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Mar
03
2026
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Posted 7 hours ago ago by Admin
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Reflecting on 2025 and all the great things that happened this past year, I’m filled with gratitude—especially for the opportunity to witness my friend and mentor, Perry Siler, receive the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. I first met Perry in 1990 when I started a new job at Carraway Methodist Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama. I was a young A&P helicopter mechanic, and my director of maintenance introduced me to Perry with one simple piece of advice: “Never lose his number!” He told me Perry would always tell me the truth and would always be there to help me. After 35 years, I can say without hesitation that statement was absolutely true.
Perry Siler has been more than a mentor; he’s been a steady guide who taught me how to conduct business—and life—by a standard. He often jokes that he “raised me from a pup,” and I’ll admit there’s a lot of truth in that. Perry taught me that, with experience, you don’t chase benchmarks—you become the benchmark. You don’t chase excellence—you become it. His intention has always been to serve, and to serve well.
As helicopter mechanics, we must understand our work is not a game. People's lives are at stake. Equipment is at stake. Businesses and reputations are at stake. My friend Buddy Evans used to remind me that A&Ps don’t have the luxury of mistakes. We must operate with an excellence mindset. That excellence mindset is what I call “The Standard.”
Here’s what The Standard looks like in practice:
• The Standard of Personal Responsibility – take ownership, good or bad.
• The Standard of Professional Excellence – appearance, communication, and conduct matter.
• The Standard of Integrity – do the right thing, even when it costs us.
• The Standard of Clear Communication – say it, document it, confirm it.
• The Standard of Craftsmanship – respect your work.
• The Standard of Discipline Over Emotion – show up and set the bar high.
• The Standard of Leadership at Every Level – titles don’t make leaders, behavior does.
• The Standard of Continuous Growth – stay teachable and coachable.
• The Standard of Customer Stewardship – treat people and equipment with respect.
• The Standard of Legacy Thinking – culture and reputation outlive us.
I could talk for hours about these standards. Standards create excellence, and excellence marks a person—much like a brand. Over time, your brand becomes how you’re known, both as a professional mechanic and as a person.
When I called Perry to congratulate him on receiving the award, I addressed him simply as “The Standard.” It was a well-deserved compliment.
Becoming “The Standard” isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being consistent. It’s about refusing to lower expectations—especially your own. Because in the end, the standard you live by becomes the legacy you leave.
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