AIN senior editor Jerry Siebenmark, 56, passed away on Feb. 20th, 2023.

Siebenmark joined AIN in 2018, covering mainly business aviation news with a concentration on maintenance/MRO and charter/fractional topics from his office in Wichita. Despite struggling with cancer for more than three years, he remained a prolific writer and raised his hand for nearly every assignment offered.

He had developed a reputation for a fair yet tough approach to his news gathering and writing. One spokesperson told AIN that he could ask a difficult question and inquire after their children right afterward—and it was well received.

Siebenmark brought a zeal to his coverage of the aviation industry. One of his favorite assignments, was a demonstration ride in Blade Urban Air Mobility’s Airbus EC130 that resulted in the article “How Urban Air Mobility Helped Me Beat My Boss.” Siebenmark suggested that he “race” his editor Matt Thurber, who was driving to the same destination (see accompanying article).

In addition, he became known at AIN for his sense of humor and fun. Siebenmark would zoom around the convention halls with glee despite being dependent on an electric scooter. He enthusiastically made the multiple-leg airline trip to join the AIN team at recent conventions regardless of the enormous challenges.

Apart from an incurable obsession with squirreling away airshow and convention memorabilia, especially hats and coffee mugs, Siebenmark was known for an equally deep love of high-quality watches. In Wichita, he was a member of an informal group that gathered every Saturday at Watch Works, a local store where owner Gregg Breeden welcomed anyone with an interest in complex watch innards and endless discussions about the clockmaker’s art.

A tangible expression of Siebenmark’s fascination with watches was his almost-daily Instagram posting of the watch he was wearing and how it was calibrated to match the day’s weather or other elements of the ever-changing Wichita environment.

During Siebenmark’s illness, long-time Wichita aviation communications executive Dave Franson would check Siebenmark’s Instagram postings, and if no posting appeared for a few days would call to check if Siebenmark was alright. At a post-funeral memorial on February 25, members of Siebenmark’s family each wore one of his watches.

Siebenmark grew up in Idaho Falls, Idaho, before joining the U.S. Air Force and serving at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita. After his honorable discharge, he graduated from Wichita State University and spent 25 years as a journalist covering aviation and business beats, first for the Wichita Business Journal and then the Wichita Eagle.

“Jerry was a devoted husband, father, and friend and truly loved his work covering business aviation. He wanted nothing more than to keep working as long as he could, and he never let his illness get in the way of pursuing a good story and doing a stellar job covering the maintenance beat and the Wichita aviation scene,” said AIN editor-in-chief Matt Thurber. “We will miss his crafty sense of humor and willingness to jump in feet first to help get the job done.”

Siebenmark is survived by his wife, Carri, and two adult children—son Cal and daughter Carli.