Charles Grabill
Aviation Safety Inspector, FAA’s Authorized and Certificated Operations Section
By Paul Cianciolo, FAA Safety Briefing Magazine
Growing up on the family farm in Iowa, Charles Grabill didn’t have much exposure to aviation. It wasn’t until community college, where he studied machine tool technology and worked as a farmhand, that he became hooked on flying. The spark was when his boss and a family member bought a 1975 Piper Warrior together.
“That was my first time at the controls of an aircraft,” Charles recalls. “I began flight training under part 61, initially thinking flying would be a hobby. As I progressed through training, I realized I wanted to pursue aviation as a career.”
After completing his associate degree in machine tool technology, he moved to Grand Forks and earned a bachelor’s degree in commercial aviation from the University of North Dakota in 2012. During and after academics, Charles provided instruction at several flight schools. He also moved around where his wife’s helicopter flying took her. Yes, she’s a pilot too.
“Following a serious farm accident involving my father, I stepped away from aviation temporarily to help with the family farm operations. But my passion for both agriculture and aviation never waned. I hoped to become an aerial applicator back in the Midwest,” he notes.
In 2018, Charles took up loading aircraft for a part 137 agricultural operation back in Iowa. His goal was to eventually pilot an agricultural aircraft. This is also where his wife started work as an aviation safety inspector at the local Flight Standards District Office.
“My wife became more familiar with the safety challenges, accident rates, and accident investigations in ag aviation, and her concerns about the associated risks ultimately led me to join the FAA in 2019,” he explains. “This also provided more stability and time for family life with our six children.”
Charles worked at the Des Moines FSDO until recently transitioning to the FAA Flight Standards Service’s Authorized and Certificated Operations Section. The section is responsible for many aspects of general aviation policy, including part 91 business and fractional ownership operations, restricted category aircraft operations, investigation process, runway safety initiatives, part 133 rotorcraft external load flights, and part 137 agricultural aircraft operations.
The section recently helped to make the process for using drones in agricultural operations more efficient. Because of this milestone achievement, drone pilots applying for a part 137 certificate or exemption can now email their documentation to
UAS137Certificates@faa.gov instead of applying at their local FSDO.
As a subject matter expert in part 137 ag ops policy development, Charles isn’t simply “flying a desk.” Instead, he is always asking questions to learn, gain perspective, and help others in the process. For him, that curiosity is more than just a learning style; it’s a personal value.
Charles also notes that, unlike commercial air carriers, general aviation often lacks the same level of regulatory oversight, which can lead to gaps in pilot training and proficiency. Many GA pilots meet only the minimum legal requirements for currency, but safety demands more. His advice: “Avoid complacency by flying with a flight instructor more often and asking questions. Engage in continuing education. And always be thorough, consistently using checklists.”
Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone to ask a question.
Paul Cianciolo is an associate editor and the social media lead for FAA Safety Briefing. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and an auxiliary airman with Civil Air Patrol.
