Avionics News July 2015 - 36

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Aaron Berg of West Star Aviation

managers who travel in specific sales
territories, but I oversee inside sales.
I provide customers with technical
information on our avionics programs,
schedules, and develop quotes. I am a
very detail-oriented person, and I use
that skill to provide all of the in-depth
details needed for each customer's
specific aircraft project.
How long have you worked
at West Star?
Seventeen years. Prior to West Star,
I worked at Duncan Aviation for seven
years. I grew up in Nebraska and was
raised in Omaha, but I liked the idea of
living in Colorado. I'm still a Husker fan!
the natural
taking advantage of
Aaron Berg enjoys
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est Star Aviation Inc.
specializes in airframe
repair and maintenance,
engine repair and maintenance, major
modifications, avionics installation
and repair, interior refurbishment,
paint, parts, surplus avionics sales,
window repair and accessory services.
The company also provides complete
FBO services for transient aircraft
at its East Alton, Illinois, and Grand
Junction, Colorado, facilities.
Recently, Patricia Luebke spoke with
Aaron Berg to learn about his work at
West Star and his life outside the office.
What is your current
position?
I am an avionics technical sales
manager. We have regional sales
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What's a typical day
for you?
I generally get into the
office at 7:30 a.m., and I live
10 minutes away, so it's an
easy commute. I do follow-up
calls on quotes from the day
before. Calls start coming in
from the outside salespeople
and customers on what
systems would work best for
their situation, and my day is
busy with things that pop up.

You're based in Grand
Junction, Colorado. Tell me
about the city.
Grand Junction is on the western
slope of Colorado, a few miles from
Utah. We are nestled in a valley with

mountainous terrain all around. The
climate is high desert so we only get a
few inches of snow at a time, whereas
45 minutes away, they might get 8 or
10 inches. We also have plenty of sun;
it doesn't get overcast often. Even on a
20 degree day, the sun is shining and the
snow is melting.
Grand Junction is close to national
forests, monuments and parks. It is close
to Moab, Utah, where Arches National
Park is. There is plenty of scenery for
customers to see while waiting for their
airplanes, and usually, they have a lot of
fun and see some sights while they are
here. We have a number of hikes that
are local such as Mount Garfield and the
Colorado National Monument. There's a
lot of neat outside activities to see and do.
What's the corporate culture
at West Star?
West Star is a professional atmosphere,
customer driven and detail-oriented. We
get things done! Our goal is to put our
customers at ease the minute they arrive
with their aircraft, and that is why they
like doing business with us. We are no
nonsense and have a get-it-done attitude.
Did you grow up with an
interest in electronics?
As a kid, I was interested in
electronics. In high school, I was
interested in airplanes and avionics.
I wasn't sure that I wanted to go to
college, so I went into the Air Force
instead and worked nav/comm on
F111s. I'm not a pilot, but I used to
enjoy riding right seat for Part 23 test
flights and pushing buttons.
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