FAA honors local pilots
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BUTTE— The Federal Aviation Administration honored two local pilots with its prestigious “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award” recently at the Montana Aeronautics Aviation conference in Butte.
Glenn Timm of Polson and Mauri Morin of Ronan were recognized for their 50 years of dedicated service to aviation safety.
Jeff Vercoe of the Helena Flight Standards office in Helena presented the plaques, adding, “These gentlemen are to be commended for their contribution to the safest aviation system in the world by practicing and promoting safe aircraft operations for 50 consecutive years.”
Timm’s first flight took place in 1942 when he was a month old. He was raised in an aviation family, and began flying himself in 1956 when his father established Timm Flying Service in Polson. Timm received his private pilot certificate from Johnson Flying Service’s Jack Hughes. He added a seaplane endorsement, then his commercial and multi-engine rating shortly thereafter.
Timm was a flight instructor for the Wright-Patterson AFB Aero Club. His military career was in intelligence, and he retired as a colonel in 1992. He amassed more than 5,000 flight hours and has flown 50 aircraft makes and models.
Morin recalls that he was 5 years old when a barnstormer landed on his family’s farm in North Dakota in 1939. In exchange for the use of the field, he and his father got an airplane ride.
“I have never forgotten the thrill of flight,” Morin said.
After graduating from high school at 17, he began flying lessons and soloed in an Aeronca Champ in the summer of 1952, also the year he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps.
After military service, college, marriage and five children, he started flying again, earning his private license in 1964. In 1973, he added an instrument rating.
In 2001, he earned a seaplane rating. Morin has owned a series of Cessna single-engine airplanes, and now has a Piper Arrow III and is currently building an RV-8.
He serves as president of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1122, is past president of the Mission Valley Hangar of the Montana Pilot’s Association and now serves as manager of the Ronan Airport.
Mauri and his wife Barbara are involved with the EAA’s popular Young Eagles program in all three Lake County airports.
Both of these accomplished pilots truly personify the spirit of this award.
