Now, the longtime aviation mechanic and CEO of Big Valley Aviation – the oldest business at Stockton Metropolitan Airport – is working to pass that knowledge on as the skilled trades industry faces a changing future.
Those safety checks are critical before any aircraft is cleared to fly. Big Valley Aviation says that, in 52 years, it has not had an accident involving an aircraft released from its shop.
"[If] the wheel falls off of your car after you get your tires installed, well, it's an inconvenience," McKenzie said. "If a part on the helicopter breaks, it's a life-threatening situation."
"You don't have to be that great, you just have to stick around a long time to get a Charles Taylor Award. But in that 51 years, I've learned a lot. And now I'm mentoring more people," McKenzie said.
Charles Taylor Master Mechanic award winner Paul McKenzie working with his granddaughter.
"He brings me a donut every morning," Houschildt said. "On a serious note, it's nice because we can have private conversations, but then work conversations, and he just has so much to offer."
Houschildt calls every day "a new adventure".
She adds: "I was working on fixed-wing on airplanes before, and I wasn't – bored's probably not the right word. But I was just kind of doing the same thing over and over again and I wanted to change ... I wanted to get into helicopters while I could and learn as much as I could before he's done."
"In today's world, there's a shortage of mechanics and a shortage of training, and a shortage of knowledge," McKenzie said.
The need is growing. A recent Canadian Aviation Electronics aviation talent forecast found that 83% of aircraft maintenance technicians worldwide are expected to retire or leave the field within the next decade.
While they may not be able to control the state of aviation mechanics, they are doing what they can to control what they can – and that's making flying more accessible to people.
McKenzie's favorite part of his profession of five decades?
For anyone interested in learning about becoming an aircraft mechanic, Houschildt would recommend getting hands-on experience, going to a shop, and learning from experienced mechanics first-hand, like her grandfather.
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