coptermd.com

 Surely you have heard of Charles Lindbergh and the Spirit of St. Louis… but can you tell me the name of his mechanic? How about Chuck Yeager when he first broke the sound barrier, what was the name of the man who got the Bell X1 ready for that infamous flight?  In case you are not a history buff let’s talk recent events. How about “Sully” Sullenberger, you know the pilot that dead sticked American Airlines flight 1549 into the Hudson River without a single major injury. Can you name one person on his ground crew that was responsible for the upkeep of his plane, you know the guys that made sure that it was both mechanically and structurally capable of that incredible piece of flying? Or if you are a movie buff that was dazzled as Maverick and Ice Man dueled it out over the Nevada desert in TOP GUN, and yes, that was northern Nevada not southern California you saw flashing past in the background . Those machines don’t do that kind of flying without someone keeping them safe and maintained.

 Don’t feel bad, I don’t know the answers either. That’s my point. For a century now people have been marveling at feats of aviation whether it is the aircraft or the pilots. The general populace never realizes that none of those things would have ever happened without the mechanic, technician, wrench or whatever you want to call these men and women that are always there in the background making sure that the machine that is used to accomplish these feats of wonder are always equal to the task whatever it may be.

 This is never truer than in the helicopter industry. That Medivac helicopter with the dashing young pilot, or that fire helicopter that held the flames back from a neighborhood on the news last night. Or maybe the Police helicopter that showed up when you were scared and dialed 911 because someone was trying to break into your house. Somewhere there is a mechanic that literally puts his life into that machine so that it is always ready and able to save the lives and property of others.

 True, there are probably as many helicopters providing non-emergency type functions, maybe more. By the time you count all the functions accomplished by helicopters including sightseeing, timber harvesting, corporate transport, oil exploration and oil field support, aerial construction, power line patrol and repair or any one of a thousand other operations.

 Sure the machine has evolved into many other rolls but the story is all the same, there would be no aviation if it wasn’t for the aviation mechanic, the unloved, unmentioned, and largely unnoticed person behind the scene, the one who does the real work.

 So the next time one of those noisy ass helicopters momentarily interrupts the picnic or the football game, instead of thinking to yourself what a pain they are, try thinking about what their mission might have been and the people that made it possible.