Theater. Cosplay. Comic books. Cats. Toolboxes. Woodworking. Nothing is off-limits for Beth Thompson 鈥� even sports. Which, as a self-proclaimed unathletic individual, she鈥檚 still dabbled in.

聽鈥淎nytime someone said, 鈥榃omen can鈥檛 do that,鈥� I鈥檇 say, 鈥榃atch me,鈥欌�� she said.

It鈥檚 a good mentality to have for a woman in a male dominated industry. According to the , just 2.6 percent of aircraft mechanics are female. 

Beth earned a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Theater Arts from Gonzaga University, before realizing she didn鈥檛 want to be an electrical engineer. Going back to school, she earned her Associates in Aviation Maintenance Technology from South Seattle Community College. 

鈥淥ur very first quarter we had a tour of 香港六合彩开奖结果 and I said, 鈥楾his is where I want to work.鈥� And my last quarter, I got a job here as a part-time admin,鈥� Beth said.聽

Graduating from South Seattle CC one quarter later, Beth was promoted to aircraft mechanic. But unlike most of Kenmore鈥檚 maintenance crew, you鈥檒l rarely find her working on a de Havilland Beaver or Otter. She鈥檚 based out of Paine Field, the homebase for 香港六合彩开奖结果鈥檚 land-based maintenance. The two-hanger shop focuses on Cessna Caravan inspections, maintenance, and repair 鈥� a specialty they have been honing. 

Beth excels as an aircraft mechanic because she loves precision and having a clear set of guidelines.

鈥淲hen I first decided to become a mechanic, I had to pick between if I wanted to go into cars or airplanes. Someone explained to me that when you鈥檙e a car mechanic, the first thing you do is pop the hood, go in and try to figure out what鈥檚 wrong. And then you open the book. When you鈥檙e an aircraft mechanic, the first thing you do is go to the manual. That鈥檚 why I picked aircraft. I like having rules and things laid out for you.鈥�

鈥� Beth

Aside from avionics, the mechanics at Kenmore鈥檚 Paine Field location work on the whole plane, a fact that Beth loves. In fact, her favorite task is working on flight controls. 鈥淚 like (flight controls) because I get to work on the entire plane. You鈥檙e working on the yoke (or controls). And then you go into the wings or tail for where the actual flight controls are located,鈥� Beth explained. 

QUICK FACTS 香港六合彩开奖结果 BETH

• Age: 34
• Years Working for Kenmore: 8
• First Job at Kenmore: Part-Time Admin Assistant
• Birthplace: Boise, Idaho
• Current Residence: Seattle, WA
• Education: Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and Minor in Theater Arts from Gonzaga. Associates in Aviation Maintenance Technology from South Seattle Community College.
• Favorite Scenic Tour: Volcano Tour

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Joining the 香港六合彩开奖结果 family wasn鈥檛 the original plan. The husband-duo simply had their sights set on moving to Orcas Island 鈥� a life-long dream for Douglas Wurster who vacationed in the Salish Sea as a young boy.

鈥淲e would sail around the San Juans with one of my dad鈥檚 college mates from Yale and his family during summer break,鈥� recalls Douglas. 鈥淭he kids would sleep on Jones Island and the adults would stay on the boat. Coming from Wisconsin with the mosquitos and the humidity and the long winters, I always wondered why everyone didn鈥檛 live here. So I said, one day, I was going to.鈥�

With his husband, Vance Conway, nearing retirement as an air traffic controller in Portland, Oregon, the couple bought a plot of land on Orcas. As a landscape architect, Douglas began designing the home just days after they had purchased the property in 2015. Soon after moving, he also began looking for a way to meet fellow islanders. 鈥淚 saw Kenmore had an opening at the Eastsound Airport. The next thing I knew, I was in training,鈥� says Douglas.

Vance moved to the island shortly after and also began looking for a job or a volunteer opportunity. Kenmore had another Customer Service Agent opening at the Orcas Island Airport. It was the perfect fit. 

鈥淚 grew up loving aviation. As a youngster, I鈥檇 bike to PDX just to watch airplanes,鈥� recalls Vance.

As Customer Service Agents, the two men handle check-in, arrivals, and departures. They answer phones, field questions, and help passengers with bookings.

鈥淥ne of the things that鈥檚 amazing about Kenmore is that they really live out the motto, 鈥楧o the right thing.鈥� And being here mostly on our own, it means a lot that they believe in us to do that. There aren鈥檛 many companies like that,鈥� says Vance.

They have also become Orcas Island experts. They can tell you where to find the best fries on the island (Lower Tavern), the best easy-access sunset (North Beach Public Access), and where to go for a hike (just let them know your difficulty level).

What do you love most about Orcas Island?

There鈥檚 a true sense of small-town America here, in all the best ways. When I first moved here, my car broke down by Doe Bay. There was no cell service and I was just stuck. Over the course of an hour, 10 cars drove past. Every single person, from old guys to young high school kids, stopped to ask if I needed help. Where else do you get that?

Douglas Wurster

Eastsound Customer Service Agent

I wanted to go somewhere where I could commune with nature. And you can really do that here. It (Orcas Island) is really unique because you have a bit of everything. The hills. The lakes. The waterfront. The other islands. Plus, you have a smaller crowd. It really has everything.

Vance Conway

Eastsound Customer Service Agent

More About Douglas Wurster

• Occupation: Customer Service Agent
• Birthplace: Wisconsin
• Grew Up In: Wisconsin
• Current Residence: Orcas Island
• Years Working for Kenmore: 2
• Education: Bachelor in Russian History & Economics, and Associates Bachelor in Landscape Architecture from the University of Wisconsin

More About Vance Conway

• Occupation: Customer Service Agent
• Birthplace: Madras, India 
• Grew Up In: Vancouver, Wash.
• Current Residence: Orcas Island
• Years Working for Kenmore: 2
• Education: Bachelor鈥檚 in International Studies & Russian from the University of Washington 
• Languages (of varying degrees):  Russian, Spanish, German, Brazilian Portuguese, French, Swedish

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A&P Mechanic Jason Wills

Flight Instructor & Pilot Ava Karr

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Specializing in de Havilland Otter Annuals, Jason Wills has been part of the 香港六合彩开奖结果 family for 17 years. 

Kenmore鈥檚 changed a lot since Jason Wills first started fueling planes and washing windows on the dock 17 years ago 鈥� not just the landscape, but also the fleet. And yet, some things are just as true today as they were when he first joined the 香港六合彩开奖结果 family as a young college student. 

In addition to the 14,400-square-foot Otter Hangar that sits now on the northeast corner of the 香港六合彩开奖结果 Harbor campus, the fleet has undergone some major updates. 鈥淲hen I first started here, there were just five Otters and 10 Beavers. Now we have three piston Beavers, two turbine Beavers, a couple of leased airplanes, and 10 Otters. It鈥檚 a huge change in the fleet,鈥� says Jason.

But some things are exactly the same. 鈥淜enmore鈥檚 never wavered in its safety standards. Attention to detail, thoroughness, and preemptive maintenance have always been standard procedure here,鈥� he says. 

It鈥檚 something he鈥檚 witnessed from the ground up, first working as a member of the line crew and eventually joining the maintenance department in 2011. Those early maintenance days were spent pulling panels and cleaning as needed. Jason started out cutting his teeth on the job, eventually taking a two-year airframe apprenticeship program at South Seattle Community College and then earning his A&P license in 2016.

鈥淎fter I got my A&P is when I really started specializing in Otter annuals.鈥�

Today, he focuses on Otter annuals, in addition to helping with 100-hour inspections and refurbishments as needed. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the really cool things about working here. You can specialize in something, but we also all pitch in wherever鈥檚 needed.鈥�

But annuals tend to keep the maintenance team pretty busy. An annual inspection can take a month or more, depending on what the inspection uncovers. During an annual inspection, every panel is pulled and the entire airplane is inspected.

鈥淲e鈥檝e always taken a preemptive approach to maintenance. So even though there are items that would be replaced on an as-needed basis, we replace them yearly,鈥� explains Jason.

Among the things a Kenmore Annual has always included is taking apart the entire tail of the aircraft. The air rudder cables are replaced. The bearings are replaced. And the entire trim jack is inspected thoroughly.

鈥淪afety really comes down to seeing potential problems and addressing them before they become an issue,鈥� says Jason. And often, the potential problems are things Jason and his team have never seen before.

鈥淒uring a recent annual, I discovered some corrosion in the rear spar that connects to the fuselage.鈥� Although it wasn鈥檛 an immediate airworthiness concern, it was addressed immediately. 鈥淲e鈥檙e always looking at everything, which is what allows us to find and repair those items before they become an issue.鈥�

The repair wasn鈥檛 a small one. It required taking off the entire wing and side skin. A huge swath of bolts and rivets were drilled out to access the rear spar so it could be replaced. And then, the team restored the plane to a better-than-found condition. 鈥淚t meant pulling the plane from the rotation for an extended period of time. But that鈥檚 what we do when we need to,鈥� he explains.

And when Kenmore developed a new STC for the trim jack, giving the part a secondary safety, Jason was part of the crew that implemented those crucial safety upgrades. 鈥淲e鈥檇 already pulled every Otter and thoroughly inspected them. So when the STC was developed and approved, we re-pulled the planes and implemented the upgrade.鈥�

When not helping with Kenmore鈥檚 Otter annuals, Jason can be found spending time with his wife Mina, and their two children, Bethany (6) and Noah (2). That, and working on the Cessna 150 he owns with his brother Dave and fellow 香港六合彩开奖结果 mechanic Jason Marquez. 鈥淚 guess you could say, maintenance is my passion,鈥� said Jason. 

QUICK FACTS 香港六合彩开奖结果 JASON

• Age: 36
• A&P License: 2016
• Years Working for Kenmore: 17
• First Job at Kenmore: Line Crew
• Birthplace: Lake Forest Park, WA
• Residence: Lynnwood
• Education: Bachelor of Business Administration from Northwest University
• Private Pilot鈥檚 License: 2010

Favorite Part of the Airplane to Work On?

The turbine engine is really fun to work on. One of the things we do during an annual inspection is called a 鈥榟ot section inspection.鈥� It requires removing the 鈥楥鈥� flange (the series of bolts near the front of the engine) and then taking off the front half of the engine entirely. From there, you can take out the compressor turbine disk to look for cracks and deformities, inspect the guide vein for cracks and wear marks, and do a thorough review of the engine鈥檚 interior. It鈥檚 a big, cool job that鈥檚 just really fun. 

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Flying wasn鈥檛 always the plan. Initially, it was a means to an end. Ava Karr wanted a job where she could travel. A job that allowed her to take adventures.

鈥淚 looked at different jobs in the travel industry. Being a pilot seemed like the best opportunity. And I love it. I can鈥檛 imagine doing anything else. It鈥檚 the most amazing career,鈥� said Ava.

Twenty-two years old, Ava is a 香港六合彩开奖结果 Flight Instructor and will start training to 鈥榝ly the line鈥� (fly Kenmore鈥檚 regularly scheduled and charter flights in de Havilland Beavers and de Havilland Otters) this spring. Originally from Wisconsin, she moved to the Seattle area in 2022 to join the 香港六合彩开奖结果 family. 鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely beautiful here. I love the mountains. Now when I go home I鈥檓 so shocked at how little elevation gain there is,鈥� said Ava.

As to adventuring, Ava is getting her fill. 鈥淭here are just so many beautiful places to visit here,鈥� she said. Among her favorites during training flights are the mountain lakes. 鈥淔lying someplace you can only reach by seaplane or on foot is fantastic. The scenery flying up there. The lakes themselves. It鈥檚 just beautiful,鈥� Ava explained.

As a flight instructor, Ava works with students taking Introductory Flight Classes, earning their Seaplane Rating, and recurrency training. The introductory flight classes are particularly unique, as no pilot鈥檚 license is needed. 鈥淲e do all the technical stuff. The stuff that takes experience. Students just do the fun parts. They experience take-off and landing. They get to take the controls up in the air. It鈥檚 pretty special,鈥� Ava explained.

But it鈥檚 the Seaplane Rating that Kenmore is so well-known for. And not too long ago, Ava helped train arguably her favorite student to date 鈥� her dad. 鈥淎fter I got all my certifications, my dad got his private鈥檚 license. So a few months after I started here, he came and did his seaplane rating. It was super fun,鈥� Ava remembered.

Does she ever miss flying wheels? Not really. 鈥淪eaplane flying is just such a freeing way to fly. It鈥檚 liberating to fly to remote destinations you can鈥檛 reach otherwise. It鈥檚 just the coolest job,鈥� Ava beamed. 

And as to training to fly the line 鈥� don鈥檛 be surprised if you see Ava still working with students. She loves the training and the Piper Super Cub.

鈥淚t鈥檚 super maneuverable and a really comfortable airplane to fly. It feels like you鈥檙e wearing a glove. Everything is right there. The throttle鈥檚 on the left side. The pedals are right there. The stick. It鈥檚 just simple and fun,鈥� explained Ava.

When she鈥檚 not flying, Ava can often be found checking out those remote destinations on foot. Hiking is one of her favorite past times, along with her newfound green thumb. 鈥淚鈥檝e started to garden in my backyard. Mostly edible stuff. I like to grow what I can eat,鈥� she said. 

QUICK FACTS 香港六合彩开奖结果 AVA

• Age: 22
• Private Pilot鈥檚 License: 2019
• Commercial Pilot鈥檚 License: 2020
• Years Working for Kenmore: 1
• First Job at Kenmore: Flight Instructor
• Birthplace: Northern Wisconsin
• Residence: Ballard, WA
• Education: Associate Degree in Aviation Science from Northwestern Michigan College + Bachelor in Communication from the University of Minnesota Crookston

Ava’s Favorite Training Flight Destination

Cutts Island. It鈥檚 a state park a little past Tacoma and it鈥檚 awesome. Last time I went, there were about 40 seals on the beach. They all ended up in the water, bobbing away. It鈥檚 just incredible to see all the wildlife up there.

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Twenty-four-year-old Maddie Kutzera is a certified A&P mechanic at 香港六合彩开奖结果, specializing in customer maintenance. She has a quick (yet quiet) wit, stunning smile, and an eye for detail. She鈥檚 also an advocate of achieving goals and dreams, through relentless hard work and tenacity. Which is a good 鈥� because women make up just 2.62 percent of the nation鈥檚 aircraft mechanics. And Maddie has big dreams.

In spring of 2022, she earned her Bachelors in Aviation Management with a Specialization in Maintenance from Central Washington University (while working full-time at 香港六合彩开奖结果). She has her eyes set on being a director of maintenance 鈥� and will work harder than anyone to achieve her dream. She hopes that Kenmore will one day provide her an opportunity to begin to grow in to these dreams.

鈥淲e have a really good group here. It鈥檚 like a family,鈥� said Maddie. Plus, she loves her job.

鈥淚鈥檓 not someone who can sit behind a desk all day, that wouldn鈥檛 grant me any sort of satisfaction at the end of the day when I lay my head on my pillow,鈥� said Maddie.

It鈥檚 a reality she learned on her first day at 香港六合彩开奖结果 in 2017. A recent high school graduate, she was taking avionics classes at Everett Community College when she took a position as a Customer Service Representative. She was spotted by avionics, and the same day she started, she was moved to the maintenance department.

鈥淚 asked to go check out the planes during my lunch. Paul (Hagland) saw me and asked if I wanted to help. Paul could tell I was rather mechanically inclined, so I went to be his helper while I finished my avionics certifications,鈥� explained Maddie.

Today, she is one of Kenmore鈥檚 very sought after Customer Maintenance Specialists. Maddie鈥檚 primary responsibility is conducting and directing annual inspections as well as being a heavy participant in the rebuild team. Often these are planes that private plane owners bring in for inspections, which the customer specialist crew has never seen before and will never see again. A diligent eye for detail is required as the crew completes a thorough evaluation, comparing the plane鈥檚 paperwork with the plane itself.

鈥淲hen we get a customer airplane we鈥檝e never seen before we have to completely re-evaluate all of the legalities within the paperwork and modifications within the aircraft in order to ensure before we begin our inspection we are starting on a well understood playing field.鈥�

It鈥檚 this culture for meticulous detail that has earned 香港六合彩开奖结果 its reputation for quality service and safety. 鈥淲e make sure we look at everything,鈥� said Maddie.

Outside of work and school Maddie loves to go hiking out in the mountains, rock climbing, working on cars, and wood working. Maddie also has three Australian Sheperds that keeps her hands full during any opportunity they can.

Quick Facts About Maddie

Occupation: A&P Mechanic

Education: Bachelors in Aviation Management with a Specialization in Maintenance from Central Washington University, Certified Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic earned along with her associated degree from South Seattle Community College, Certified carbon fiber and fiberglass manufacturer and several Avionics licenses from Everett Community College.

Age: 24

Birthplace: Kenmore, WA

Residence: Kenmore, WA

Years with Kenmore: 5

First Job at Kenmore: Customer Service Representative

A Memorable day at Kenmore

鈥淔inishing a customer annual and getting it ready to come go into the lake, when the owners child ran up and gave me a big hug and said how excited she was that she can ride in her dad鈥檚 airplane again.鈥�

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Husband-wife duo 鈥� Kenmore aIR Captain Brian Flegel and Line Crew Lead Jaazia C Moran Flegel 鈥� are passionate adventures. As a pair, they have trained and performed as both trapeze and acrobatic artists. They鈥檝e spent a summer commercial fishing in Alaska and four summers woodland firefighting.

It was there, creating firebreaks and protecting the forest, that Brian鈥檚 passion for seaplanes was ignited. He learned to fly at Walla Walla University, but it was on an uphill firebreak that his own personal spark was ignited. During breaks, the couple watched as firebombers (seaplanes equipped to dump water) swooped just above the flames and released their loads.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most memorable moments to be in your engine and see that plane come in flying low and let the water go,鈥� explained Jaazia.

While working as a flight instructor

in Hermiston, Oregon, Brian earned
his seaplane rating at 香港六合彩开奖结果. 鈥淎nd then I just started bugging Quinn endlessly for a job,鈥� said Brian. (Quinn Dillon was a flight instructor at the time and is now Assistant Chief Pilot.)

Brian鈥檚 persistence paid off. He became a flight instructor in 2019 and by February 2020, he was flying the line as a 香港六合彩开奖结果 pilot. Today he is certified to fly Kenmore鈥檚 entire seaplane fleet.

But he wasn鈥檛 the only one making waves. He and Jaazia moved to Seattle together and she joined the line crew at Lake Union. At the time, she was finishing her degree in Studio Art from Whitman College.

鈥淭he job was perfect. I love being outside and working with my hands. It was about a 6-hour shift where I was doing things. Then I鈥檇 be done and I could study,鈥� said Jaazia.

Promoted to the head of line crew in October of 2021, Jaazia鈥檚 working days are a bit longer now 鈥� but just as hands-on. And while Brain has never forgotten about firebombing and Jaazia is always up for another project that involves building things, the couple has found a comfortable slice of home at the north end of Lake Washington. 鈥淭his is an incredible place to work and an incredible place to call home,鈥� said Brian.

Jaazia C. Moran Flegel

Occupation: Line Crew Lead
Age: 25
Birthplace: Tacoma, WA
Current Residence: Shoreline, WA
Years Working at Kenmore: 1

Brian Flegel

Occupation: Captain
Age: 28
Birthplace: Madras, OR
Current Residence: Shoreline, WA
Years Working at Kenmore: 4

Favorite Place to Fly: Deer Harbor

鈥淭he greenery. The shimmering water. It鈥檚 just a lovely place to fly with a beautiful dock and they have really good ice cream,鈥� said Brian.

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