Lakeport >> Lake Aero Styling & Repair, “LASAR,” a Mooney Aircraft Service Center located at Lampson Airport for more than 40 years, announced that employee Pascual Puertolas has recently completed an intensified course at Baker’s School of Aeronautics in Lebanon, Tennessee. He has earned his Airframe & Powerplant (A&P) license, which qualifies him to inspect, maintain, and repair airplanes and return them to service.
Baker’s School is designed to prepare an aviation mechanic for the Federal Aviation Agency (FAA) written, oral and practical examinations, and Puertolas passed his course with flying colors, LASAR owner Shery Loewen said. He qualified for the two-week intensified course by meeting the FAA experience requirements.
After high school graduation, Puertolas enlisted in the Air Force in 1968 where he worked on B-52s and C-141s, and was made crew chief of the C-141 squadron. Later, he owned and operated Puertolas Performance in San Francisco, an auto repair business, for 32 years. He has been a valued employee at Lake Aero Styling for close to two years, Loewen said.
His interest in aviation began with his stint in the Air Force, but in 1990 he decided to take flying lessons at Marin Air Services at Gnoss Field in Novato. Puertolas passed his written test, but family issues prevented him from continuing flying at that time.
Puertolas moved to Lake County in 1992 and commuted to his business in San Francisco several times a week for many years, until he decided “enough was enough.” He got involved with race cars locally, and won several championships in Lake County and Ukiah.
It wasn’t until he began working at LASAR that he decided to get back into aviation by getting his A & P license. LASAR owners, Paul and Shery Loewen are proud of Puertolas’ determination and success for this achievement.
Pascual Puertolas lives in Cobb with wife Linda Puertolas. He has two daughters, Deadra Puertolas and Jamie Bauer, and one granddaughter, 14-year-old Aiyana Puertolas-McGinnis.
