Charles and Bruce Bohonowicz

Foil: 32 Panel: 4 Column: 1 Line: 14

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Amy Mykityshyn

Charles was born January 24, 1928, in Whately, Massachusetts, to the farming family of Peter and Mary (Karabin) Bohonowicz. The youngest of 8 children, he attended Whately grammar and middle schools but did not finish high school due to the demands of running the family farm. He eventually earned his GED diploma while in the US army.
As a boy aviation fascinated him; and throughout his childhood he dreamed of flying. Finally during the winter of 1948, using money he earned from growing tobacco, he took his first flying lesson in a piper cub outfitted with skis, at what was then the old Pilgrim airport. By that summer he had earned his pilot's license and in his log book he wrote, "a dream come true".
After being discharged from the army in 1955, he used his GI benefits to pursue an aviation career and enrolled at East Coast Aero Tech in Bedford, Massachusetts, earning his aircraft mechanic license. Upon graduation he moved his family to Long Island where he was employed by Republic Aircraft as a technical inspector for the F105 Thunderchief. Charlie continued to advance his career and credentials by performing aircraft maintenance, inspections, and radio installations at Long Island based Zhans airport. He eventually went on to be employed as a co-pilot/mechanic for Long Island based Commander Airlines. Aside from flying and repairing aircraft Charlie always wanted his own aircraft maintenance and flight school business. So in 1970, with his wife's blessing, they sold their home in Long Island, moved back to South Deerfield and established Pioneer Aviation in Turners Falls, Massachusetts. Based on the reputation Charlie established in Long Island, pilots from NY and New England continued to fly their aircraft to Pioneer Aviation for routine inspections and maintenance. In addition, many of today's area pilots learned to fly in airplanes by instructors employed at Pioneer Aviation. Charlie piloted aircraft for almost 70 years and belonged to several flying organizations including the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the United Flying Octogenarian Association, and was a Quiet Birdman. He also received the FAA Master Pilot award. Charlie was also proud of the fact that all three of his children became certified pilots--his daughter soloing 2 different airplane types on her 16th birthday, Gary becoming a Certified Flight Instructor and his son Bruce assuming the day to day operations of the business that he founded 47 years ago. Charlie once said "a mile of road will take you a mile, a mile of runway will take you anywhere". It was with that spirit that Charlie and his wife Gertrude traveled at every opportunity.

Bruce J. Bohonowicz was born on January 19, 1965 to Charles and Gertrude Bohonowicz in Bethpage, New York. In 1970, the family moved back to his parents' roots in Massachusetts, specifically South Deerfield, where his father proceeded to build Pioneer Aviation in Turners Falls. Bruce was just a 4-year-old kid running around the grounds that would eventually become the focus of his life. He graduated from Frontier Regional High School and then attended East Coast Aero Tech in Bedford, Massachusetts. He graduated with a license in aircraft maintenance and joined his father's business, where he contributed significantly to its expansion to serve customers from all over New England. The quality of their work was a welcome surprise which then became the norm. Pioneer Aviation also became known for its rigorous flight school classroom curriculum and valley tours that Bruce helped build over the years. He became an Inspector of Aircraft, just like his father, and his passion for Pioneer Aviation could be seen by all that passed through his hangers.