AIRCORPS AVIATION - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• VICE PRESIDENT of FABRICATION

Dan grew up on a farm south of Wahpeton, ND and was always in the shop whenever he could be. His first aircraft project was an rc airplane that he built at the young age of 14 and he's been flying them ever since. Dan went to college in Wahpeton for Machine Tooling. After his first year, he went to the airport and begged for a job at Tri-State Aviation working for Gerry Beck. Dan got the job, and worked there while finishing school, and continued to work there until March of 2011. During his time at Tri-State Aviation, Dan worked with Mark Tisler and Eric Trueblood, and in 2011 the three of them made the move to Bemidji to become part owners in AirCorps Aviation, along with managing partner Erik Hokuf. Dan has managed the AirCorps fabrication shop since 2011 which specializes in producing warbird parts and sheet metal forming, along with doing build-to-print work for modern aircraft companies such as Elbit Systems and Dassault Aviation. Dan's machining experience, and exacting attention to detail, continues to guide the AirCorps Fabrication team to produce the highest quality of aircraft parts.

Job Titles:

• SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT of SALES & MARKETING

Eric has been working in the warbird and aviation industry honing his vision and his skills to serve clients across the globe who are operating, maintaining, and managing warbirds. Eric joined Dan, Erik and Mark when they established AirCorps Aviaton in 2011. A creative thinker, and graduate of the University of North Dakota Business College, he's always in search of a better way. The freedom to create at AirCorps has been integral to Eric's growth. The talented team he leads has validated the proactive approach to addressing industry component needs and has taken Eric's concept and initial development of AirCorps Library and made it much more. Trueblood is passionate about the stories beyond the airframes, continuing to develop new ways for AirCorps to serve our industry, attraction of new talent, and ensuring the legacy of WWII veterans and the aircraft continue to inspire future generations. During his career in aviation, Eric has had the remarkable experience of seeing nearly a dozen major restorations / repairs completed and even excavating two historic WWII fighters in Europe. A native of Minot, North Dakota, Eric considers himself so fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from and observe the strong relationships and integrity of the Beck and Fagen families, Warren Pietsch, Bob Odegaard, and the amazing customers they have been fortunate to work with. Eric is married with two children. He is very involved in and passionate about a number of efforts that uplift both state and local communities, ranging from the arts to STEM programs.

Job Titles:

• Founding Member
• GENERAL MANAGER
• Member of EAA

Erik Hokuf is the founding member of AirCorps Aviation, an award-winning aircraft restoration and parts fabrication company based in Bemidji, Minnesota. The business was established in 2011 and now employs 50 fabricators and technicians. AirCorps manufactures parts for various major general aviation Type Certificate and Supplemental Type Certificate holders as well as holding their own PMA parts. Hokuf spearheaded AirCorps Aviation's FAA Part 21 PMA Quality System and a Part 145 Repair Station, and is the accountable manager for both. Hokuf has been working in the General Aviation industry for 25 years. He has maintained an A&P Certificate with Inspection Authorization for the last 20 years. Hokuf has built a reputation of being a qualified expert that others depend on for aircraft maintenance, manufacturing, restoration and inspection advice. He is a Designated Manufacturing Inspection Representative. Before overseeing other mechanics, Erik restored vintage warbirds as well as maintained various aircraft from J-3 Cubs to Dassault Falcon Jets. Hokuf not only works on airplanes, but he flies them as well - he is a Single Engine Land/Sea rated Private Pilot. Hokuf is heavily involved in the community and enjoys helping other entrepreneurs. He serves on several boards in Bemidji including: Security Bank USA, Greater Bemidji Economic Development Corp, and the Bemidji Beltrami County Airport Advisory Board. Erik is also a member of EAA, Warbirds of America, American Bonanza Society and AOPA. "AirCorps Aviation is so much more just than a restoration shop. While we do those things very well, we know the importance of building emotional relationships with not just our customers and employees, but with the individual history of each of our projects, and pride ourselves on connecting a fading past to an ever-changing future."

Job Titles:

• DATA / LIBRARY SPECIALIST
• Manager of the AirCorps Library

Ester Aube is the manager of the AirCorps Library website. She received her Bachelors of Science from the University of Delaware in 2014 with a degree in Art Conservation and Art History. Her schooling, coupled wIth an additional background in museum work, gives Ester a unique viewpoint concerning both the historical nature and physical fragility of the resources on the AirCorps Library website. She is not only excited to build the functionality of the website by acquiring new materials, but is also passionate about preserving the history that goes along with them. Ester understands that preserving World War II aviation materials has reached a critical stage. One generation from now, all first-hand knowledge related to World War II will be gone, making the short time we have left with our WWII vets incredibly important. Ester's goal is to incorporate, preserve, and honor the legacy left by the "Greatest Generation". "AirCorps Library is an exciting venture because it is dynamic, we not only provide valuable information that helps the restoration and Warbird industry, but I also get the sense of pride knowing that we are preserving this information for future generations. Coming from a museum background, it is refreshing to be able to share our wealth of information with our members, rather than archiving it into a basement. My goal of sharing our resources with the world, while preserving them, means that every day is meaningful and fulfilling!" - Ester Aube

Job Titles:

• VICE PRESIDENT of RESTORATION

Growing up Mark lived on a small farm in western Washington working with machinery, and always had great interest in aviation. He graduated from Eatonville High School in 1983 and later attended Washington State University. By the time he graduated with a BS in agricultural mechanization in 1987, Mark had acquired a healthy interest in WWII aircraft and also received his private pilot's license in the fall of 1985. With the idea that he wanted to find an opportunity to restore WWII aircraft, Mark enrolled in the A&P school in Fargo, ND. While finishing school, he learned that Gerry Beck had started a collection of WWII aircraft in Wahpeton, ND. Mark spent several weekends working with Gerry on the Grumman Avenger, and just before graduating from the A&P program, asked Gerry if he could spend the summer working on his F4U-4 Corsair. The rest, as they say, is history. Mark worked for Gerry at Tri-State Aviation from June 1988 to April 2011. During this time he gained invaluable knowledge from one of the most well-known and respected individuals in the warbird community, and forged lasting relationships with many others. In his 23 years at Tri-State, Mark was involved with the restoration of the Corsair, TBM, T-6, Seafury, 9 different P-51s, and many other aircraft and parts. Mark made the move to Bemidji and became part owner in AirCorps Aviation after leaving Tri-State. His expertise in restoration practices and encyclopedic warbird knowledge continues to be an asset to the entire AirCorps team on a daily basis. In his spare time, Mark flies his Van's RV-8 kit plane and works on his Boeing N2S-3 Stearman biplane project. His other hobbies include gun collecting and gold mining.

Job Titles:

• Manager of the AirCorps Art

Nic Johnson is the manager of the AirCorps Art and AirCorps Depot. His background in the creative and e-commerce industries brings an interdisciplinary skillset to the AirCorps team. He oversees the visual and creative projects in the shop along with online sales & marketing. Whether it's a complete paint scheme, aircraft display, instrument panel, or a hard-to-find part; his role aims at making sure these products exceed all expectations.

Job Titles:

• Outside Sales Manager

Stefan is the outside sales manager for build-to-print, or contract manufacturing work at AirCorps Aviation. Prior to this position, Stefan was primarily managing the 3D scanning and reverse engineering work for AirCorps. His past professional experience included sales in the fluid power industry and building design in commercial architecture. While different industries than aviation, the experiences gained in customer service, communication, CAD work, and project management have served well in his current role.