Buffalo Joe C46

[2R]

Ain't no problem that cannot be fixed with a bigger hammer

[nwesterntown]

If you can't fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.

[brownbear]

You always hear pilots getting all pissy about this topic wanting the AME fired or blood.. Yet they are the ones causing crashes and fawking up most of the time. The reason is exposure. Do something enough and mistakes happen. We can talk tool control till we are blue in the face, but think of the amount of tools touching planes on daily basis across the country yet we are not hearing of crashes and serious incidents caused by tools on regular basis. In fact it is extremely rare, even though we all have a story in our careers of a left tool somewhere, it isn't common. Give the AME a break and don't be so quick to want to fire him and we can forgive the pilot the next time he blows both tires off in some shit hole airport for some reason or another.

We are all human. Keep operational pressure away from the maintenance folk and let them do their jobs and less errors all around will occur.

[GRK]

Tool control...the only tool I lend out belongs to our Tomcat...and he always brings it back and we all know where it is! One sure method of ensuring your AME hasn't forgotten his gear, is to ask him if he wants to ride along in the jump seat! Merry Christmas everyone! Peace...

[DashFiveGuy]

This is why the RCAF has had a tool control system in place for more than thirty years. There are no personal tools allowed on military aircraft and all tool boxes have individual slots for each tool. As well, each tool box has to be signed off as closed and checked by two different people before an aircraft is returned to service. The system isn't perfect but but it's caused a huge reduction in lost tool incidents.

I'm guessing it's been a while since you've had any dealings with RCAF tool control procedures. Single signatures have been the norm since the late 90's.

[Valkyrie_XB70]

One sure method of ensuring your AME hasn't forgotten his gear, is to ask him if he wants to ride along in the jump seat!

Not really if your AME has forgotten a tool somewhere in your airplane then they have FORGOTTEN it is there. So naturally he would be releasing the aircraft as being fit and safe for flight so wouldn't hesitate to jump in the seat beside you. Now if they have left something intentionally then perhaps they wouldn't be so eager.....

[JMACK]

A couple decades ago I reported a rough running left eng on my chieftain. I helped the eng pull the cowls and to our surprise we found on top of the eng the old exhaust manifold and a screw driver with a melted handle. It wasn't the cause of the rough eng but we were surprised that after the install of the new exhaust all that extra shit got cowled up.

Shit happens.................Jim

Where I work now all tools get signed out signed in and someone else qa's the job..........me like.

[lilflyboy262]

I can't believe the arrogance in this country between maintainence engineers and pilots. You all play for the same team!

Brownbear... Just remember, if you guys mess up, people die. You still get to go home to your wife and kids. Pilots put a HUGE amount of trust in you guys that you won't forget things.
Procedures are in place for a reason. Its personal discipline if you follow them every day of your life or not.

We don't set out to cause crashes. Crashes happen a lot of the time when simple procedures are not followed.
You want to talk about operational pressure? How about when planes get dispatched on days where you are shooting approaches to minimums, on an icy runway, with gusty turbulent crosswinds at night. You get told to "Make it happen".
Last thing we need is for equipment to not be working. Or tools being left in the gear. When we ball up an aircraft because of something avoidable, you can understand why we get pissy and want to talk about things until we are blue in the face.

Not every day is a sky clear day, nor is every day in the workshop an easy one.

Oh, and I have never called for blood or an AME to be fired. I respect them for the work that they do to keep me safe.

[Cat Driver]

I can't believe the arrogance in this country between maintainence engineers and pilots. You all play for the same team!

Generally the arrogance is found in the pilot group.

[lilflyboy262]

True enough Cat. Although I have found that the pilot group is generally more vocal about it while the maintainence guys keep it amongst themselves.
Its only over a few beers with one or two of them when they open up about their gripes with us.