HAYDEN - Tom Strom and Frank James worked together 15 years at Empire Airlines.

The two men traveled across the West, stopping in places like Rapid City, S.D., Midland, Texas, and Anchorage, Alaska. They opened new bases and inspected facilities.

Whatever the task, James knew how to get it done.

"He always wanted to do things right," recalled Strom, now director of maintenance at Empire. "He would always stop, and show you, and teach you."

Around lunchtime on Monday, Strom and a crowd of Empire employees filled the tables at the Blue Plate Cafe on Government Way. Surrounded by some of his closest friends, James received the prestigious Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award from the Federal Aviation Administration.

Named after the man who built an engine for the Wright brothers, the Charles Taylor award is reserved for accomplished mechanics who have worked at least 50 years in the aviation industry.

The 71-year-old James is one of only three Idaho recipients.

"Normally we give awards to folks at big conventions or seminars," said FAA Aviation Safety Inspector Eric Barr. "We knew that Frank wouldn't have come to a seminar."

James was completely surprised when Barr handed out the award. He had expected a quiet lunch, not a big celebration.

"It's a tremendous honor," said James, who retired from Empire Airlines in early 2010. "I was pretty much speechless. They really went overboard."

Belinda Jones, Empire's director of human resources, had quietly nominated James for the Charles Taylor award. She knew he was well-qualified.

"He's so not a 'big deal' kind of guy," Jones said. "He just set the bar - not just for the experience that he brought, but he also brought commitment, dedication, unwavering integrity."

James studied aircraft mechanics at the U.S. Army Transportation School in 1957, the start of a 23-year Army career. In 1958, he shepherded a light helicopter company to Alaska, and three years later he was part of the first chopper unit deployed in Vietnam.

He was the crew chief, and the twin-rotored Piasecki H-21 helicopters were his birds. It would be his first of three tours in southeast Asia - James would later service the beloved Huey, the CH-47, OH-58 and OH-6.

"I think the CH-47 was the most challenging," James said.

When he was discharged from the Army in 1979, James was a decorated veteran. He continued his career in aviation, working at various FBOs (fixed bases of operation) and aircraft manufacturers.

James signed on with Empire - based at the Coeur d'Alene Airport-Pappy Boyington Field in Hayden - in 1995. One branch of the airline is a cargo feed for FedEx; the other performs third-party maintenance.

His expertise was much-appreciated.

"Working has always been my entertainment," James said. "I thoroughly enjoyed it, and always felt it to be challenging, and never a dull day."

The longtime mechanic is still hard at work, even in retirement. He lives at the Treeport Airport near Spirit Lake, where he tinkers with and flies his own plane.

"I think it's pretty amazing that someone can put in 50 years as a mechanic," said Richard Mills, Empire director of quality assurance. "He's an expert on more things than I care to even think about. He's been a mentor to just about everybody I know."