On Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, May 24, we recognise all of our aviation maintenance technicians, without whom we would never have reached our destination. On our way to and from distant destinations, we frequently thank pilots and flight attendants, but we never thank the essential people on the ground who ensure our safety. Every time you board an aircraft, purchase a ticket, and arrive safely, you have an aviation technician to honour. They are the unsung heroes of travellers and among the industry’s hardest employees. While we respect anyone who earns a livelihood honestly, Aviation Maintenance Technicians are not your average maintenance personnel; they are mechanical experts committed to your safety. Therefore, we would like to extend a special thank you for continuing to defy human limitations and set sail for the heavens!
HISTORY OF AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN DAY
Orville and Wilbur Wright’s unwavering commitment to accomplishing the impossible led them to distinction, as many are aware. However, they were not wholly on their own. In the year 1899, they initiated their experiments. The Wright brothers travelled to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, because the area’s consistent wind would aid their efforts. They based much of their research on the Chanute-Herring biplane hang glider, or the “double decker” as the Wright brothers called it. They utilised aeronautical data published by another aviation pioneer, Otto Lolenthl, who conducted his experiments near Chicago. The Wright brothers studied Lilenthal’s work extensively, modified and perfected it, and devised unique methods to prevent nose dives and calamitous failures.
Charles Edward Taylor, a mechanic, joined the team in 1902 and constructed a 12-horsepower engine that was light enough for flight. Charles Taylor is specifically honoured on this day because, without him, the Wright brothers’ triumph would not have been possible. They catapulted aviation technology into the working principles of modern aircraft through their experiments.
Wilbur Wright finally attempted a three-second flight for the first time on December 14, 1903, the 121st anniversary of the Montgolfier brothers’ first hot-air balloon test flight. Wilbur wrote to his family about his confidence in the plane’s potential for a full flight, despite the fact that the flight was only partially successful. On December 17, 1903, just a few days later, both brothers became the first humans to experience motorised flight; the moment was captured for all time by John T. Daniels of the U.S. government’s coastal lifesaving personnel.
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5 FUN FACTS
The Wright Brothers tossed a coin to determine who would take the first powered flight in history.
After the fourth flight of the Wright’s Flyer, a strong gust of wind repeatedly turned it over despite the crew’s efforts to keep it upright. Damaged beyond repair, the Wright Flyer never flew again.
A Boeing 747 consists of six million components.
30% of the typical population has a fear of flying.
Despite dramatic change, only 20% of the world’s population has ever flown on an aeroplane.
AVIATION MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 24 | Wednesday |
| 2024 | May 24 | Friday |
| 2025 | May 24 | Saturday |
| 2026 | May 24 | Sunday |
| 2027 | May 24 | Monday |
