Aviation Interns: David Speyers

"Well, it sounds like what we have here is part number LW1288-48A instead of the required LW1288-60A part. If you look it up in the service manual, you will see that it calls for the pinion cam to mesh with the splines on the end of the stator shaft, so that the dynamic compensator will turn freely in its sleeved bore.

"If you use the -48A, then the pinion cam will not mesh correctly, and the metal splines will start to spaul. That, of course, leads to gauling and delamination of the dynamic compensator."

I stood with my mouth on the ground and my arms limp at my side as my internship supervisor explained one of the simple systems of the Helio Courier aircraft I was preparing to work on.

I nodded my head slowly and pretended I understood what was being said. How in the world did I ever get roped into this internship?

I first heard about the JAARS aviation maintenance internship from a friend of mine who had done the internship two years prior. He recommended it to me as a good place to get more aviation maintenance experience. Plus, there would be the added benefit of helping speed the work of Bible translation.

While pilots, mechanics, truck drivers, video camera operators or computer people don’t translate the Bible, each one is part of the team that helps support Bible translators.

Though working in the hangar has not been quite like the part-number experience I recounted, I can assure you that these JAARS mechanics know their airplanes inside and out. They are good mechanics and have become my friends as well. They are willing to explain concepts and are always ready with a story from some far-off place overseas where they served.

So if you are looking for a summer internship in aviation, and would also like to be part of the Bible translation team, give JAARS a call.

Oh ... and don’t forget to use the -60A part!

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—David Speyers