Mesaba Airlines, which operates a major maintenance facility at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, has become one of only three airlines nationally to receive the highest maintenance rating from the Federal Aviation Administration.

        Minneapolis-based Mesaba received the FAA's Diamond Award for 100 percent participation by Mesaba's aviation maintenance technicians in an FAA-approved training facility.

        Only Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines have also received the award.

        Mesaba operates as Northwest Airlink, the regional affiliate of Northwest Airlines. The regional carrier employs about 35 mechanics and about 170 people total at the local airport.

        “This award is a credit to our mechanics and all of our technical operations department,” Mesaba president and chief executive officer Paul Foley said.

        It's the second consecutive year that Mesaba has won the award.

        In 2001, the airline had more than 300 mechanics participate in training programs. In addition, Mesaba is planning to sublease some of its local space to BAE Systems, the company that makes its primary aircraft the Avro RJ 85. That will bring in eight mechanics locally.

— James Pilcher

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