“You know, it’s kinda like having a baby. You wait nine months, and you’re still not exactly sure when it’s coming.”
That wry observation from my friend Scott Anderson nicely summed up the mood as we awaited the arrival of a new engine for my 1946 Globe Swift. Finally the day came, and Scott, a skilled A&P mechanic, was soon be at work.
While celebrating the blessed event, my wife, Carolyn, and I reflected on the history of the engine that had been the heartbeat of our airplane.
Installed in 1974 under an STC, the 210-hp Continental IO-360D had served us faithfully since we purchased the plane in 1997. We always said the engine had the spirit of a warrior, since it came from an Air Force O-2 forward air control aircraft.
But now the run-out Continental was fated to meet its maker in Mobile, Alabama. No gold watch or retirement party, although we did toast the old girl before closing the lid on the crate.
Carolyn’s characterization of the engine swap to a heart transplant gave rise to the question “What really is the heart of an airplane?”
Looking through the old powerplant logs one last time, I saw the answer right there in black and white, in the signatures of all who had maintained that engine.
The first entry, dated May 9, 1974, documents the engine installation by Brodie A. Crim, Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia. Jim Berry was the proud owner at the time.
Carolyn and I are the 10th caretakers of record, and for the last quarter century the Swift has been blessed with the services of several talented mechanics who we count as good friends.
First on our watch was Don Bartholomew, a “Swift Guru” and owner of The Aeroplane Factory in Gardnerville, Nevada. Don’s shop was a short flight from our home in northern California. Under the supervision of his golden retriever, Don completed a thorough restoration in the winter of 1998-99. Soon the Swift (that a former owner had nicknamed “The Truck”) was transformed into an award-winning classic that Carolyn christened “Silver Belle.”
For the next six years Don did various upgrades and annual inspections, then in 2005 we left the West Coast for my home state of Tennessee.
Enter Jim Thomason, who specialized in Swift maintenance at his shop in upstate South Carolina. Working with Jim was a treat. After landing on his grass runway, I soon had my sleeves rolled up.
Jim kept our bird in fine fettle, and in 2013 he opened the wing slots (a hallmark of the Swift) that a previous owner had covered in the quest for more speed.
Jim is retired now, but I’m lucky to live near the Swift Museum at McMinn County Airport (KMMI) in Athens, Tennessee.
Which brings us back to my friend Scott Anderson. Not only is Scott the executive director of the Swift Museum Foundation, he’s a talented mechanic with a winning track record of restoring Swift aircraft. In 2014, Scott’s restoration of a GC-1A Swift garnered a Silver Lindy award at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh such is the caliber of his work.
So when the big blue crate from Continental finally arrived, Scott rolled up his sleeves and gamely put up with my “help” for over a week. At last a new engine and overhauled prop were installed and successfully ground run. All that remained was the annual inspection.
Enter Tom, a gentleman in his late 70s. Retired from a career maintaining regional jets, his commitment to aviation still shines. Upside down under our instrument panel, his critical eyes caught a vacuum system filter that had seen better days. As I handed him a new filter, he cheerfully went about replacing it, while giving me a lesson in filter maintenance and inspection.
Talent and dedication — those words sum up all those who have cared for our little bird. They personify the saying, “Without mechanics, pilots would just be pedestrians with leather jackets, big sunglasses, and expensive watches.”
Which brings us back to the question “What is the heart of an airplane?”
Studying the logbooks, the answer is clear: It’s the craftsmen who built that airframe at the close of World War II, the skilled hands assembling engines in Mobile, and the succession of countless professionals who have maintained my Swift for nearly eight decades.
But it may not be long before Tom hangs up his inspector’s hat and Scott says that our new engine is the last he will install. I wonder who will take their place?
A study by Boeing found that by 2040, the industry will need more than 600,000 new maintenance technicians. And friends, that’s just the airline side. Countless more mechanics will be needed to keep our GA fleet in the air.
What can we do to ensure that when our aircraft need attention qualified hands will be there?
While we often guide young people toward a seat in the cockpit, let’s not forget to talk up the options of an aircraft maintenance career. As pilots, we may not be as conversant with that topic, but we all know an A&P who could offer advice.
Or invite these kids to your local EAA chapter meeting. They’re guaranteed to meet a mentor there. It’s a small price to keep that heartbeat strong.
Author’s Note: This story is dedicated to Don Bartholomew, who flew west on Sept. 16, 2024. Blue skies, my friend.
