Aviation Maintenance Technician Day
Aviation Maintenance Technician Day honors the men and women who have served behind the scenes in creating and maintaining aviation on May 24th.
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We all know the tale of Orville and Wilbur Wright, Kitty Hawk, and the human flight experiment. We all know the tale of Orville and Wilbur Wright, Kitty Hawk, and the human flight experiment. But how many of us know the name, Charles Edward Taylor? And how many of us know the name? He began working for the Wrights in 1902, just as the science progressed to powered flight. An engine that was both light enough and robust enough for flight was not available by the automobile manufacturers because they couldn't find an engine that was both light enough and strong enough for flight.
Enter Taylor. The Wright's aeroplane was 20 feet above the wind-swept North Carolina beach, and he built the 12-horsepower engine, a machine by trade, with a metal lathe, drill press, and other hand tools. The longest flight on record lasted 59 seconds over a distance of 852 feet. Taylor took six weeks to build the engine, but history books seldom mention the man who made the historic December 17, 1903, flight possible.
Beyond first flight
Taylor continued to develop aircraft engines for the Wright brothers while still being on the forefront of aeronautics development, as well as instructing them how to build their own. When the first airport was established (by the Wrights), he was named airport manager.
The Wright brothers were awarded a military deal for the first military plane, with Taylor designing and building the engine.
When William Randolph Hearst gave up a cash award to the first pilot to fly across the United States in 30 days or less, Taylor's adventures continued in 1911. Cal Rodgers, a young pilot, accepted the challenge and recruited Charles Taylor as his mechanic. He was a young pilot.
Rodgers made it, landing and crashing from New York to Pasadena, with Taylor following along in a car.
For more than 60 years, Charles Taylor has worked in aviation maintenance for more than 60 years. Like Taylor, aviation maintenance technicians around the world work in the background, safeguarding civilian and military aircraft. The United States Air Force's like Taylor. We celebrate their contributions and humble history on May 24th.
Learn how to plan an aviation maintenance technician's day
Honor the pioneers of aviation, who may be behind the scenes. Find out more about aviation maintenance and thank those who keep us on the air and keep us there. To post on social media, use the hashtag AviationMaintenaceTechnicianDay.
The day of the aviation maintenance technician's day in history is the longest in history
The FAA created the coveted Charles E. Taylor Master Mechanic Award in 2001 to recognize AMTs who had spent at least 50 years in aircraft repair, thanks to Richard Dilbeck's efforts. In honor of Charles Taylor's birthday, California Senator Knight introduced a bill honoring Aviation Maintenance Technicians every year.
