Greg Klein of Watertown has been chosen for induction into the South Dakota Transportation Hall of Honor for 2023. The purpose of the Transportation Hall of Honor is to recognize individuals who have made a lasting, valuable, or unique contribution to South Dakota’s air, highway, public transit, or rail transportation system. The Hall of Honor originated in 1972 and now includes 97 inductees. Klein, along with Greg Fuller will be recognized this year for their service and commitment to South Dakota’s transportation system at a Hall of Honor banquet.
Klein graduated from the Lake Area Technical College (Vo-Tech) Aviation Maintenance Program in 1977 and entered the United States Air Force as an aviation maintenance technician. He worked on a variety of military aircraft including the F4 Phantom and F15 Eagle fighter jets. While in the Air Force, he developed a passion for teaching, offering airframe and power plant maintenance courses part-time while enlisted. Greg retired from the Air Force in 1997 and returned to Lake Area Technical College in Watertown to teach aviation maintenance. Greg was also instrumental in developing the first Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree for Lake Area Tech and the state of South Dakota in Professional Pilot training. He recently completed certification of the Drone Pilot Program at LATC and obtained the first in the state FAA authorization for Drone pilot training operations beyond line of sight.
In addition to being the aviation program director and an instructor at LATC, he is also active as a certified flight instructor authorized to teach private pilot, instrument, commercial, and glider training. In his retirement, he plans to continue to teach flight instruction at LATC and serve as a Designated Pilot Examiner (DPE) for the FAA.
Greg has been an outstanding promoter of the aviation industry and has been recognized for his contributions locally, statewide, and nationwide. Greg’s commitment to aviation, safety, education, and service throughout his forty-five plus years in the aviation industry was always given with unmatched energy and contagious enthusiasm.
