Winner Aviation, a factory-authorized Twin Commander Service Center located at Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport in eastern Ohio, is on the move. The company hasn’t changed its physical location—it’s been in continuous operation under a variety of owners and names since its founding in 1941 as Youngstown Airways, soon to become Beckett Aviation, named after founder Forest Beckett. In 1985 it became Aero Services, and in 1995 Winner Aviation.
Tim Tobey, left, and Peter Quick have decades of accumulated experience working on Twin Commanders.
What is on the move is the company’s scope and reach. Winner has aggressively pursued airline ground operations, and today has contracts at seven airports in addition to Youngstown-Warren Regional. “We are up to 300 employees,” says Winner owner and Chairman Rick Hale.
Winner’s Twin Commander focus also is on the move. Beckett Aviation became a factory-authorized Aero Commander service center and an AiResearch (now Honeywell) engine major service center in the mid-1960s, and Winner has continued with those relationships through the years. “We’ve seen steady growth,” notes Service Manager Peter Quick. Winner recently picked up several new Commander operators as customers.
“It’s easy to get and retain customers when you don’t over promise and under deliver,” Tobey adds, Winner’s Maintenance Supervisor and a Commander technician who has been with the company 23 years.
It’s not unusual to find a technician in Winner’s shop who, like Tobey, has decades of experience at the company. The most senior employee was Ron Butler, who ran Winner’s Honeywell engine shop for more than 40 years. Butler retired several years ago, but still comes in to help catch up during high-volume periods. Tom “Woody” Hudak, the next most experienced and knowledgeable person in the engine shop, succeeded Butler.
“Nowadays it’s hard to fathom someone being at the same company 20, 30, 40 years,” Quick says. “We don’t lack for experience.” Quick has been in the industry 44 years, the last 13 with Winner. Ronnie Backo, Winner’s lead avionics technician, is a 30-year employee of the company.
Winner calls itself the “oldest independent factory-authorized Honeywell TPE 331 Engine Major Service Center in the world,” and a key to Winner’s Commander customer base is the engine shop, Tobey explains. “Whether it’s rigging, odd issues with a fuel control, or whatever, between Ron and Tom they’ve see the majority of things when it comes to the TPE331.”
“That’s where we shine,” Quick adds.
Winner also prides itself on airframe issues handled by a group of experienced, professional technicians specializing in heavy structural repair of damage from incidents, accidents, bird strikes, lightning strikes and any corrosion-related issues. Don Price, Winner’s main structural technician and an all-around lead technician and inspector, is coming up on 30 years with the company. “His knowledge and experience are pretty impressive,” Tobey says.
Winner is a full-service Twin Commander-authorized Service Center offering airframe inspections, modifications and repair; engine inspections and repair; avionics sales and installations; parts sales; and full FBO services at KYNG.
For more information see Winner’s web site at https://winner-aviation.com/ or call 330-856-5000/800-837-4964.
