Happy Birthday, Charlie Taylor!
All the Charlie Taylors in the World
Charlie Taylor was the name of a singer and guitarist whom my parents used to love. They would go see him whenever he happened to be performing at a Detroit Irish pub. He’s gone now, and so are my parents, and they are missed. Charlie Taylor is also the name of an African despot. He’s now serving 50 years in prison. Nobody misses that guy.
And Charlie Taylor is the name of a bicycle mechanic who began the jet propulsion industry. Charlie propelled himself from an assistant to the Wright Brothers to the guy responsible for the “lift off” of aeronautics.
Father of Airplane Mechanic Technicians
The Crystal Pyramid Productions video duo, Patty and Mark, videotaped an interview with Charlie Taylor’s most avid fan, Ken MacTiernan. Ken is the Director for the Aircraft Maintenance Technicians Association. AMTA is a non-profit 501(c)6 organization that was created to promote and educate the public about Charles E. Taylor, the Wright brothers’ mechanic.
Ken told us that Charles “Charlie” Edward Taylor built the first engines for the Wright Flyer which e
nabled the Orville and Wilbur Wright to achieve powered, controlled flight. Although the Wright brothers always gave credit for Charlie’s contributions to aviation, history sadly has forgotten.
Beautiful Bronze Busts
Charles Taylor II, great-grandson of Charles E. Taylor, poses next to a bronze bust honoring his grandfather at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
The AMTA wants Charles E. Taylor’s place in aviation’s history remembered. So they have been donating bronze busts of Charles E. Taylor to museums and organizations. All of the busts the AMTA donates are created by talented artist, Virginia Krause Hess.
Ken said that the AMTA is constantly raising money for the next bust donation. Each bust costs $6000.00 USD. Each donation made goes directly towards this cost. The Facebook page, “Friends of Charles E. Taylor” has updates on their progress, and they also send e-mail updates to AMTA Members. If the donor desires and the museum receiving the busts permits, then the donor has their name placed on a plaque showing their support. The AMTA also posts the names of supporters on their Facebook page. Each donor also receives a signed Thank You notification for their donation.
Where the Busts Reside
Busts of Charles E. Taylor reside in the United States Air Force Academy, National Museum of the USAF, the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, San Diego Air & Space Museum, American Airlines’ Tulsa & DFW Maintenance Facilities to name a few sites. A bronze bust of Charles E. Taylor allows the public to “see” what Charlie looked like. This enables the public to better remember and recognize his importance to aviation. By creating the first aircraft engines, by hand with nothing more than a simple lathe, drill press and hand tools, Charlie not only enabled the Wright brothers and the United States to conquer the challenges of powered, controlled flight but also all of mankind. Charles E. Taylor created the first aircraft engines and he also created a highly skilled and respected craft which we call Aircraft Maintenance Technicians (AMT).
These bronze bust donations recognize an American almost forgotten by history who is aviation’s “unsung hero” and the “Father of Aircraft Maintenance”.
It was a fun day hanging out on the tarmac with Ken and other aviation mechanics. They took their work very seriously, which was splendid to see.
In honor of Charlie Taylor, the father of Aviation Mechanic Technicians, here’s a song by the OTHER Charlie Taylor, the one who used to sing Irish tunes in Detroit.
