'Walking encyclopedia': West Milford Air Force vet to be awarded Master Mechanic Award

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/passaic/west-milford/2022/02/04/master-mechanic-award-west-milford-nj-air-force/ [login to see] /
It's been cold in Robert Menier's Newfoundland garage. After-dinner airplane fabrication has occasionally been out of the question.

A U.S. Air Force veteran, Menier's retirement hobby is slightly more complex and expensive than most. Fabricating a light recreational airplane similar to a Piper Cub from plans is also risky, he admits.

"Sometimes it's a little chilly down there," said Menier. "I have a heater in there now, so that may help it out."

Menier is not a pilot. Still, he is especially qualified, said Don Provost, the treasurer and newsletter editor for Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 501.

"Bob Menier is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge of the parts that go into the airframe of a corporate jet," he said. "[He knows] what can and must be done safely to keep them in good repair."