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someday take over the prop shop.
Rudy sees a lot of similarities
between his 17-year-old self and Jonah.
Rudy expects it will take at least five
years for Jonah to get the basics down
on blade work. Hub repair work will
require an additional two years. Then,
there are three to four years necessary
for Jonah to get through propeller
assembly and balancing. Rudy believes
he still has a good ten years in him to
carry through Jonah’s transition.
What we can expect is smoother
finishes, straighter blades, vibration
elimination, and safer propellers coming
from this new group of young people.
Let us all welcome Jonah and the next
generation of aircraft mechanics and
technicians into the world of vintage
and veteran aviation. We will need them
to “Keep ‘Em Flying.” ACKlaers contacted the principal of the
homeschool program and the Colorado
Department of Education to see what
restrictions might limit the number
of hours or job responsibilities that a
student intern might perform. After
submitting a very detailed list of job
functions required from propeller
manufacturer manuals, the DOE and
WestPac agreed to limit work hours to
20 per week for a 16-year-old (which
can increase to 40 hours per week
at age 17) and to prohibit overhead
crane operation. Otherwise, Jonah is
free to perform all job responsibilities
under supervision. Jonah started as an
apprentice in the propeller shop on
1 May of this year. “This is what the
museum is about — inspiring youth
into an aviation career,” states Klaers.
Jonah and his parents are really
excited about his opportunity at
WestPac Propellers. They are also
industrious hard-working individuals
that were encouraging Jonah to go into
a trade school after completing his
homeschooling. Jonah and his mother
particularly like the precision that is
demanded by aircraft and aviation.
Jonah enjoys the design, style, and
feel of the propeller-driven aircraft
along with the history of Warbirds.
His favorites include the Martin B-26
Marauder, Douglas SBD Dauntless, and
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver.
Jonah envisions his long-term career
plan as working on propellers but he also
wants to get his Airframe & Powerplant
mechanic license. He wants to keep his
focus on the older aircraft and perhaps- Annealing (by a third party) to
soften the blades. - Initial blade straightening to get
within manufacturer tolerances,
including using a boost machine
for center alignment, face and
edge alignment. - Heat treatment (by a third party)
to harden the metal. - Rechecking the straightening
and alignments. - Age hardening (by a third party).
- Finishing process, including
grinding to eliminate any and all
defects, Non-Destructive Testing
to check for unseen damage, and
painting.
Roughly 20% of Warbird propellers
are cuffed and that step is also
performed by an outside third party.
Rudy’s art is perfection and his
objectives are smoother finishes,
straighter blades, eliminating vibration,
and delivering safer propellers. His goal
is now to pass on this knowledge and
expertise to the next generation.
Jonah is a sharp young man from
the Colorado Springs area where
he is homeschooled. Jonah enjoys
mathematics and history, particularly
WWII history. Jonah’s mother
encouraged him to visit the National
Museum of World War II Aviation,
which is run by WestPac’s Bill Klaers.
He did so and noted that there were
numerous volunteers along with a
number of mechanics working on the
aircraft. He also noted all were greatly
enjoying their work and assignments.
This collective enthusiasm was
addictive and at age 14, Jonah applied to
volunteer at the museum.
Within a couple months, Jonah
was invited to give tours, lectures,
and demonstrations on the museum’s
1943 Link Trainer. Edwin Link’s
trainer was designed to allow pilots to
receive realistic instrument training
in instrument flying conditions. The
original 1929 model used player piano
and pump organ technology to provide
trainer movement. The museum’s 1943
model is fully pneumatic and fully
operational.
After being with the Link for about
a year, Jonah approached Bill Klaers
and Rudy about the possibility of
becoming a propeller shop intern.
Rudy showing Jonah some of the finer
points of propeller maintenance.Jonah in his element at WestPac.