07/28/2026
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We've lost a legend - Azriel "Al" "Blackie" Blackman, the man recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest-serving aircraft mechanic in history, has passed away at the age of 100, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy that spanned eight decades and helped shape modern commercial aviation.
His family confirmed that Blackman passed away on Friday, July 24, with the news announced by Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 591, where he was a proud member for many years.
Blackman began his remarkable career on July 17, 1942, just days before his 17th birthday, when he started as an apprentice working on flying boats for American Export Airlines at New York's LaGuardia Airport. The airline would later become part of American Airlines, where "Blackie" would spend the next 80 years helping keep aircraft safely in the skies.
Over the course of his career, he witnessed aviation transform from piston-powered flying boats to the jet age and beyond. He worked on generations of aircraft, from early propeller-driven airliners to Boeing 707s, 727s, 747s and eventually the Boeing 777, mentoring countless mechanics along the way.
In 2017, after an incredible 75 years of continuous service, Guinness World Records officially recognized Blackman as the world's longest-serving aircraft mechanic. To celebrate the milestone, American Airlines dedicated one of its Boeing 777-200 aircraft in his honor, a fitting tribute to a man whose life's work was dedicated to keeping others safe.
Despite becoming a record holder, Blackman remained humble.
"When you like what you do, it's not work," he said after receiving the Guinness World Record, a philosophy he lived by every day. Even in his 90s, he was still arriving at the JFK maintenance hangar before dawn, sharing his experience with younger technicians and leading by example.
His career also earned him the prestigious FAA Charles E. Taylor Master Mechanic Award, recognizing more than half a century of excellence in aviation maintenance.
After 80 years of service, Blackman retired from American Airlines as an Aircraft Mechanic Crew Chief on December 7, 2022, closing one of the longest and most remarkable careers in aviation history.
While passengers may never have known his name, millions unknowingly flew aboard aircraft that had been inspected, repaired or overseen by "Blackie" during his extraordinary career. His dedication reminds us that every safe flight depends not only on pilots and cabin crew, but also on the skilled mechanics working behind the scenes to ensure every aircraft is ready to fly.
Sources: TWU Local 591, American Airlines Newsroom, Guinness World Records.
