In 2000, he was named the first Chairman of the EAA Homebuilt Aircraft Council, which provides policy and program direction for EAA programs.

Today, Sloan continues to educate and guide aircraft builders through numerous presentations in northern Alabama, as well as forums during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and the Sun ‘n Fun Fly-In at Lakeland, Fla. He has constructed two RV-model aircraft and is currently building a Pietenpol Aircamper. Sloan is also active in the EAA Young Eagles Program and has made many aviation presentations to school groups. In addition, he has been honored with the EAA President’s Award and EAA’s Major Achievement Award in 2001.

Sloan was nominated for this honor by EAA Chapter 615 in Muscle Shoals, Ala., and EAA Chapter 941 in Madison, Ala.

2003 Recipient - Joe Gauthier

The 2003 Tony Bingelis Award recipient is Joe Gauthier, an active EAA Technical Counselor since 1977. He is also certified as an FAA Aviation Safety Counselor, an EAA Flight Advisor and a NAFI Master Flight Instructor. In addition, the FAA’s Windsor Locks Manufacturing Inspection District Office (MIDO) recently selected him as an Amateur-Built Designated Airworthiness Representative (AB DAR) under the new AB DAR program.

As southern New England’s leading flight advisor, Gauthier has made the maiden flights of more than 30 homebuilt aircraft. He speaks regularly at chapter meetings throughout the area, as well as forums during EAA AirVenture. He is also a member of EAA’s Homebuilt Aircraft Council, appointed in 2002.

“Joe Gauthier embodies the legacy of Tony Bingelis in an outstanding manner,” EAA President Tom Poberezny said. “He not only has dedicated himself to expanding his own knowledge of aviation, he has unselfishly shared his expertise to help others safely and successfully enjoy the world of flight. He is a most deserving recipient of the Bingelis Award.”

Gauthier, a former member of the U.S. Air Force, spent 33 years with Southern New England Telephone, and is now providing tailwheel and instrument flight instruction and leading two group aircraft construction projects. Gauthier has received many other awards such as EAA Chapter 166’s Outstanding Contribution to Sport Aviation in 1984; EAA’s Major Achievement Award in 1987; EAA’s President’s Award in 1991; Chapter 166’s Aircraft Completion Award in 1973, 1974, 1980, and 1995; Aviation Safety Counselor of the Year (New England region) in 1999; and Certified Flight Instructor of the Year (New England region) in 2002.

Gauthier has constructed two BD-4 homebuilts, a Davis DA-2A, a Lancair 235 and a Thorp T-18. He restored a 1946 Taylorcraft and a 1948 Cessna 140, and assisted in numerous other homebuilt projects both in the mechanical and flight instruction areas.