Norbert was raised on a large farm in northwest Illinois. In 1974, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving for six years as a Crew Chief on the C-5A aircraft. He earned his Airframe and Powerplant (A&P) certification from Sacramento City College in 1983.
His commercial aviation career began in 1984 with Republic Airlines, which later merged with Northwest Airlines, where he remained for 21 years. In 2006, he joined Kalitta Air as a flight mechanic, spending the next decade flying internationally aboard the Boeing 747. In 2016, he transitioned to FEAM Maintenance/Engineering as the Midwest Regional Manager. In 2025, he became part of the Epic team.
Outside of aviation, Norbert enjoys landscaping, gardening, golfing, and fishing.