Avionics News November 2011 - (Page 28)

feature igh Plains H S t o r y a n D p H o t o S B y S C o t t M . S p a n g l e r Possibilities off until he finally earned his ticket in the early 1990s. After graduating from Lincoln High School, Earnest studied electronics at Southeast Community College. He “worked TVs and VCRs for a few years,” until 1991, when he and his younger brother, Mark, enrolled in the A&P program at Colorado Aero Tech. After graduation, they were hired by Duncan Aviation in Lincoln. His brother, a “jet engine guru,” is still there. Earnest started on the bench, “working nav/comms and GPS,” he said, leaving the shop for the line as needed. That ended when Duncan moved the shop across the airport. Missing the challenge and change of pace, “I applied for an avionics line job, and I was doing that for a good part of the time.” Around this time, Earnest was helping friends open a bar in Beatrice, 35 miles south of Lincoln. In his father’s Piper Archer, they flew down for a visit one nice day in 1996. “I was showing him around when a group of girls came in for somebody’s birthday party,” Earnest said. One in particular, Donna, caught his attention, and “we’ve been together pretty much ever since.” Married in 2005, they have two daughters. Like Louis L’Amour and Peggy Lee, Donna was born and raised in Jamestown, the seat of Stutsman County and the state’s eighth largest city, population taking a Chance in a new Market – north Dakota ad Greg Earnest done some market research, he might not have opened Jamestown Avionics in March 2006. The 39th state, North Dakota joined the union in 1889. Covering 70,700 square miles, the 2010 census counted 672,291 residents; in 2009, 2,998 of them held pilot certificates. In 2006, there were 1,755 aircraft, including 255 agriculture and 150 corporate airplanes, based at the state’s 89 public-use and 220 private airports. On the other hand, North Dakota’s economy and population have been growing for more than a decade, and the unemployment rate is well below the national average. What mattered most to Earnest were the state’s personal and professional opportunities, and his business has grown, little by little, every year. Born and raised two states south, Earnest remains a fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He is a self-described clone of his late father, Butch, who was passionate about amateur radio and aviation. Earnest started in electronics by earning his ham radio license at age 13, back “when you needed to learn Morse code.” Now into 2-meter rigs, he keeps his general radiotelephone license current and occasionally chases a storm across the high plains. “I took my first flying lesson in the ninth grade,” he said, flying on and 28 avionics news H • november 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News November 2011

Point of Communication
AEA Now
The View From Washington
International News and Regulatory Updates
EVS
Member Profile
High Plains Possibilities
Electronic Engine Instruments
A Conversation With...
Crisis Aloft?
Meet the AEA Board
Aviation Aces
Business Basics
Pro*to*col
Legal Ease
Advertisers Index
Theory & Practice
What's New
Marketplace Classifieds

Avionics News November 2011