24th of May 1868, AMT Day, Blog #705

This week's aviation history blog takes the reader back to the 24th of May 1868.

It was on this day Charles Edward Taylor was born in the town of Cerro Gordo, Illinois, USA. He started his working life at the young age of 12 years old, when he started as a binder at the Nebraska State Journal, later becoming a tool maker.

Charles E. Taylor - 1868-1956 (Source; Public Domain © Unknown)

After getting married (to Henrietta Webbert) the couple moved to Dayton Ohio where he got hired by the Stoddard Manufacturing Co. who hired him to make farm machinery and bicycles.

His next employers were two brothers running a bicycle shop, where he initially just fixed bikes but more and more started running the business when his employers went of pursuing their interest in aviation. In 1902 he was in charge of the shop when his employers went to Kitty Hawk North Carolina to fly gliders. His employers were Wilbur & Orville Wright.

As the available engines were too heavy and did not provide enough power for the Wright Flyer the Wright Brothers turned to Taylor and asked him for help. In 6 weeks he designed and built the engine that would power the Wright Flyer at Kitty Hawk. Using rough sketches from the Wright Brothers as a starting point. The 152-pound (69 kg) cast aluminium engine provided 12 hp, 4 more than the minimum 8 hp that the Wright Brothers needed for their aircraft.

The engine built in 1903 by Charles E. Taylor (Source; FAA © Unknown

It was this engine that powered the first sustained and controlled flight by an aircraft that was heavier than air on the 17th of December 1903.

After being an essential part of this historic step in aviation, he continued to work for the Wright brothers until 1920 when he moved to California. Only to return to Dayton Ohio 1936 to help move the Wright brothers' family home and one of their Bicycle shops to an open-air museum. Charles Edward Tailor died from asthma-related complications on the 30th of January, 1956.

On May 24, 2007, a United States House of Representatives resolution supporting the goals and ideals of a National Aviation Maintenance Technician Day was introduced. On the 30th of April 2008, the resolution passed. Making the 24th of May Aviation Maintenance Technician Day.

17th of December 1903, Orville Wright is airborne in the Wright Flyer I. Powered by the engine built by Charles E. Taylor (Source: Public Domain © Unknown)

A day that has been taken onboard by the aviation industry worldwide in recognition of the man and woman who make sure that crews, passengers and/or cargo have a safe and well-maintained aircraft for their next flight. So the next time you board an aircraft, have a look at the engine that will power your aircraft into the sky, and spare a thought for the first aviation technician, Charles E. Taylor!