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Aviation icon celebrates 85th birthday

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A longtime icon in Lebanon aviation celebrated his 85th birthday last Wednesday. Fred Mayes has been flying since age 17 and has spent decades training other aviators. Mayor Jared Carr proclaimed May 13, 2020 as Fred Mayes Day in Lebanon and congratulated Mayes in a brief ceremony held at Lebanon’s Floyd W. Jones Airport. The ceremony was followed by a birthday party with Mayes’s fellow aviation enthusiasts. He has been a flight instructor for M&S Aviation. He flew a corporate charter jet for more than 40 years and has logged over 26,000 flight hours. Mayes is the owner of a 1950 Piper Pacer that his father, Fred Mayes, purchased in1953. In a 2007 issue of the “Short Wing Piper News,” Mayes’ Pacer is on the cover as the plane of the month. The article states that the Pacer also won Best Pacer and People’s Choice honors at a Short Wing Pacer convention. He spoke to the Record about teaching pilots in 2018. “When you learn in a car, you don’t go out on the expressway on the rst trip, but basically you do in an airplane. You can’t slow them down like a car. They have to be own at a ying speed,” Mayes said. in his proclamation, Mayor Carr said Mayes has contributed to the Lebanon aviation community for more than 60 years. “Whereas Mr. Mayes has dedicated himself to the growth and success of the Floyd W. Jones Lebanon Airport, whereas has spent decades teaching and encouraging aviation, whereas Mr. Hayes is one of only a few master pilots in the Federal Aviation Administration and is a recipient of the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Whereas Mr. Mayes celebrates his 85th birthday May 13, 2020,” the proclamation by Mayor Carr says the day is proclaimed Fred Mayes Day in the City of Lebanon. Those attending the ceremony then sang “Happy Birthday” to Mayes.