[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 70 (Wednesday, April 30, 2008)]
[House]
[Pages H2886-H2888]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL AVIATION MAINTENANCE 
                             TECHNICIAN DAY

  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 444) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, honoring the invaluable 
contributions of Charles Edward Taylor, regarded as the father of 
aviation maintenance, and recognizing the essential role of aviation 
maintenance technicians in ensuring the safety and security of civil 
and military aircraft.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 444

       Whereas the safety of the flying public is ensured and the 
     integrity of the aircraft airworthiness is personally 
     guaranteed by individuals who comprise the professional 
     aviation maintenance technician workforce;
       Whereas the professional aviation maintenance technician is 
     a key member of the United States military in protecting 
     America through a strong armed forces aviation 
     infrastructure;
       Whereas the duties of aviation maintenance technicians are 
     critical to United States homeland security and an integral 
     component of the Nation's aerospace industry;

[[Page H2887]]

       Whereas the professional aviation maintenance technician 
     provides the strong infrastructure on which public confidence 
     in our airborne transportation safety and military aviation 
     strength is ensured;
       Whereas the professional philosophy of the certificated 
     aviation maintenance technician is embodied in the Aviation 
     Mechanic's Creed:
       UPON MY HONOR I swear that I shall hold in sacred trust the 
     rights and privileges conferred upon me as a certified 
     mechanic. Knowing full well that the safety and lives of 
     others are dependent upon my skill and judgment, I shall 
     never knowingly subject others to risks which I would not be 
     willing to assume for myself, or for those dear to me.
       IN DISCHARGING this trust, I pledge myself never to 
     undertake work or approve work which I feel to be beyond the 
     limits of my knowledge nor shall I allow any non-certified 
     superior to persuade me to approve aircraft or equipment as 
     airworthy against my better judgment, nor shall I permit my 
     judgment to be influenced by money or other personal gain, 
     nor shall I pass as airworthy aircraft or equipment about 
     which I am in doubt either as a result of direct inspection 
     or uncertainty regarding the ability of others who have 
     worked on it to accomplish their work satisfactorily.
       I REALIZE the grave responsibility which is mine as a 
     certified airman, to exercise my judgment on the 
     airworthiness of aircraft or equipment. I, therefore, pledge 
     my unyielding adherence to these precepts for the advancement 
     of aviation and for the dignity of my vocation.
       Whereas in 1902 Charles Edward Taylor began working as a 
     machinist for Orville and Wilbur Wright at the Wright Cycle 
     Company in Dayton, Ohio;
       Whereas using only a metal lathe, drill press, and hand 
     tools, Charles Edward Taylor built, in 6 weeks, the 12-
     horsepower engine that was used to power the Wright brothers' 
     first flying machine;
       Whereas Charles Edward Taylor's ingenuity earned him a 
     place in aviation history when the Wright brothers 
     successfully flew their airplane in controlled flight on 
     December 17, 1903;
       Whereas Charles Edward Taylor had a successful career in 
     aviation maintenance for more than 60 years;
       Whereas Charles Edward Taylor was honored by the Federal 
     Aviation Administration with the establishment of the Charles 
     Edward Taylor Master Mechanic Award, which recognizes 
     individuals with 50 years or more of aviation maintenance 
     experience;
       Whereas Charles Edward Taylor has become a hero to aircraft 
     maintenance technicians worldwide; and
       Whereas 45 of the States together with the Commonwealths, 
     Territories, Republics, and Federations of the United States 
     have already declared May 24 to be Aviation Maintenance 
     Technician Day within their jurisdictions: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day 
     to honor the professional men and women who ensure the safety 
     and security of our airborne aviation infrastructure; and
       (2) recognizes the life and memory of Charles Edward 
     Taylor, the aviation maintenance technician who built and 
     maintained the engine that was used to power the Wright 
     brothers' first controlled flying machine on December 17, 
     1903.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
California (Mr. Filner) and the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
  Mr. FILNER. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the Speaker and I thank our House Speaker for bringing this 
to the floor today, H. Res. 444, a resolution which supports the goals 
and ideals of National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day, honoring 
the invaluable contributions of Charles Edward Taylor, regarded as the 
father of aviation maintenance, and recognizing the essential role of 
aviation maintenance technicians in ensuring the safety and security of 
civil and military aircraft.
  With all the concerns, Mr. Speaker, today about safety and airlines, 
it is the men and women who actually do the maintenance that we depend 
on so greatly.
  It was Charles Edward Taylor who built and maintained the engine that 
was used to power the Wright brothers' first controlled aircraft, the 
Flyer, and he was born in 1868. He is widely regarded as the father of 
aviation maintenance, and was a vital contributor of mechanical skills 
in the building and maintaining of early Wright brothers engines and 
airplanes. Taylor also built the wind tunnel used by the Wrights to 
test their early designs. He became a leading mechanic in the Wright 
Aircraft Company when it was formed in 1909. In fact, when Calbraith 
Perry Rodgers made his famous cross-country trip in a Wright brothers 
aircraft, he paid Charles Edward Taylor $70 a week, a pretty large sum 
at the time, to be his mechanic. Taylor followed the flight by train, 
making required repairs and preparing the aircraft for the next day's 
flight throughout the cross-country trip from Long Island to 
California.
  Although Taylor was largely ignored by history, it is important to 
note that the Wright brothers were very close friends with him, and 
remained in close contact with him throughout their lives.
  Charles Edward Taylor saved enough money from his ventures to buy 
several hundred acres of farmland near the Salton Sea, which is located 
in my district. However, the economic climate of the time eventually 
brought him to poverty, and he died penniless in 1956 at the age of 87. 
He was buried at the Portal of Folded Wings Shrine to Aviation in 
Burbank, California.
  Mr. Speaker, the humble beginnings of the aviation maintenance 
profession belies the fact that all of us in the Congress and our 
constituents rely on the work that these technicians do every day. They 
play an invaluable role not only in ensuring the safety of commercial 
aircraft, but also ensuring that our men and women in uniform have 
safe, reliable planes and helicopters while in their combat and 
training. Thanks to these dedicated, well-trained professionals, the 
United States has by far the safest air transportation system in the 
world. We owe aircraft mechanics a debt of gratitude for their service 
to the flying public.
  We are hearing a lot today about consolidations in the airline 
industry, and some airlines have already been outsourcing aviation 
maintenance abroad to cut their costs. I urge everyone in this Chamber 
to remember how critical it is for our own safety to have a well-
trained U.S.-based workforce to fix and maintain our aircraft. As the 
airline industry seeks to cut costs and merge, it is very important for 
all of us to keep a watchful eye on the impact of these consolidations 
on aviation maintenance technicians. We cannot afford to cut corners 
when it comes to safety.
  Mr. Speaker, 45 U.S. States have already declared May 24 to be 
Aviation Maintenance Technician Day within their jurisdictions. My 
resolution is intended to support these efforts and honor aviation 
maintenance technicians, including the first, Charles Edward Taylor. I 
urge all my colleagues to vote for H. Res. 444.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I might consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of Resolution 444, Supporting National 
Aviation Technician Day, and honoring Charles Edward Taylor. This 
resolution was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) 
in honor of aviation maintenance mechanics and their profession.
  Day in and day out, aviation mechanics ensure the safety of the 
flying public. They are also critical for the safety of our Armed 
Forces aviation infrastructure. They keep our military aircraft flying 
and are key elements in ensuring their security.
  The aviation mechanics creed embodies their professional philosophy. 
Words such as ``sacred,'' ``trust,'' ``judgment,'' and ``dignity'' are 
used to describe their duties and professionalism.
  Our public confidence in aviation transportation is a direct result 
of their commitment to these ideals and the unwavering integrity of 
their work.
  H. Res. 444 also rightly honors Charles Edward Taylor, who played a 
fundamental role in aviation history. In 1902, Mr. Taylor began work as 
a machinist in Dayton, Ohio for the Wright Cycle Company. In just 6 
weeks, he built a 12 horsepower engine with only a metal lathe, a drill 
press, and hand tools. On December 17, 1903, his engine was used on the 
Wright brothers' first flying machine and propelled the world into 
controlled flight. Mr. Taylor's career lasted 60 years and earned him a 
place in aviation history. To this day, he is known as the father of 
aviation maintenance.
  The Federal Aviation Administration's Charles Edward Taylor Master 
Mechanic Award is bestowed upon individuals who have over 50 years of 
experience in aviation maintenance and is truly an honor to receive.
  Mr. Speaker, 45 States currently designate May 24 as Aviation 
Maintenance Technician Day. I encourage my Members to support this 
resolution to honor

[[Page H2888]]

the men and women of aviation maintenance and the life and memory of 
Charles Edward Taylor.
  Mr. Speaker, I actually got to hear one of the very original Wright 
brothers engines, which was built by Mr. Taylor, at Oshkosh just a few 
years ago. There are still a couple of them that are existing today. 
They were actually built by hand, very crudely built, and I got an 
opportunity to hear one of them started up running. It was actually the 
third engine that he ever built, and it was absolutely a neat thing to 
see.

                              {time}  1345

  In my district I have one of the American Airlines overhaul bases 
which houses a lot of mechanics and aviation technicians who work on 
those aircraft, and from a base as large as that right down to some of 
our very small businesses, like Joe Rankin who runs an aviation shop in 
a little airport in Marionville, Missouri, those aviation mechanics are 
important to the entire industry.
  Being a pilot myself, I know just how important good maintenance and 
those mechanics can be to your aircraft. It really is an honor to have 
the opportunity to be able to handle this bill for the minority side 
today. I thank the gentleman from California for his work on it. I 
think it truly says a lot about aviation mechanics and the reason we 
are honoring them.
  Mr. OBERSTAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House 
Resolution 444. H. Res. 444 highlights the House of Representatives' 
support for the May 24 National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day to 
honor Charles Edward Taylor, the first aviation maintenance technician 
who created and maintained the engine used to power the Wright 
brothers' aircraft, and the men and women who followed in his footsteps 
as aviation maintenance technicians.
  This resolution celebrates the life and achievements of one of the 
fathers of aviation while also recognizing the indispensable role 
aviation maintenance technicians play by ensuring the safety of civil 
and military aircraft and infrastructure as well as the American 
people. In 1901, Charles Edward Taylor left his job making 25 cents an 
hour at the Dayton Electric Company to make 30 cents an hour in the 
Wright brothers' bicycle shop. Within a year of starting, Taylor helped 
them build a wind tunnel to test the Wrights' theories on winds and 
control surfaces.
  When, in 1903, the Wright brothers' tasked Taylor with creating an 8-
horsepower engine to power the Flyer, his only prior experience was an 
attempt to repair a gasoline automobile engine in 1901. He designed and 
built an aluminum, water-cooled, 12-horsepower engine. He built the 
engine from scratch in only 6 weeks, and without drawings, using a 
drill press, metal lathe, and hand tools.
  Taylor said, ``[I] always wanted to learn to fly, but I never did. 
The Wrights refused to teach me and tried to discourage the idea. They 
said they needed me in the shop and to service their machines, and if I 
learned to fly, I'd be gadding about the country and maybe become an 
exhibition pilot, and then they'd never see me again.''
  After assisting the Wright brothers, Taylor went on to a pioneering 
aviation maintenance career spanning more than 60 years including a job 
as the chief mechanic for the first transcontinental flight in 1911 by 
Calbraith Perry Rodgers.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 444, honoring 
the first aviation maintenance technician, Charles Edward Taylor, and 
every aviation maintenance technician who has or will follow in his 
footsteps.
  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, today, we are considering H. Res. 444, a 
resolution supporting the goals and ideals of national aviation 
maintenance technician day, honoring Charles Edward Taylor, and 
recognizing the essential role of aviation maintenance technicians in 
ensuring the safety and security of both civil and military aircraft.
  This important legislation was introduced by our colleague, Mr. 
Filner.
  Charles Edward Taylor was born in Illinois in 1868 and worked as the 
machinist for the Wright brothers in their Dayton, Ohio facility. It 
was here that he built the 12-horsepower engine to power the Wright 
brothers' first flying machine.
  Taylor had an impressive career spanning over sixty years, where he 
did all of the preliminary engine design work for the Wright brothers 
and later taught them to build aircraft engines.
  As a testament to his skill and this important craft, the Federal 
Aviation Administration awards the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award 
recognizing the lifetime accomplishments of certificated mechanics and 
repairmen who have worked in aviation for at least 50 years.
  Our aviation maintenance professionals ensure the safety of aircraft 
each and everyday. By honoring Charles Taylor, we demonstrate our 
respect and admiration for this important profession.
  Mr. Speaker, aviation maintenance professionals continue to keep our 
civil and military aircraft safe and secure. That is why I support H. 
Res. 444 and urge my colleagues to do the same.
  Mr. GRAVES, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. FILNER. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from California (Mr. Filner) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 444.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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