Savvy Aviation is proud to announce that its CEO and Founder, Mike Busch A&P/IA, has been honored with the 2026 Richard G. McSpadden General Aviation Safety Award by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). The award was presented on March 17, 2026, at a reception held at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.
The McSpadden Award recognizes individuals whose dedication to general aviation safety has made a lasting impact on the GA community. Mike Busch was selected for his decades-long commitment to educating aircraft owners and mechanics, championing data-driven maintenance practices, and advocating for a safer, more transparent relationship between aircraft owners and the shops that serve them.
Mike Busch is widely regarded as one of the most influential voices in general aviation maintenance. As a pilot, flight instructor, aircraft owner and A&P/IA for more than five decades, he co-founded AVweb, the first online aviation magazine and newsletter, and has authored four books and hundreds of magazine articles. He writes the monthly “Savvy Maintenance” column in AOPA Pilot magazine, hosts two podcasts (AOPA’s “Ask the A&Ps” and Savvy’s “Aviation Masters”), and presents a recurring maintenance-focused webinar series that has reached tens of thousands of pilots.
His contributions extend beyond education. Mike introduced pulse oximeters and digital carbon monoxide detectors into GA cockpits in the 1990s, safety tools that are now standard across the industry. At Savvy Aviation, he has built a team of more than 40 veteran A&P/IAs and a platform powered by one of the largest GA engine-monitoring datasets in existence, giving aircraft owners access to expert advocacy and data-driven maintenance guidance at a scale never before achieved.
“This recognition belongs to every aircraft owner and mechanic who ever pushed back on an unnecessary repair, asked a second-opinion question, or took the time to understand the engine data,” said Mike Busch.
The award was presented alongside the R.A. “Bob” Hoover Trophy, which has been awarded annually since 2016 to aviators who inspire a love of flight. This year’s other honorees included Mike’s longtime friend and fellow AOPA columnist Barry Schiff, as well as Red Tails Flight Academy founder Glendon Fraser, U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan of Alaska, and aviators Douglas Rice and Randolph Mahoney.
