A&P Mechanic Apprentice Begins Training for Higher Calling

By Carmelo Turdo

The Aero Experience continues our mini-series this week focusing on aircraft maintenance at several St. Louis area service providers who support flight training fleets as well as the local general aviation community. As the aviation industry navigates through these turbulent times, there continues to be uncertainty in the ability to maintain the general aviation fleet that trains a new generation of pilots and provides transportation to business and pleasure destinations across the Midwest. We will look at the issue from both the management and labor perspectives based on two interviews conducted in recent weeks.

In Part Two of this series, we visited with Noah Klein, 22, an A&P apprentice for Big River Aviation at St. Louis Downtown Airport. He began his 30-month work experience requirement at Big River Aviation in January, and in just a few months, he has provided supervised maintenance service on a variety of aircraft coming through the shop, including the St. Louis Flight Training fleet. He is shown at right checking the P&W R-985 Wasp Junior radial engine on a U.S. Forest Service DeHavilland Beaver undergoing a 50-hour inspection in early March. 

Klein is taking the on-the-job training route available to A&P apprentices under FAA regulations. He supplements his work experience with study materials, but he enjoys the practical day-to-day activity of the shop environment. 

Noah Klein was born in Minnesota and lived in Wisconsin before coming to Missouri. He visited the EAA Aviation Museum regularly, and his grandfather was a pilot.

“I always liked aviation since I was really little," Klein told The Aero Experience. "I didn’t really follow it too much, but I really liked it. My oldest brother almost went to flight school - he studied books and on-line materials." 

Klein's love of aviation has deeper roots. He plans to apply his mechanical talents to serve a higher purpose.

"I wanted to be a missionary since I was really little. I have experience in woodworking and remodeling, a lot of hands-on stuff, and so I thought this wouldn't be too hard to learn and would be for the mission field." 

"Even before I became a Christian, I remember thinking, 'If what the Bible says is true about what Jesus did, then the least I should be able to do for Him is everything.' The least I should give back to Him is everything because He gave so much for me." His mentors include Christian missionary pilots Nate Saint and Paul Dye, both of whom regularly risked their lives to serve others through aviation. 

Noah Klein arrives at the Big River Aviation hangar early every weekday, ready to get back to work on another project. He cheerfully begins the day with the big picture in mind.

"Since I want to do this to serve God, I'm doing it for Him. That's a big motivation."

Contact Big River Aviation for more information on current A&P mechanic and apprenticeship opportunities.