Thursday, July 09, 2009

Screwing Up

I mentioned we had an airplane in maintenance. They replaced a fuel pump that was starting to sound like the Beach Boys. (It's possible that just my copy of that song sounds like a bad fuel pump, because before being converted to the iTunes format, mine was purchased on cassette tape, copied to a mix tape on a borrowed boom box with two tape decks, then later after much use the mix taps was ripped to CD with the assistance of a different tape recorder. All that is legal in Canada. I suppose I'm supposed to remove all non-iTunes-purchased music before going south. Or--whoa--north! Do the June 1st security rules apply on a gravel strip with no roads or fences?) With the replacement pump installed and the rest of the inspection done, we pilots helped button up the airplane

I've no objection to working, and I know how to put cowling screws in, but I'm always a little leery when it's me closing up, because it's going to be me who is responsible for checking the work afterwards and if I miss something now, I'm likely to miss it later. It's especially important to make sure all the cowling pins have engaged properly. I note every screw that doesn't quite fit and ask the engineer to check it. I also decline an electric screwdriver. Honestly what would you have to be thinking to arm a pilot with an electric screw destroyer?

There was a problem with the airplane after maintenance. It was related to the maintenance, but unrelated to the pilots' ability to apply cowling screws. My coworker handled it flawlessly, so I'll leave it at that. It's fixed now. Another day in the life.

4 comments:

nec Timide said...

I've no objection to working, and I know how to put cowling screws in, but I'm always a little leery when it's me closing up, because it's going to be me who is responsible for checking the work afterwards and if I miss something now, I'm likely to miss it later.

That's why my co-owner and I always due that kind of work together. One of us puts the panels on, the other checks that they are installed correctly and securely. But I'm still leery on the first flight.

Frank Van Haste said...

Dear Trix:

If you haven't read it, I commend to your attention Mike Busch's take on Maintenance-Induced Failures.

Regards,

Frank

mattheww50 said...

Large commercial airliners are usually the most reliable 100-200 hours after a heavy maintenance check. The first 100 hours or so are spent discovering (and fixing) the minor (and sometimes not so minor) problems created by the heavy maintenance exercise!

Sarah said...

I finally remembered what I meant to add about your Beach Boys Surfin' Safari problem. Just replace the song with Good Vibrations. Solved!