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The prestigious 2017 David Charles Abramson Memorial (DCAM) Flight Instructor Safety Award has been presented to Luke Penner, chief flight instructor at Harv’s Air of Winnipeg, Man.
The award was presented by founders Jane and Rikki Abramson at Air Transport Association of Canada’s annual Canadian Aviation Conference on Nov. 7 in Montreal.
As a true aviator, an accomplished pilot, a Class 1 flight instructor and a Class 1 aerobatic flight instructor, it is Penner’s belief that even some aerobatic experience can make a pilot more competent and much safer.
Penner finished first in his category at the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships in 2016.
To preserve the historical record of the award, the recipient’s name is engraved on the trophy and entered in the official logbook, both of which are on permanent display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.
Janet Keim, flight instructor at the Mitchinson Flight Centre in Saskatoon, Sask., was the winner of the 2017 DCAM Legacy Award and was presented with her engraved DCAM plaque.
She entered the aviation industry as a female minority in 1971, setting herself apart as an instructor and aviator, creating a significant training and instruction history.
Throughout the day, the DCAM sponsors presented their contributions to the recipient, and in the afternoon, Thomas Sandrin, brand manager of Hamilton Watches, made a presentation of engraved DCAM aviator watches to Penner and Keim.
Acknowledgement was given to sponsors including: Air Transport Association of Canada, Canadian Association of Aviation Colleges, Essential Turbines, Flight Safety Canada, Hamilton Watches and Seneca College.
