Farmington pilot Stephen Gromack earns FAA Wright Brothers honor

Farmington aviator Stephen Gromack was honored Jan. 10 with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award, a Federal Aviation Administration recognition for long-term commitment to aviation safety. The FAA presentation included a certificate marking 50 years of dedicated service and a true copy of Gromack’s complete airman file, handed over by Joe Kluk, FAA FAASTeam leader from Albuquerque.

The award ceremony highlighted Gromack’s extensive career in both powered flight and parachute instruction. He logged about 4,000 total jumps, including more than 2,000 skydiving instructor jumps, and earned his pilot’s license in November 1975 after training in a Cessna 150. Gromack trained under Margaret Walker, a Women Airforce Pilots of World War II member, who also checked him out in the higher-performance Cessna 182. Photos and a short video shown at the event traced aviation history back to the Wright brothers and to Charles Taylor, who built the engine that powered those first flights.

Kluk emphasized the significance of a five-decade safety record. “Getting here is not a small deal,” he said, and added, “Congratulations, 50 years is a long haul and he didn’t draw any attention from the FAA during that period. Two thumbs-up for that.” Those remarks reinforce that the award is as much about long-term compliance and culture as it is a personal milestone.

Gromack’s personal trajectory illustrates the ways local aviators contribute to public life. After learning to skydive and fly in Florida, he taught skydiving in New York, Florida and Colorado before settling in Farmington 17 years ago. He stopped jumping about 15 years ago when a back injury forced him to ground that part of his career, and now flies for pleasure about every other day in his Beechcraft Sundowner.

For San Juan County, the ceremony is more than a congratulatory moment. It spotlights the FAA’s continuing role in safety oversight and community outreach through FAASTeam activities, and it underscores the importance of experienced pilots who mentor newer flyers and help sustain general aviation infrastructure. Local airports and flying clubs depend on that volunteer experience to maintain a safety culture that supports recreational flying, flight instruction and small business activity tied to aviation.

The takeaway? Long careers like Gromack’s keep our skies safer and our local aviation community resilient. If you fly around Farmington, consider staying current, sharing knowledge with newer pilots, and attending FAASTeam briefings when they happen. Our two cents? Keep the wings level, back up your logbook, and pass on what you know to the next generation of pilots.