On the gray, overcast morning of May 20, 1927, Charles A. Lindbergh lifted off from Roosevelt Field on Long Island in his Ryan M-2 monoplane, ‘The Spirit of St. Louis’, powered by a 220-horsepower, air-cooled Wright J-5C engine. Thirty-three hours and 30 minutes later, on May 21, he landed safely at Le Bourget Field, near Paris, and was greeted by an unconstrained, exuberant crowd of over 100,000 people, having completed the very first solo trans-Atlantic flight. Astounded by the sheer mass of people surrounding his airplane and fearing that his plane would be damaged, his first words were, “Are there any mechanics here?”
Lindbergh’s achievement not only popularized flying over the next decade but also stimulated worldwide interest in both the fledgling aviation and commercial aviation industries. His solo flight is considered one of the most important events of the 20th Century and one of the milestones in aviation history.
As the 97th anniversary of this triumph approaches on the 20th of this month, another notable day in May pays tribute and honors the men and women who have worked behind the scenes, making and keeping aviation possible. May 24 is National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, a day that recognizes the work of aviation maintenance professionals, as well as the achievement of Charles E. Taylor, the man who built the engine used to power the Wright Brothers’ first flight at Kitty Hawk in December 1903. The date May 24 was selected to honor the birth date of Taylor and is currently observed by 45 states in the U.S.A.
In an excerpt from “Remembering the Forgotten Mechanic,” whose author is unknown, tribute is paid to the unsung professionals of aviation, which goes like this:
‘When man first started to labor in his quest to conquer the sky, He (sic) was a designer, mechanic, and pilot and he built a machine that would fly. But somehow the order got twisted, and then in the public’s eye the only man that could be seen was the man who knew how to fly.
The pilot was everyone’s hero, he was brave, he was bold, he was grand. To be sure, these pilots all earned it, to fly you have to have guts. And they blazed their names in the hall of fame on wings with bailing wire struts.
But for each of these flying heroes, there were thousands of little renown, and these were the men who worked on the planes but kept their feet on the ground. We all know the name Lindbergh, and we’ve read of his flight to fame. But think, if you can, of his maintenance man. Can you remember his name?
Now, pilots are highly trained people, and wings are not easily won. But without the work of the maintenance man, our pilots would march with a gun. So when you see mighty jet aircraft as they mark their way through the air, remember the greased-stained man with the wrench in his hand; he is the one who put them there.’
Skilled AMT (Aviation Maintenance Technician) professionals work year-round and 24/7 to ensure aircraft operate safely, reliably, and optimally in all kinds of weather. On May 24 and every day, we thank them for all that they do to advance aviation technology and keep air travel and the skies above us safe.
CALMM (Council of Airline Maintenance Managers) is a local group of aviation professionals specifically geared toward Maintenance and Engineering. They encompass many different levels of participation with representation from line maintenance, base maintenance, aircraft and engine manufacturers, FBO service providers, maintenance support, the FAA, and airport authorities. The mission of CALMM is to offer aircraft maintenance personnel and vendors in the aviation community an opportunity to collaborate and share ideas. Members come from three major NY tri-state airports, JFK, LGA, EWR.
For more information, visit www.calmm.com
