Mechanic works 75 years to break record
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The reading
An airline worker in the USA has broken the world record for the world's longest-serving airline mechanic. Azriel Blackman, 91, started work in 1942 at the age of 16. He has now been working for 75 years. His starting salary was 50 cents an hour. The nonagenarian still works five days a week. He clocks on before 5am at an American Airlines hangar at JFK International Airport in New York. His age means his employers prevent him from doing certain tasks for safety reasons. He is not allowed to scale ladders, drive on the runways and surrounding areas, or use certain tools. He is responsible for assessing the maintenance needs of the airplanes that have been parked in the hangars overnight.
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Mr Blackman's record has been recognized for his dedication to his job. His employer dedicated a plane in his honor at a ceremony at JFK. His signature was painted in giant letters on the front of one of the airline's Boeing 777 aircraft. Blackman said: "I'm just honored to be here. I'm proud to be a mechanic." The 91-year-old received a standing ovation from his fellow colleagues and managers at the ceremony. Reporters asked him about the secret behind his record. He said: "When you like what you do, it's not work." When asked about retirement, he said: "That's not up to me. That's up to the man upstairs. The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is I say 'thank you for another day'."
Sources:
- http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-40659421
- https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/17/nyregion/for-airline-mechanic-91-the-sky-is-one-of-many-limits.html
- https://www.dallasnews.com/business/american-airlines/2017/07/18/75-years-job-american-airlines-mechanic-still-showingup-early-work
