Flexjet VP Celebrates A Lifetime Of Aviation Excellence With FAA’s Top Honor: The Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award

• Vice President of Maintenance, Operations and Strategy Salvatore Valentino Will Be Showcased at Flexjet Headquarters with Reception for Prestigious Designation
• This FAA Recognition Reflects a Lifetime of Dedication and Expertise in Aircraft Maintenance
• Fourth Flexjet Mechanic Recipient of Charles Taylor Award within Past Decade

CLEVELAND – October 16, 2025 – Salvatore Valentino, Flexjet Vice President of Maintenance, Operations and Strategy, has received the highest honor available to an aviation mechanic – the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Charles Taylor “Master Mechanic” Award.

Named after pioneering mechanic Charles Taylor, who built the Wright brothers’ first aircraft engine, the FAA’s Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award honors the lifetime achievements of senior aviation mechanics. The award requires a specific skill set for qualification including:

• 50 years of aviation maintenance experience
• An aviation industry career
• 30 years as an FAA-certified mechanic or repairman

As Flexjet marks its 30th anniversary, this recognition underscores the company’s core philosophy that people are the foundation of a service-driven business and fundamental to operational excellence and world-class service.

“This distinguished honor is a remarkable and well-deserved achievement” said Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro.

“Sal represents the unwavering commitment and expertise of our entire Flexjet Operations and Strategy Maintenance team of professionals whose work behind the scenes to ensure the daily safety of our crews and passengers.”

Throughout the course of his career, Valentino has operated on well over 45 models of aircraft ranging from smaller bodied Stinson and Piper Navajo to jumbo jets like Boeing 777 and a Lockheed L-1011. His interest in aviation, however, began at a much earlier age. Valentino was just three years old when his family emigrated from Italy, taking his first flight aboard a jet and settling in Cleveland.

“I’ll never forget my first time in a jet,” Valentino said. “They took our picture outside the aircraft. Everyone was smiling and looking at the camera, and instead I couldn’t stop looking at the airplanes.”

Undoubtedly, this was the spark that inspired a lifetime aviation career. Starting in 1975 as part of the inaugural class at Cleveland’s Aviation High School, he initially studied A&P mechanics before shifting his focus to avionics. He kicked off his career with Midwest Air Charter in Lorain County. His next stop was Atlanta where he spent 24 years in maintenance control.

“I’ve been wanting to do this my whole life,” said Valentino. “There’s always something new about aviation that’s evolving whether it’s technology to troubleshooting, I always loved it.”

In 2005, he returned to Cleveland as a manager of maintenance control with Flight Options which shifted to Flexjet in 2014 during the merger as vice president of maintenance. Amongst his accomplishments, Valentino initiated the Red Label Fleet Chief Program which assigns technicians to the Red Label large cabin aircraft. He continues to lead his avionics team by encouraging them to ask questions and learn a new perspective whenever necessary as they move into the future with technological advancements in this constantly evolving industry.

Valentino enjoys restoring vintage cars, including a 1960s era Pontiac, and spending time with his family in Lakewood, Ohio.

Valentino joins Flexjet’s previous Charles Taylor Award Winners Ray Segarra, Donald Albrecht and Robert Mervar in this honor, which showcases the exceptional talent from a growing list of significant achievement milestones for Flexjet in 2025.

About FLEXJET

Flexjet, a global leader in private aviation, first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995 and is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing and is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 26 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is certified at Stage 2 with IS-BAO. Flexjet Technical Services, a fully integrated maintenance and product support infrastructure, has operations in the U.S., Canada and Europe and its primary mission is to support the maintenance of the Flexjet fleet. Red Label by Flexjet, a market differentiator, features an ultra-modern fleet, flight crews assigned to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 50 different interior designs across its fleet, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300, Praetor 500 and 600, Bombardier Challenger 350/3500 and the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet’s helicopter division offers leases, helicopter cards and convenient interchange access for its aircraft Owners. Flexjet owns, operates and maintains its global fleet of Sikorsky S-76 helicopters which boast 55,000 hours of safe flying certified by Wyvern and ARG/US and serving locations throughout the northeastern United States, Florida, United Kingdom and Italy. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Instagram @Flexjetllc.

contact:

Susan Ruiz Patton (for Flexjet)
Director, External Communications
216-333-9526 (mobile)
[email protected]