Avionics News March 2016 - 80

After Iran, Pickron worked with "big iron" at
International Air Service Company, managing the company's
avionics shop and the flight line. IASCO had entered into a
Prior to leaving, Pickron enjoyed the chance to learn
contract with Emery Air Freight to operate 11 Boeing 727s
about and experience another culture. He remembers the
and 13 Cessna 404s. For the next three years, he worked in
bells ringing throughout the city, calling the faithful to
Baltimore, Maryland, and then Dayton, Ohio.
prayer, and the underground bazaars in tunnels that ran for
"A lot of the work was at night, but we were able to
miles and miles.
maintain a 99 percent on-time record," Pickron said. "The
"Each section of the bazaar was dedicated to one thing -
727s were the biggest aircraft I had worked on to date, and
you talk about a learning experience."
Since he had his airframe and
powerplant
certificates and had graduated
Randy Pickron enjoys spending the day fishing with his
youngest grandson, Aidan, at Lemon Bay in Englewood,
Northwest Avionics' 727 school, Pickron
Florida, just south of Tampa. Pickron looks forward to
was chosen to fly to Hawaii on behalf of
doing a lot more fishing after retiring in a couple of years.
the company to certify an aircraft sold to
a prince in Saudi Arabia. The trip took the
avionics technician to his 50th U.S. state.
After leaving IASCO, Pickron worked
as an avionics technician in Alabama for
some time and then as an avionics shop
manager in Panama City for three years,
helping to maintain aircraft for a flight
school.
"In Panama City, I did more installations
during those three years than I'd ever
seen in my life," Pickron said. "It was
fascinating. I think the big thing was the
stormscopes and, at that point in time,
LORAN was just starting to kick in so a lot
of people wanted those in their aircraft, too.
"When I left there, I went back to
Alabama and worked at an avionics
shop. My partner there died so there
wasn't much to hold on to. I got a call
shoes, jewelry, watches, et cetera," Pickron said. "You could
from one of the customers I had in Panama City. We had
walk around the bazaar for days. The merchants loved to
taken his 172RG down to the skin and upgraded almost
barter. I learned real quick if you agreed to a price without
every avionics system that he had. When we put it all back
any arguing or bartering then there was something wrong
together, amazingly, everything worked perfectly. It was one
with you. Workers from Saudi Arabia would come to Iran
of those once-in-a-lifetime jobs."
for R and R because the country was kind of lax at that time.
They were just beginning to get that little taste of freedom,
Parlaying skills
allowing women to wear blue jeans and shirts, which wasn't
The Cessna 172RG customer from Panama City asked
allowed before or since."
Pickron to come to the Dominican Republic to work at a
In August 1978, about 36,000 Americans remained in
phone company, helping to plan cell service coverage for the
Iran with just 3,000 by November of that year, according to
island. Pickron accepted the offer and spent six years putting
Pickron. The 1979 Iranian Revolution ended up replacing
his electronics knowledge to work determining where to
the oppressive and corrupt pro-Western monarchy with an
locate cell towers, how high to construct them, and what
anti-Western Islamic republic.
areas to cover. By the time the project was complete, the
"By February, it was time to go," he said. "TWA flew in
team had 10 percent of the island covered with cell service,
11 Boeing 747 aircraft to get the rest of us out. I was on the
handling 90 percent of the population.
ninth flight and never happier in my life to get back home."
"It was kind of fascinating," Pickron said. "With my
50 YEARS IN AVIONICS
Continued from page 79

80

avionics news

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march

2016



Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Avionics News March 2016

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Avionics News March 2016 - Intro
Avionics News March 2016 - Cover1
Avionics News March 2016 - Cover2
Avionics News March 2016 - No label
Avionics News March 2016 - 2
Avionics News March 2016 - 3
Avionics News March 2016 - 4
Avionics News March 2016 - 5
Avionics News March 2016 - 6
Avionics News March 2016 - 7
Avionics News March 2016 - 8
Avionics News March 2016 - 9
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Avionics News March 2016 - 11
Avionics News March 2016 - 12
Avionics News March 2016 - 13
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Avionics News March 2016 - Cover3
Avionics News March 2016 - Cover4
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