By Ryan Newman, EAA 1384304, FAASTeam Program Manager, San Antonio

On March 14, 2026, in San Antonio, Texas, the 10,000th Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award was presented to Mark R. Julicher, EAA 605278, in recognition of his 50-plus years of “exemplary aviation flight experience, distinguished professionalism, and steadfast commitment to aviation safety.” This 10,000th award is a milestone event and presents a unique opportunity to highlight this award to the aviation community.

The Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award…. what is the big deal?

As with most topics, there are different ways to approach the answer to this question. From the view of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the FAA Safety Team (FAASTeam), from the view of the general aviation (GA) community, and the view from the pilot on the receiving end of this award. Let’s take a look at it from each of these perspectives.

The FAA View — In the years leading up to 2003, the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ historic first flight, the FAA and FAASTeam were contemplating the many ways to recognize and publicize this historic event. Along with the many national events, it was proposed that pilots could be recognized by a singular award to recognize decades of experience in SAFE flying of aircraft.

After much deliberation, the following criteria was established for pilot eligibility:

• The pilot must be a U.S. citizen
• The pilot must hold a U.S. Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or FAA pilot certificate
• The pilot must have 50years, or more, of civil/military flying experience
  • Up to 20 years of U.S. military flying may be credited to the 50 years
• The 50-year period starts on the pilot’s solo date, and the 50 years may be nonconsecutive
• The pilot cannot have any airman certificate revoked

Along with these eligibility criteria, the necessary policies, application documentation, and procedures were established. If you believe you are eligible, or perhaps know someone who may be eligible, here’s the link to the application: Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award — Information Guide

The GA Community View — As with most government-run programs, the average American is not aware of how the sausage is made; that is, they don’t have visibility of the time, the effort, and the tremendous organization and teamwork needed to create and maintain such a program. Nothing wrong with that… the average person shouldn’t have to concern themselves with the process, just sit back and appreciate the outcome.

So, what is the public view of this award? To put it simply, the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award is the highest honor that the FAA can bestow upon a pilot. That is, and rightfully should be, the view from the public and from the aviation community. Pilots who have received this award have reached the pinnacle of recognition, and perhaps the status of senior statesman within civil aviation and are worthy of elevated respect for their accomplishment.

The Master Pilot View — There is no single description of the master pilot. As a FAASTeam program manager, I have presented well over a hundred of these awards. Recipients range from the private pilot who used an airplane as a family station wagon with wings, airline transport pilots with 30,000-plus flight hours all over the globe, some agricultural pilots with thousands of hours 5 feet off the ground, some lifelong flight instructors, air evac pilots, and even a few astronauts.

Each has a story to tell and a passion for aviation that would rival Chuck Yeager. Through all the master pilot presentations, I have benefited from the ability to meet these amazing pilots, to meet their family and friends. Events were as simple as the pilot and I having lunch, culminating in a one-on-one presentation and a handshake, as well as family gatherings, aviation club meetings, and flight school gatherings.

Each of these airmen, as widely varied as their backgrounds may be, exhibit a strong single trait: they are masters of their craft, the profession and art of aviation. How did they get here? To 50 years of safe flying? Maybe they were lucky. Most of us have had a couple events (…or more) where we caught a lucky break and avoided an accident. Master pilots are no different in this area. We all catch a break from time to time, but “luck” is not a good plan for a lifetime of flying. This is where the master pilots prevail. They all exhibited a high level of knowledge and skill, combined with some excellent risk management and decision-making skills.

Most all of us have heard the old saying, “If you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” This axiom may well have been written by a pilot, because it’s so prevalent within the aviation community.

Circling back to the most recent presentation, Mark Julicher received his Master Pilot Award in March at an EAA Chapter 35 meeting attended by 50 or so pilots, spouses, friends, and a few future friends. Mark knew he was receiving this award. He did not know that he had the distinction of being the 10,000th master pilot. As expected by all his friends, Mark was humble and attributed much of the credit to the many other pilots who have interacted with him and had a positive influence on him throughout his decades of flying.

I know Mark personally, and I am sure he was not looking for the extra attention he received as the 10,000th master pilot, but I am also quite sure he deserves to join the 9,999 pilots who preceded him. And the hits just keep coming, as Mark was also recognized as the San Antonio FSDO Aviation Maintenance Technician of the Year. How about all of you who have taken the time to read this article all the way to the end? Do you have what it takes to be a master pilot? Keep your knowledge and skills sharp and keep flying. More important than that, exercise those risk management skills and know when the smart move is to stay on the ground.