Avionics News December 2011 - (Page 42)
AEA Board of Directors:
Mike laconto
B y J o S e p H e . ( J e B ) B u r n S i D e
Meet the
hanks to an uncle who flew his own airplane, Mike LaConto got hooked by the aviation bug early. Its attraction was strong enough to convince him to forego entering the family business as a career and make his way on his own. After earning an A&P certificate, he went to work as a maintenance technician with operators in the Denver, Colo., area and finished his private pilot certificate. When his wife received a job offer they couldn’t refuse, they relocated to Atlanta, where he found a new job with Epps Aviation. Soon, Mike was moving up through the company’s management ranks and now serves as its avionics manager and on the AEA’s board of directors. How did you get involved with the avionics business? Since I was a little kid, growing up in Toledo, ohio, I’ve always been interested in aviation, marveling at the airplanes flying over my head. but, I also had an uncle who flew and fought in World War II as a navigator aboard North American b-25 Mitchell bombers. After the war, he became a college professor and owned an airplane. In the summer, he would fly his airplane to visit us in Toledo and often took me flying. That’s when I got hooked. I was probably 9 years old at the time. I started flying lessons as a teenager, but between college, career, marriage and children, it took me about 10 years to earn my private pilot certificate, which I finally got in 1991. At one point, I thought about becoming a professional pilot, but at the time, the economy was down and pilots weren’t in high demand. After high school, I attended the University of Toledo and worked in the family business. After getting married, I came to a crossroads: continue with the family business or do something different. What happened next? In the late 1980s, my parents were considering retirement, and it was time to decide whether to take over the business or do something else. I decided to follow my dreams and go into aviation. I began training at the Michigan Institute of Aeronautics, commuting from Toledo, and earned my airframe and powerplant certificate. I went to work for Mesa Airlines in Denver, Colo., but never really used my new A&P. After a few months working as a “rampie” and refueling beech
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News December 2011
Point of Communication
AEA Now
Before & After
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
EFB Solutions
Member Profile
Homebuilders
The Top Avionics Sellers for 2011
A Conversation With...
Alphabets Advocating for Aviation
Meet the AEA Board
Member Profile
Business Basics
Theory & Practice
Meet the AEA Staff
Advertisers Index
AEA Members Make Headlines at NBAA Convention
What's New
Marketplace Classifieds
Avionics News December 2011
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