User:CanadianAME/Aircraft maintenance personnel in Britain

History

In order to understand the role of the AME originating in Britain, one must first omprehend and understand the origin and structure British system of law. Unless one understands, mistakes in the understanding of the law will result. While some will consider it an old and outdated document, provides great insight into the tructure of the Laws of the UK, the Commonwealth Nations and the United States. A direct link to references which provide substance will provide valuable reading in relation to this article in that regard.

There is an old and true saying that "Necessity is the mother of invention”: man does not, as a rule, worry about  new methods and new machines unless he feels very strongly the need for them.

man realised that aerial navigation was finally possible in 1906.

aviators - primarily mechanics, experimenters but also thrill seekers grew bolder. They were acquiring skill and confidence in the management of their machines and their engines were becoming more reliable - enabling further and more adventurous flights.

Instead of flying round and round a course they began to strike out across country, rising to considerable height. they rose until they appeared to be mere specks in the sky.

attempts were made to cross the English channel - most were unsuccessful. Mr. C. S. Rolls,  who had attained fame as a motorist, took to aviation, and then flew from Dover to Calais and back without coming to the ground.

by 1909 a machine heavier than air and driven by a petrol engine had risen to a height of nearly four miles above the surface of the earth.

Along with the advances experienced during the First Great War came The question of reliability, The necessity for strength of the construction and inspections and tests of the materials used and the manner and methods of construction and repair of these air-craft. Engineering related matters - and considering the still evolving science of Aeronautics - considered far greater than the actual flying of the machine back and forth from point to point as what goes up, must also come down…

Without a full and accurate knowledge of the history of the aircraft trades-person and the inspector tasked with oversight of their work, only a small fraction of their history would be obtained . This full and accurate knowledge then renders to the reader a comprehensive understanding of the trade-performing-person AME and the inspector / certifier “Licenced AME”, their labour, their courage, their delegated duties and their role in aviation safety.

The term "Engineer" has been used as a term for people involved in maintaining aircraft and aeronautical products since the dawn of aviation. in Britain. Beginning in the days of the British Empire, there have been a variety of terms applied to both the person performing the "work" as well as the person responsible for the oversight and control of the work being performed.

Their linneage is long, begining with the Royal Engineers and ending with the Licenced AME of today.

Royal Engineers

Royal Engineers (RE) pre 1800s

The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. It is highly regarded throughout the military, and especially the Army. In 1855 the Board of Ordnance was abolished and authority over the Royal Engineers, Royal Sappers and Miners and Royal Artillery was transferred to the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, thus uniting them with the rest of the Army.

1856 the Royal Engineers and the Royal Sappers and Miners were unified as "the Corps of Royal Engineers".

1862 the RE absorbs the British officers and men of the engineer corps of the East India Company.

1911 the RE Air Battalion, the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces is formed.

The Corps has no battle honours.

Its mottoes, "Ubique" (Everywhere) and "Quo Fas et Gloria Ducunt" (Where Duty and Glory lead), were granted by King William IV in 1832, signifying that the Corps had seen action in all the major conflicts of the British Army and almost all of the minor ones as well.

A point of some pride is the distinction "Corps of Royal Engineers" instead of "Royal Engineer Corps".

The distinction, they say, is that every Sapper is Royal in his own right, rather than simply being a member of a Royal Corps (such as the Royal Corps of Signals or the Royal Regiment of Artillery). Royal Engineers were required to be at least 5 feet 4 inches tall (5 feet 2 inches for the Mounted Branch) prior to WW2.

The initial term of enlistment was for six years with the colours and a further six years with the reserve or

four years with the colours and a further eight years with the reserve.

men could enlist in the Royal Engineers up to 30 years of age instead of the 25 for most regiments.

The Royal Engineers trained at the Chatham Depot or the Aldershot Depot (Mounted).

One of the principle branches of the British Military since the days of William the Conqueror, the Royal Engineers provide technical services to both the British Army and the Royal Navy.

The Royal Engineers developed some of the earliest training necessary to provide the skills for the safe operation and maintenance of the tools of war.

Research and development of materials and standards for the tools of war was carried out by the Royal Engineers.

Inspection and approval of maintenance work on Civil emplacements, Military fortifications and articles of war was carried out by an appropriately qualified officer of the Royal Engineers.

As the British Empire utilised state factories to produce munitions, these factories had officers and men of the engineers on hand for quality control and assistance for issues encountered.

One such factory was the "Royal balloon factory" where balloons were researched, designed, built and flown. As a part of this work, the British Army created the School of Ballooning. When heavier-than-air craft came into being the Royal Balloon factory was re-designated the "Royal aircraft factory"(Raf). The Royal aircraft factory was tasked with research, design, building and test flying aircraft for the Royal Army.

Royal Engineer training

Men

trades board

Officers

Training for Officers of the Royal Engineers, who oversaw the work of trades-men in an Administrative role, required that the candidate be a qualified and experienced "Journey person" in their trade in order to be accepted to the two year officer program at the School of Military Engineering in Chatham, where they received higher level education in engineering discipline, Military and Civilian law and military officer courses. Upon completion, the newly graduated officer was then required to complete a two-year term of apprenticeship under a superior engineering officer.

Royal Engineers - Air Battalion

When "aviation" began to be viewed as more than a fad, the RE were tasked with investigating this new form of transport and machine with an eye to use for military purposes. The origins of aircraft maintenance in Britain, and hence also in the Commonwealth and ex-Commonwealth countries go back even before the arrival of the aeroplane. The first significant operator of aircraft of the British Empire of the period was the British Army. During the second Boer War the Balloon Corps of the Royal Engineers used observation balloons for artillery spotting. These were later supplemented with manned kites. The Balloon Corps was then reformed as the Air Battalion.

Royal Flying Corps

The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed from combining the officers and men of the Royal Engineers of the British Army Air Batallion with the officers and men of the British Admiralty's Air section in 1912.

Great Britain sent the Royal Engineers and the RFC to war with roughly 40 aeroplanes and about 250 men in 1914, by the end of the war in 1918 the RAF had almost 23,000 operational aircraft and nearly 300,000 members. Canada had some 23,000 officers and men involved in the RFC-RAF who returned home with "Aviation Experience" after the war.

RFC - Training

a training establishment was set up at Upavon. Training on balloons and kites was subsequently transferred from Farnborough, and training on air-craft formalised for the first time. Although the initial trainees were officers, civilian pilot Jimmy Valentine, suggested that the aircraft-tradesmen of the RFC should also learn to fly, both to understand their jobs better and to act as standby pilots. The intake subsequently included NCOs and "Air Mechanics"

Royal Flying Corps Ground School at Oxford University

Royal Flying Corps School for Flying at Stamford

Royal Flying Corps Advanced Flying and Scout School at Northolt

Royal Flying Corps Battle School at Marske

Early in the war, King George V issued an order to transfer "the Officers and men of the Royal Engineers involved in aeroplane repair to the RFC" and that they would also be known collectively as "Engineers". Naturally, by the time the Great War ended, anyone involved in the maintenance, repair and servicing of aeroplanes be they an enlisted man or an officer was collectively known as an "Engineer" by the general public.

Men of the aircraft-trades of the "Engineers" were also trained as gunners and observers and often flew with the pilots of the RFC - many giving their lives as "Air-men" instead of staying safely on the ground.

British Military - Supply of Munitions and articles of War

Ministry of Munitions

Under control of the Minister of Munitions, the Ministry of Munitions was responsible for:

British Military - Aeronautics

officers of the Air Service are, generally speaking, young officers with little experience outside actual flying

Colonel Seely and Mr. Churchill between them organised the Flying Corps who were to operate these machines, and we were fortunate enough to get for the head of the corps an officer of great distinction, General Sir David Henderson

the early question of aeroplanes. I remember very well when aeroplanes first became a pressing necessity, and I remember the shoal of inventions and projects which came to me as Minister of War in those days and which I had to consider. I saw a great many of the inventors, and I read any quantity of specifications and plans, and I consulted any number of experts.

And what was impressed on me was this, that I was asked to deal with the second stage of the problem instead of first being called upon to deal with the first stage.

The first stage was how to get definitely ascertained the principles which should guide construction. I do not mean merely as regards the shape of the machines but as regards the material out of which they should be constructed, the power of the machines, and an infinity of technical detail of great importance.

The second was how to carry these principles into practice and to apply them.

The course we took in those days was this, and I have no reason to doubt that it was a good course.

The first thing we did was to take the National Physical Laboratory, one of the most valuable institutions in this country which covers a great deal of the field of research in matters of this kind, and to construct a new wing there which should be the laboratory or rather the permanent working place of a continuously working Committee.

For that Committee we were fortunate enough to secure the services of Lord Rayleigh as president, and we secured the co-operation of some of the greatest theoretical experts in the country.

We also had the assistance of Mr. Lanchester and Mr. Mallock, who were famed throughout the country for their remarkable skill in the adaptation of new principles to practice, particularly in problems of mechanical construction. Of course, that Committee could only do one part of the work.

At Farnborough, near where the Committee were at work, was established, under the able guidance of Mr. O'Gorman, who was picked for the purpose, a Construction Department. Mr. O'Gorman was in the closest consultation with the Committee, and he set to work, not to produce aeroplanes on a large scale in regard to numbers—which I think the noble Lord rather assumed—but to work out the models on the principles which had been ascertained and worked out by the Committee.

officers and men of like standing." The phrase "men of like standing" "men who were in the same social class as the officers who received commissions, but who served in the ranks" .. §

Structure of ??

Air Board(s)

1916 Air Board - His Majesty to establish an Air Board, consisting of a President appointed by His Majesty, who shall hold office during His Majesty's pleasure, and of other members who shall be appointed in such manner and subject to such provisions as His Majesty may by Order in Council direct.

it shall be lawful for His Majesty to establish an Air Board, consisting of a President appointed by His Majesty, who shall hold office during His Majesty's pleasure, and of other members who shall be appointed in such manner and subject to such provisions as His Majesty may by Order in Council direct.

The President of the Board shall act with the advice of the other members of the Board

The Air Board shall in relation to aircraft have such powers and duties of any Government Department or authority, whether conferred by Statute or otherwise, as His Majesty may by Order in Council transfer to the Board, or authorise the Board to exercise or perform concurrently with or in consultation with the Government Department or authority concerned.

For the purposes of this Act the President of the Air Board shall be deemed to be a Minister appointed under this Act and the Air Board a Ministry established under this Act.

new "MINISTRIES AND SECRETARIES" BILL

1. CLAUSE 11.—Seal, Style, and Acts of Minister : Each Minister appointed under this Act may adopt an official seal and describe himself generally by the style and title
2. the seal of the Minister shall be officially and judicially noticed, and shall be authenticated by the signature of the Minister or of a secretary or some person authorised by the Minister to act in that behalf

The Board turned into an Air Ministry.

the Prime Minister was asked

(1) whether the new Air Board has any control over or responsibility for the personnel and discipline of the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Naval Anti-Aircraft Service;

(2) whether the new Air Board has any powers in relation to anti-aircraft gunnery, and, if so, what;

(3) whether the new Air Board has any control over or responsibility for the Royal Aircraft Factory.

he exact powers to be exercised by the Air Board over Services or establishments still under the control of other Departments is one that cannot be defined at the present moment, before the Air Board has commenced its work. They will depend very largely upon interdepartmental arrangements, and will be developed as time proceeds.

Engineering

Corps of Royal Engineers

Research

Advisory Council for Aeronautics

Quality Control

requirements for aeroplanes used by the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps were not necessarily identical.

responsibility for deciding the design, type, and factors of safety of aeroplanes used by the Royal Naval Air Service prior to XXXXX was vested in the Director of Air Services.

responsibility for deciding the design, type, and factors of safety of aeroplanes used by the Royal Flying Corps prior to XXXXX was vested in the Director-General of Military Aeronautics.

responsibility for deciding the design, type, and factors of safety of aeroplanes used by the Royal Naval Air Service AND the Royal Flying Corps after XXXXX was vested in the Air Board for both services

The Air Board had no control over the design and construction of airships for the Royal Naval Air Service.

The supply of all aeroplanes and seaplanes and experimental work in connection therewith, are under the direct control of the Air Board

An [[Aeronautical Inspection Department]] (A.I.D) was created as a part of the British War Office as part of the rapidly expanding [[Ministry of Munitions]] supply chain to ensure that "every single piece of aeronautical material and all assembled appliances used during the manufacture, repair and modification of aeroplanes was of sufficient quality". The A.I.D made massive strides in solving numerous technical issues and developing high standards for everything used in British aviation during WW1.

RFC aircraft trades training 1912-1918

Halton

Training for persons performing work as "trades people" in the RFC developed into a three-year RAF Boy Mechanic apprentice program implemented by Sir Hugh Trenchard in 1920.

Royal Air Force

Post war Permanent Organization of the Royal Air Force

When hostilities ceased, the Royal Air Force consisted of 30,000 officers and 265,000 men. On January 24 1,724 officers and 51,727 men had been discharged. This process of

demobilization will continue until the force is reduced to 6,500 officers and 75,000 men.

Officers and airmen will be retained who were not enlisted and posted before January 1, 1916, have not attained their thirty seventh birthday, or are not entitled to three or more wounded stripes.

A weekly bonus has been added to the pay of all ranks, ranging from 10 shillings weekly for second class mechanics to over 2 pounds for officers ranking above Lieutenant Colonel.

The "Trenchard Memorandum"

Drafted by the Chief of the Air Staff 25th November, 1919 and presented to Secretary of State for Air Sir Winston Churchill 26th November, 1919

Read before parliament by Secretary of State for Air Sir Winston Churchill on 11th November, 1919 it consisted of 12 numbered sections:

Permanent Organization of the Royal Air Force:

1. 1. The Problem confronting the RAF
   2. Governing principles
   3. Service Units
   4. Reserves
   5. Extreme importance of training
   6. Training of Officers
   7. Training of men
   8. Higher organisation at home
   9. Depots
   10. Necessity for large capitol outlay on accomodations
   11. Research
   12. Civil Aviation

Administration

Manual of Air Force law created - documents the origin and development of Military law in England pertaining to the Air Force. Based upon the Manual of Military law.

Kings Regulations for the Army - order in council mandated they be used as framework for the Kings Regulations for the Air-Force.

military equivalent to a civilian legal system - used for the "adminstration and management" of the Air Force.

The King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions for the Royal Air Force were first published in 1924, some six years after the Force's formation from the union of the RFC and the RNAS in 1918. It distinguished between the airman, aircraftman and aircraft-hand.

RAF aircraft trades training 1918-1993

Halton

apprentices sitting "Trades Board Examinations"and regular English School prior to their "passing out" from the program in order to gain RAF "Trades Person / Journeyman" status.

The WW1 RFC Boy Mechanic program then became the RAF's Aircraft Apprentice program of 1920.

When the RAF was formed from combining the RFC and RNAS, the two-year-old RNAS system of training at their establishment at Cranwell was adopted for the airmen of the RFC to learn the trade of aircraft maintenance.

After the war, training was moved to Halton No. 1 School of Technical Training RAF in order to pass on the amassed technical knowledge gained during WW1.

In addition to the Brats' education at Halton, many went further to obtain much higher credentials, including a few PhD's.

Every AME who has had to file a block of metal into a cube as a part of their basic skills project owes this experience to the Brass Cube test which was part of Trenchard's apprentice program which ultimately trained 40,000 aviation trades people between 1919 and 1993. The gate guardian at RAF Halton is known as "Jock's Block" and is a large rendition of the Halton apprentice "Brass Cube" test.

Many of the 16-19 year old "Halton Brats" became officers in the RAF in WW2.

RAF daughter forces

CAF (1920-1924)

Motto : Sic Itur Ad astra - "So we go to the stars"

RCAF

Motto : Per ardua ad astra - Towards the stars

BCATP & Flight Engineer

This was a position created by RAF Bomber Command in 1943 to have qualified RAF technical personnel - many of them ex-Halton apprentices - on board the aircraft in order to deal with any issues that could crop up in the air and get the now highly complex machines home. (due to BCATP not training Air-men in same manner as the RAF trained them) .

Post WW2, the post / position of "Flight Engineer" was retained for use in civilian transportation aircraft due to the increasing complexity of aircraft systems and controls.

1918 Armistice and Civilian aviation

From the outbreak of the 1914-1918 war, the person holding the post of Secretary of State for War was responsible for "Service" aviation, as an end to hostilities approached, this person was also ascribed the post of Secretary of State for Air responsible for control of Civilian i.e "Civil" aviation and accomplished both duties from 19xx until 19xx. With an eye towards returning the commercial interests of the British Empire to peace time operation a Bill for an Aerial Navigation Act was introduced into Parliament on 1918. This preliminary document which was submitted as the basis for the International Convention on Aerial Navigation (ICAN) received Parliamentary approval and resulted in the issue of the Air Navigation Regulations 1919 on 29 April 1919 {{PD-BritishGov}}: by then Secretary of War and Air Winston Churchill, a full 2 months bafore the Treaty of Versailles was signed on 28 June 1919. The treaty of Versailles became effective on 10 January 1920.  

The 1st International Convention on Air Navigation, signed at Paris 13 October 1919 aka "the Paris Convention" came into force on 11 July 1922 and would control the "international" flying of aircraft of members to the convention between member states (cross-border flying). Article 40 of the Paris Convention identified that "the British Dominions and India shall be deemed to be States for the purpose of the present Convention'"

For aircraft within the borders of the British Empire, the British Air Regulations of 1919 controlled "national" flying and the airworthiness of aircraft within the Empire.

the British Air Navigation Act of 1920 recites in its preamble that "the full and absolute sovereignty and rightful jurisdiction of His Majesty extends, and has always extended, over the air superincumbent on all parts of His Majesty's dominions and the territorial waters adjacent thereto"

With the creation of the Air Ministry the Minister of Defence (United Kingdom) oversaw all things related to the certification and licensing of military and civilian aircraft in Britain and the Commonwealth.

The Minister of Defence for Air in the UK was the person responsible for both "Service" and "Civil" aviation.

From 1919 onwards, the UK War office - Air Ministry published the Kings Regulations for the Air Force and Air Council Instructions as well as many Air Publications which delivered orders and information to the officers and men of the Air Force and the Air Council - including the civilian AMEs in the UK and the Commonwealth.

Legislation pertaining to Aerial Navigation within the British Empire.

Early in 1911 the Chief Commissioner of Police represented to the Home Secretary that, in his opinion, serious danger might arise [...] if flights over the heads of the spectators [...] in a way which was rather suggestive of danger were permitted, and had suggested that legislation might be introduced with a view to preventing fatalities on the ground in the event of an accident.

The Aerial Navigation Act, 1911

Concerned with the risks, serious nature of accidents and potential for disaster caused by aeroplanes an AERIAL NAVIGATION BILL "To provide for the protection of the public against dangers arising from the navigation of aircraft," is presented to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Parliament 25 May 1911 by The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT : Mr. Winston Churchill (supported by Mr. Masterman) in order to protect King George V from aircraft flying over his Coronation route on 24 June 1911. The stated intent of the BILL is "to safeguard fortified places, and to prevent flying over the heads of very large public concourses". Royal Assent to the BILL was received.

CLAUSE 1.— Penalty on Navigating Aircraft to the Danger of the Public

• • If any person navigates an aircraft recklessly or negligently, or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, he shall be guilty of an offence under this Act; and in determining whether an aircraft is navigated in a manner which is dangerous to the public, regard shall be had to the amount of damage to person and property likely to be occasioned in the event of a mishap occurring to the aircraft (CLAUSE 1. - was NOT implemented)

CLAUSE 2.— Power to prohibit Navigation of Aircraft Over Prescribed Areas

• • (1) A Secretary of State may for the purpose of protecting the public from danger from time to time by order prohibit the navigation of aircraft over such areas as may be prescribed in the order, and if any person navigates an aircraft over any such area in contravention of any such order, he shall be guilty of an offence under this Act unless he proves that he was compelled to do so by reason of stress of weather, or other circumstances over which he had no control.
  • (2) Any such order may apply either generally to all aircraft or to aircraft of such classes and descriptions only as may be specified in the order, and may prohibit the navigation of aircraft over any such prescribed area either at all times or at such times or on such occasions only as may be specified in the order, and either absolutely or subject to such exceptions or conditions as may be so specified.
  • (3) Any person aggrieved by a summary conviction under this Act may, in England or Ireland, appeal to a court of quarter sessions, and in Scotland in like manner as in the case of a conviction under The Motor Car Act, 1903 [1], as provided by Section 18 of that Act.

CLAUSE 3.—Penalties for Offences

• • (1) If any person is guilty of an offence under this Act, he shall be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six (6) months, or to a fine not exceeding two hundred (£200) pounds, or to both such imprisonment and fine.

The Aerial Navigation Act, 1913

with a war in Europe looming, it extended the purposes of The Aerial Navigation Act, 1911 power of prescribing forbidden areas to include 1) the defence or safety of the realm, and 2) authorized firing at aircraft which failed to comply with regulations on being signalled to do so.

The Aerial Navigation Act, 1917

Constituted the Air Council, is purely a military Act. The Air Council is a purely military body, formed for military purposes and on a military basis.

The Aerial Navigation Act, 1919

(temporary statute) With a view to a return of peace post WW1, it further empowered a Secretary of State to make regulations regarding 1) the licensing of pilots, b) the licensing of aircraft and c) the licensing of aerodromes, 2) to make regulations generally, regarding the carriage by air of passengers and goods, and 3) the purposes of the "Air Council", were extended to include "civillian" (Civil) aerial navigation.

During debate in the House over the wording of the Aerial Navigation BILL, 1919 it was proposed "to leave out the word "aerial" ["to regulate aerial navigation"], and insert instead thereof the word"air." General SEELY agreed that the word "aerial" is a horrible word. It is so difficult to say. But at the same time it has been accepted for some time back as a proper term, and I cannot think of another. Air navigation, of course, has the objection that air is a substantive and not an adjective. My right hon. Friend tells me sea bathing has a substantive with it. It is perfectly possible that by the alteration of a title you may greatly inconvenience other possible words, but I will bear it in mind.

CLAUSE 1.— Power to Regulate Aerial Navigation.

(1) It shall be lawful for a Secretary of State by Order to regulate aerial navigation over the British Islands and the territorial waters adjacent thereto, and in particular, but without derogating from the generality of the above provision, he may by any such Order provide for—

(a) the grant, suspension, and revocation of licences to pilots and other persons engaged in the navigation of aircraft;

(b) the registration, identification, inspection, and certification of aircraft; especially those used for the carrying of passengers, goods, and mails

(c) the licensing, inspection, and regulation of aerodromes;

(d) the conditions under which aircraft may be used for carrying goods, mails, and passengers.

(e) the conditions under which goods, mails, may be imported and exported and passengers transported in aircraft into or from the British Islands, or from one of the British Islands to another.

(2) If any person contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions contained in any such Order he shall be guilty of an offence under the Aerial Navigation Act, 1911:

Provided that if proceedings are taken by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise for contravention of or failure to comply with any Regulation made under paragraph (e), the proceedings shall be deemed to be proceedings for the recovery of a penalty under the enactments relating to customs.

(3) Every Order made under this Section shall have effect as if enacted in this Act, but as soon as may be after it is made it shall be laid before each House of Parliament, and if an Address is presented to His Majesty by either House within the next subsequent twenty-one days on which that House has sat after the Order has been so laid, praying that the Order or any part thereof may be annulled, His Majesty may annul the Order or part thereof, and it shall thenceforth be void without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done there under or to the making of a new Order.

(4) The powers conferred by this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of the powers conferred by the Aerial Navigation Acts, 1911 and 1913.

CLAUSE 2.— Extension of purpose of Air Council

The purposes of the Air Council shall include all matters connected with aerial navigation.

the words in the second line should be amended to include certification, inspection, and so forth.

some civilian members. a sub-section to the Clause to the effect that there should be civilian members attached to the Air Council to act only in connection with the question of civil aviation. The appointments would naturally be left entirely to the Government. I think the whole of the commercial side of aviation will feel rather seriously if they are put entirely in the hands of military officers. I have not the slightest word of complaint against the military officers of the Air Council, for whom I have the highest respect, but military officers do not always in a position of authority get on with the commercial world. I think it would be better that two or three members should be added to the Air Council for civilian purposes. Formally I move the omission of the Clause.

The reason why a soldier was selected is that just for the moment practically everyone who is interested in flying, with a few exceptions, has joined either the Flying Corps or one or other branch of the Service, and with hardly an exception all the pilots belong to the Royal Air Force. Thus for the moment it is almost certain that you will find the best man within the ranks of the Royal Air Force of the Army or the Navy. That that will continue to be so I do not say. I should say it will not, but at present it is the case. Lord Londonderry, who is a member of the Air Council, will represent the Department in the House of Lords. Then we have Sir Arthur Duckham, Sir James Stevenson and Sir John Hunter, the last still technically a member of the Council. Therefore, there is a large civilian element, and though some of these gentlemen are there specifically for the purpose of concluding contracts and generally winding-up the affairs of the War, one of them will certainly always remain, and I should think, as time goes on, it will probably be the case that the man to whom the destinies of civil aviation are confided will tend more and more to be a business man, a civilian, even though he may have served in the Royal Air Force.

It is necessary that the Air Ministry should have the power to act to the best advantage in all matters connected with aerial navigation or transport We do not want to act in order to hamper the industry. On the contrary, as I have said more than once. But I think it is necessary that we should have the power whenever the occasion arises to make the necessary Regulations, that any other Government Department has, in regard to land or air transport.

the civilian has a very proper and well-grounded suspicion of military control. The names of the most successful machines during the War prove how much we owe to the civilian manufacturer. I have no objection to the appointment of this brilliant officer (General Sykes) to the position of head of civil aviation, but the right hon. Gentleman must remember that the Government has been so constructed that the whole of this Air Ministry is put in what we think is a subordinate position to the War Office, and that emphasises tenfold the suspicion that the public must have of the military element in the Ministry. I hope myself that so far from military predominance after the War, this Ministry, which deals with the most progressive of sciences, will be kept in touch with the most progressive of civilian opinion.

CLAUSE 3.— Short Title and Duration

(1) This Act may be cited as the Air Navigation Act, 1919 and the Aerial Navigation Acts, 1911 and 1913 and this Act may be cited together as the Air Navigation Acts, 1911 to 1919

(2) This Act shall continue in force until the first day of January, nineteen hundred and twenty, and no longer.

Title.—To make temporary provision for the regulation of air navigation and for purposes connected therewith.

Registration Marks - Maintenance - see The Motor Car Act, 1903 - CLAUSE 6.— Registration and identification marks

(1) On the first issue by a county council of a licence under Section thirteen of the Finance Act, 1920, as amended by this Act, for a vehicle it shall be the duty of the council to register the vehicle in the prescribed manner without any further application in that behalf by the person taking out the licence, and subject to the provisions of this section, every such council shall assign a separate number to every vehicle registered with them, and the mark indicating the registered number of the vehicle and the council with which the vehicle is registered shall be fixed on the vehicle or on any other vehicle drawn by that vehicle or on both in the prescribed manner:

§Provided that any number which has been assigned to a motor car under Section two of the Motor Car Act, 1903, and which is the registered number of that car on the first day of January, nineteen hundred and twenty-one, shall be treated as having been assigned to the car under the provisions of this section, and no new number shall be assigned to such a car.

§(2) If the mark to be fixed in accordance with this Act is not so fixed, or if, being so fixed, it is in any way obscured or rendered or allowed to become not easily distinguishable, the person driving the vehicle shall for each offence be liable on summary conviction to a penalty not exceeding fifty pounds:

§Provided that a person charged under this section with obscuring a mark, or rendering or allowing it to become not easily distinguishable, shall not be liable to be convicted on the charge if he proves that he has taken all steps reasonably practicable to prevent the mark being obscured or rendered not easily distinguishable."

The proposed BILL to ammend the Aerial Navigation Act, 1911 is circulated to members of the Air Force

The Aerial Navigation Act 1920

Consolidated all former acts into one document and further urther empowered a Secretary of State to make provision for 1) controlling and regulating the navigation of aircraft, whether British or foreign, within the limits of His Majesty's jurisdiction . . ., and, in the case of British aircraft, for regulating the navigation thereof both within such jurisdiction and elsewhere, and 2) to enable effect to be given to the Paris Convention of 1919 - relating to international x-border flying.

Guidance material used - Maritime Shipping Act {{PD-BritishGov}}:

Air Navigation - Policing Air Traffic

At this time within the British Empire, aircraft were considered a vehicle the same as any other and the rules, regulations and directions pertaining to them were published by the Metropolitan Police, London England. The metropolitan traffic manual [2] (containing the law relating to road, river and air traffic in London and elsewhere) deals with Air Navigation [3] in Section X.

The opening notes of Section X contain the following statement: "By para. 26 of the Air Navigation Regulations (p. 438, post) the Secretary of State may issue directions. The wording of this paragraph should be noted ; plainly the power to make regulations and impose fresh restrictions and liabilities on the public cannot be delegated to the Secretary of State" [4]

Detailed "Air Navigation Directions" were issued llth July, 1922, and were numbered "A.N.D. 3" A.N.D 3 dealt with: Registration, approval and inspection of aircraft ; Type aircraft ; Subsequent aircraft ; Modifications of aircraft ; Licensing of ground engineers ; Instruments to be carried ; Log books ; Licensing and examination of personnel and aerodromes.

Competent persons and the validation of certificates issued abroad by other competent authorities - including the Dominions were also defined [5]

Aeronautical Ground Engineers

Aeronautical Ground Engineer (1919 -1940)

An engineer, specially trained and educated in aeronautics at a British Technical Institute qualified to inspect and to certify the mechanical systems and the structural airworthiness of an aircraft of the period.

Officially called "Aeronautical (Ground) Engineers" / Licensed Aeronautical Engineers" in Parliament and other Government documents but better known as "Ground Engineers" or L.A.Es, the Ground Engineers were licensed by the Secretary of State for Air of the British Empire. Four types of Ground Engineer Licenses were issued, and were identified using a Letter system of categories:

Ground Engineer category "A" License: Inspection and Certification of Aircraft before Flight

Ground Engineer category "B" License: Inspection and Certification of Aircraft during Manufacture and after Overhaul

Ground Engineer category "C" License: Inspection and Certification of Aero-Engines before Flight

Ground Engineer category "D" License: Inspection and Certification of Engines during Manufacture and after Overhaul

Ground Engineer category "X" License: Inspection and Certification of Electrical and Wireless Equipment of Aircraft

Typically a license holder would possess an "A&C" license with certain specific "X" endorsements - thus allowing them to release the entire aircraft

Many training course textbooks for Ground Engineers were published, some are still available today such as "A Complete Course for Ground Engineers' A,B,C,D & X Licences" [6] Forward by Mr. H. Haselden Lewis, UK Air Registration Board. This particular tectbook contained sections on the following :

• 'A' License - 'The Rigging, Maintenance and Inspection of Aircraft' by W.J.C Speller, A.F.R.Ae.S, UK-A.I.D
• 'B' License - 'Inspection of Aircraft after Overhaul' by S.J. Norton, Assoc. M.inst.C.E & A.F.R.Ae.S
• 'C' License - 'Aero-Engines : Inspection of, Before Flight'
• Part I - ' 'Aero-Engines : Inspection of, Before Flight' by R.F. Barlowe
• Part II - 'The Law relating to Civil Aviation' by A. McIsaac
• 'D' License - 'Inspection of Aero-Engines after Overhaul'
• 'X' License - 'Electrical and Wireless Equipment of Aircraft' : Including the repair, overhaul and testing of Magnetos by S.G. Bybrow, A.M.I.E.E & A.M.I.M.E
• 'X' License - 'Instruments' : Repair, overhaul, testing and calibration of Aircraft and Aero-Engine instruments : Adjustment, Installation and Compensation of Compasses in Aircraft by R.W. Sloley, M.A - Cambridge, B.SC.- London university & Mr. C.E Dodge (sec. 8, App'x 'X' & Diagrams)

1. Additional Government and Air Ministry Official Publications (A.P.) required references Incorporated in this textbook that were required to be posessed by candidate "Ground Engineers" include:
   • United Kingdom - British Air Navigation Act (as ammended)
   • United Kingdom - British Air Navigation Order (as ammended)
   • United Kingdom Interpretation Act, 1889 for the purpose of interpretation of "The Air Navigation Order" as "an Act of Parliament" of the United Kingdom.
   • A good companion reference to the Interpretation Act, 1889 is "A treatise on statute law : with appendices containing statutory and judicial definitions of certain words and expressions used in statutes, popular and short titles of statutes, and the Interpretation Act, 1889"
   • The Air Navigation Directions (A.N.D)
   • The metropolitan traffic manual : containing the law relating to road, river and air traffic in London and elsewhere
   • British Government Statutory Rules & Orders - as applicable
   • British Air Ministry Pamphlet No. 34 - Instructions to Applicants for Ground Engineers Licenses & Syllabus of Examinations
   • British Air Service Handbook
   • British Air Ministry Publication No.1208 (A.P. No. 1208 ) - Airworthiness Handbook for CIVIL Aviation Vol. 1 "Design" & Vol. 2 "Inspection"
   • British Air Ministry Publication No.1275 (A.P. No. 1275) - General Instrument Equipment for aircraft
   • British Air Ministry - Department of Technical Development (D.T.D.) specifications. {{PD-BritishGov}}:

Certificates of Safety

Aeronautical Ground Engineers were authorised to inspect aircraft for its physical condition and conformance to the designers certified design and attest to its' airworthiness. These were sometimes known as "Certificates of Safety", "Certificates of Safety for Flight" however if not issued it meant the aircraft's CofA was invalid. Ground Engineers were specifically probited from signing if the aircraft did not meet the requirements for the daily renewal of airworthiness by way of these documents.

Statement made for a Certificate of Safety for Flight (Extract from the Air Navigation Directions) made by a Ground Engineer holding an "A" License before the first flight of the day. (Daily Certificate)

I HEREBY CERTIFY that I have this day inspected the above aircraft (including its instruments and equipment but exclusive of the engine(s) and engine installation and of the instruments relating thereto) and that I am satisfied that it is safe in every way for flight, provided that the conditions of loading specified in the certificate of airworthiness are complied with. The time this inspection was completed was ________hours (24 hr clock). Signed by:__________________ Ground Engineer "A" License No. __________ Date: _______________ Time: ___________hrs (24 hr clock)

The Modern British based AME arose from the the British Aerial Navigation Act of 1919 and the Regulations issued by its authority - regulations and orders which preceded the signing of the International Convention on Aerial Navigation. Reference for British aviation and aeronautics history of the period is found in the 1922 edition of the "The Encyclopaedia Britannica" [7]

The British Aerial Navigation Act of 1920:

1) asserted absolute sovereignty over all parts of His Majesty's dominions and adjacent waters ,

2) provided for the application of the International Convention by Order in Council to internal flying,

3) provided for the regulation of civil flying and the supplementing of the Convention, as necessary, by general safety regulations .

Both the British Aerial Navigation Acts of 1919 and 1920 detailed the requirements for the Airworthiness of Aircraft registered within the whole of the British Empire.

In order that an aircraft may receive a certificate of airworthiness:

1. its design, including the design of its components, must be approved as satisfying the requirements of safety in regard to both strength and stability ;
2. it must be constructed of approved materials and by workmanship of approved quality , and
3. its engine must be approved .
4. In order that such certificate of airworthiness may be valid on any particular occasion, the aircraft must:
5. be examined before flight and be periodically overhauled by a competent person duly licensed ;
6. be so loaded that its total weight does not exceed a given maximum, and its centre of gravity must be situated within certain given limits .
7. If the application for a certificate of airworthiness is in respect of a type aircraft, the inspection was carried out by representatives of the Aeronautical Inspection Directorate, and, in addition, drawings and particulars were required to be furnished to the Director of Research, as will enable him to approve the design .
8. In the case of subsequent aircraft constructed by a firm whose inspection is approved, sole responsibility lies with the Aeronautical Research Directorate, the constructor insuring that the conditions governing the inspection of type aircraft are applied to subsequent aircraft .
9. A certificate of airworthiness of an aircraft registered within the British Empire is not valid unless the aircraft concerned was regularly inspected by a licensed "aeronautical ground engineer .

CanadianAME (talk) 19:42, 5 January 2017 (UTC)

the signing of the October 13, 1919 Paris conference on Civilian Aviation

By 1919 British Standards for Airworthiness were:

identified by the NACA in the United States

identified in the Royal Aeronautical Society journals.

Authority over Ground Engineers

Work needed for this section - Information on the A.I.D. and how the Ground Engineers Examination and the issuance of their licenses were "shifted" to the department that licensed Pilots and Navigators so to "Take the strain off the A.I.D for having to accomplish this task"

Ground Engineer Duties and Responsibilities

""[...] steady growth of the machine in its power, capacity and size over the years has had to be matched by the ever-increasing responsibility and organization in "Ground Engineering". 

At the beginning, technical responsibility for an aircraft was normally vested in one man holding a Ground Engineer's License.

His task would cover checks, inspections, rectifications, repairs and final certification that the aircraft was "fit for flight". 

Overhauls  were similarly covered by one person holding the necessary license.

"Specialisation" began in the 'thirties. 

Now in the 'fifties, the ground crew for a minor check has grown to include on occassion 30 mechanics, 3 supervisors and 3 inspectors.

For a major check there may be 80 mechanics, 7 supervisors  and 8 inspectors. For operations on this scale, the flow of work must be controlled. 

Moreover, the demand for faster maintenance and overhaul is greater than ever in order that the fullest possible use can be made of the very costly aircraft in service. To achieve this, a most accurate forecasting of work processes against a time schedule has to be devised.

Until recently, a "Certificate of Safety" had to be prepared and signed daily for every airliner. Now, a "Certificate of Maintenance" covers the aircraft for thirty one days or for an agreed period of flying hours and repairs "En-Route"may be covered by a "Certificate of Compliance" signed by an "Engineer", not necessarily licensed, but recognized as competent by B.O.A.C.'s Chief Inspector.

Ground Engineer Evolution

As a result of numerous incidents and accidents during the 1920's such as the loss of R101, and civilian industry (referred to as "Trades" in England) a commission was created to investigate and report on the state of aviation safety in Britain. As a result of the report of this comission, the duties formerly ascribed the A.I.D were transferred to the Air Registration Board (ARB) in 1937. This transfer effectivly moved the training, licencing and oversight of aircraft mechanics and Ground Engineers from the government's technical airworthiness research, engineering and design department to an "Operations" oversight committee made up of aircraft operators, manufacturers and pilots. The ARB was to remain accountable to the Secretary of State for Air for airworthiness of British civilian aircraft.

Air Registration Board, 1937-1973  

October 3rd, 1938 the department of Applied Science and Engineering at the University of Toronto in 1938 presented "Aeronautic Training" a two-year diploma course in Aerial Navigation. . TR. Loudon Professor of Applied Mechanics, Faculty of Applied Science and Engineering 

Civil Aviation Authority, Safety Regulatory Group, 1985-  

CanadianAME (talk) 13:01, 26 November 2016 (UTC)

European Communities (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2007 (EU Statutory Instrument No.2781) "SCHEDULE 1 Regulations" 4 and 6 "REGULATED PROFESSIONS" PART 1 - "PROFESSIONS REGULATED BY LAW OR PUBLIC AUTHORITY" whrein the chart of recognized Professions (“profession” includes occupation or trade) you will find: "Aircraft Maintenance Engineer" CanadianAME (talk) 13:02, 26 November 2016 (UTC)

Licenced Aircraft Engineer / Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (1950 - Present)

The ARB became the Civil Aviation Authority (United Kingdom) in 1972 and assumed accoutability for airworthiness of British civilian aircraft.

The AME today

While today's civilian AME are no longer under direct military control, the Army and the Royal Navy each had their own ideas on the use of aircraft and these ideas bear upon the modern AME. The two Air Services did things differently due to tradition of the service and organisation of their ranks. In the Royal Navy, you had to be "rated" to be able to accomplish a job (even a person trained to be a pilot in the Fleet Air Arm had to be rated) - and if an "Engineer" attached to the Royal Navy you were required to be "Licensed" by the Board of Trade under the Merchant shipping Act .

It is due to the joining of the Royal Army's Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) - both of which received instruction from the Royal Engineers - to form the RAF that that the AME of today uses the term "Rating" and why Balloons are a unique endorsement upon the AME license.

British Ground Engineers and ICAO Aircraft Maintenance Engineers

Up until 1953, the Ground Engineer Licenses were distinguished.

In 1953, ICAO sought to identify these within their SARPS. This resulted in the British Empire Ground Engineer "A&C" Licenses being identified as an ICAO "Type II" Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) License and the the British Empire Ground Engineer "B&D" licenses being recognised as an ICAO Type I Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licence.

Up until 1998, Type I and Type II Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) licences were distinguished as seperate license types. In 1998 ICAO replaced these by a single combined AME licence.

British based AMEs and the American A&P and I.A

Post WW1, American military officers and advisors returning back to the USA took with them numerous handbooks and documents pertaining to aviation. Numerous British and European aircraft companies built businesses in the United States post WW1. From 1919 until 1926, there was no regulation of American Aviation. In 1926, the US Federal Government instituted the Air Commerce Act, thus beginning the regulation of "Passenger Carrying" Transport category aircraft in the USA. Regulations on airworthiness and strength requirements were implemented.

All air traffic should be classed with interstate and international traffic, and the interstate traffic regulations should be extended to include air traffic.

The Department of Commerce should be given charge of the registration and inspection of aircraft, creating in the Department of Commerce an Aircraft Inspection service similar

to the present Steamboat Inspection Service.

From 1919 until 1940, the British Empire and the United States of America had agreements concerning aircraft, trade and commerce, most include statements that say the imported aircraft must be airworthy and have been certified as airworthy by the manufacturing state. Some of the Dominions had their own agreements with the United States, however some elected to remain under the terms of the Empire for their airworthiness agreements. In the United States, the "Inspectors for Airworthiness" were specially trained government representatives employed or licensed by the Bureau of Air Commerce. The United States required private, ad-hoc or non passenger carrying aircraft to be inspected at least annually. The aircraft were to have a statement made by the owner or his representative after maintenance and before flight, but that person need not be a licensed inspector as the British required.

In 2005 the relationship between the Canadian AME and the US A&P (AMT) was further revised, through a Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the US and Canada.