By MATT JOHNSON
Flying has always had its dangers — and one of the biggest dangers is flying an aircraft the first time after maintenance has been done to it.
So I should ask myself if, say, the engine sputters or the prop goes into an overspeed condition or I notice the oil temperature is spiking or a cylinder is running very hot: “What changed between this flight and the last?”
Did the mechanic remove — and hopefully replace — the oil? Or did they get distracted by a text or email or phone call or social media post and forget to put oil in? Or forget that little “crush washer” around the oil drain plug?
Did they do anything with the hydraulic system?
How about the electrical system which, it turns out, is really, really complicated and has tons of wires like a pile of spaghetti and is all hidden from view, anyway, so even if I was Nikola Tesla I couldn’t figure out if there was something wrong with it, much less in flight?
Did they add fuel or drain any?
How about the control surfaces — are they attached and do they move in the proper directions when I move the stick and rudders?
A major error in maintenance — not caught by me in a not-good-enough walkaround — almost got me.
A mechanic worked on my aircraft for six (SIX!) months, gave it back to me with almost-empty fuel tanks. A poor preflight by me missed that one, though I caught several other things.
I guessed at the amount of fuel in the mains because the gauges were bad, and believed my buddy who looked in the front auxiliary tank and said it was full. It was, if by “full” he meant “full of air.” We lived, but barely.
Another time, a mechanic installed new brakes, then reinstalled the brake lines so that they rubbed on the brake discs and severed the lines. Again, the walkaround didn’t catch it. But it really gets your attention when you try to stop, let me tell you.
Another mechanic forgot to fasten a bolt with a locking device on a brand-new cylinder and, well, let’s just say that if you do that, bad stuff happens. This error wasn’t visible on the preflight.
I hope NOW I’ve had enough scares to realize that I just cannot trust maintenance 100%.
Not Just Flying
A non-flying story: Just the other day we were using a hydraulic scissor lift to do some work near the ceiling in a hangar. We were hanging some disco balls, but not for parties — these shiny silver balls are to scare off birds.
My fellow pilot raised himself to the ceiling, but later couldn’t get the lift to come down.
Nothing we could do with the device — and we tried everything, including creative cussing — would bring the lift down.
There was no emergency hydraulic release like on a hydraulic floor jack, although there were electrical switches on the side of the machine complete with little pictures on how to electrically lower it in case of malfunction. They didn’t work.
Finally we called the people we rented it from, and they came over, opened up the inside, and found a wiring harness and plug detached, they said, by a new young mechanic. He forgot to reattach it.
Our using the lift was the first time since he had worked on it — the first “flight” after maintenance.
Back In The Air
Another time I had two cylinders running hot in my Lancair IV and had my local mechanic look under the cowling. He undid the last screw, lifted the cowling, and there was a rag stuffed in between two cylinders — stuffed in there by another mechanic who had taken me aside and warned me, some time before that, in a very serious tone of voice to “do a very good walkaround after maintenance.”
I took a picture of it and sent it to the guy saying “I found your rag.” He hasn’t responded yet, but it’s only been four years.
So after maintenance, maybe I should:
- Look closely — very, very closely — at the aircraft and the logbook.
- Do my best walkaround ever.
- Stay in the pattern on the first flight, within gliding distance of the runway.
- Say to myself: “I bet there’s something wrong. Look for something wrong, look for something wrong. It just came out of maintenance, and they were turning nuts and bolts and screws…”
- Do not assume the mechanics did it right.
Distractions
These maintenance errors I described are from all different mechanics, in different states — Missouri, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Minnesota — so it’s not “something in the water” that is affecting a pocket of mechanics.
I watch mechanics when I enter their maintenance shops. They’re all usually checking their cell phones, like people do nowadays.
Maybe that’s what the guy was doing when he put my cowling back on with rag inside — he stuffed the rag there “just for now,” answered a text or took a call or something else broke his focus.
Not all mechanics get distracted by cell phones of course. Look at the Wright brothers — they practiced “cell phone discipline” and refused to even own one.
All kidding aside, if mechanics are human and can make a mistake that’ll down my aircraft and maybe kill me, it makes sense to do a very thorough post-maintenance walkaround. And a very careful post-maintenance flight.
A careful examination of the logbook and an extra-vigilant preflight can prevent me from taking off, having a problem, and landing out in the middle of nowhere versus landing at my home airport.
The industry has done it to themselves. Managers and mechanics getting promoted through butt kissing and not knowing their jobs. Unrealistic completion times made by these incompetent service managers is a big problem. Whiny aircraft owners that cannot afford their airplanes add to it, they want their junk returned good as new in an unrealistic time. There is a huge part and delivery time problems that once took a few days now takes weeks, and a lot of times the parts workers don’t know an aircraft part from their shoe. Alot of shops have the ” good ole boy” rules in affect. If you’re not in that clique, the ones who are will make your working life miserable through the continuous back stabbing. I’m so glad I’m retired and away from this occupation. I enjoy the fact that my old job has to contact my retired butt to help troubleshoot airplanes over the phone. Good luck, I’m out.
My company ferried Cessnas from the factory at ICT to the West Coast. They were “bare-boat”: Mag compass, airspeed indicator and non-sensitive altimeter and a tachometer.
One of my colleges, flying a C-150, had an engine fire over the Arizona desert. A C-172 flying with him landed, pulled him out of the aircraft and carried him to Winslow where he recovered after a 6-month stay. He went on to fly corporate for the rest of his career.
When the FAA got to the aircraft they found that 2 spark plugs had backed out and 4 more plugs were finger tight.
The most dangerous time in an aircraft’s life is the first 100 hours out of the factory and the first 10 hours out of an inspection.
Most reputable GA shops will have a A&P/pilot mechanic and will always test fly after doing work that has a risk for flight safety. Just only take your plane to a shop that does that and still expect some small things to occasionally be wrong so be on the look out the first time you fly.
This is a huge problem for Boeing. Hard working farm boys with good basic mechanical skills are now a bunch of cel fone video game know nothings who won’t accept a 30% pay raise. That 737 door came off exactly because of these meat head’s carelessness.
‘If I were in charge’ I’d move production to Boise or SLC where people are happy to have a good job. I was born and have lived in Seattle 72 years now. The place sux because of what grossly overpaid 25 yo dot com workers make. Starter homes are north of a $1,000,000 now. Senior Boeing blue collars can make $100,000 with some ot,but that won’t cover a mortgage and dinner.
The Boise/SLC option also frees the company of meddling with a liberal tax and spend state government that only supports a ‘clean hands’ industry like Microsoft.
As a 50 year mechanic and pilot in another industry I believe having the shop foreman/mechanic on a test flight of at least 30 minutes should be mandatory by regulation.
As only a 52-year Seattle area resident…you’ve got me beat by 20 years…but I certainly don’t disagree with your assessment of our “local” economic & political climate. Or the insanity of our real estate market. However, indicting the entire Seattle-area Boeing company workforce is a bit extreme …and if I’m not mistaken (happens…rarely), that “door” was actually installed in the subject 737’s airframe by the good folks at Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, Kansas…whom Boeing did not own at the time…and where all 737 fuselages are manufactured.
My understanding is worse!
It was a local crew hired by Spirit to do the re-work. Not Boeing nor Spirit
so you are correct.
Boeing needs Spirit on-site inspectors so the product is correct when shipped ( except for some hillbilly’s pot shots.
Repair shops who promise the aircraft owner unrealistic completion times are part of the problem. I was an A&P for one of these places so I know first hand. We often had to work overtime, over nights and way too long hours to get a plane done by the shop owner’s promised time of completion. I saw mistakes made by exhausted mechanics. It was a disaster waiting to happen, and eventually an incident finally shut the place down (long after I left). The pressure on mechanics can be tremendous; they are not the only problem.
These days it’s getting harder and harder to find a experienced A&P mechanic, All the shops are looking as well as the major service centers. This career field is falling behind in being able to replace the experience that is retiring. Because of this most service providers use their CRS ( certified Repair Station) certificate and hire individuals who do not have an airframe or powerplant rating to fill the labor requirements.. This equates to no motivation to achieve the requirements for an A&P mechanic as the requirements to maintain this rating is not only is a very serious commitment but also involves constant vigilance to training. I have been a A&P/IA for over forty years and started out as a mechanic in the Air Force . Still to this day with a smile and a firm handshake as I watch them climb skyward the pride of a job well done brings a smile to my face. Sadly this may become more and more challenging because of skyrocketing operational costs (aircraft ownership, parts and training) I’m afraid less and less people will be entering this career field. I hope at some point all of this changes so everyone who wishes to do so,will have the opportunity to experience the thriing fulfillment of aviation.
Yes, “everyone” as you say, I add ‘put more women in training’. And make this kind of work require training for all who are already there and who’ll be coming in to qualify fully in the aviation fields they work in with licenses, have them practice in all areas of their qualifications rather than do something like banging rivets or installing a component everyday. I’m actually surprised to read that people manufacturing airplanes may not have aviation certifications.
These companies in these industries and all other transportation industries need to stop working the guts out of the men and blaming that on “lack of people to train and put to work” because that’s not true. That just make things more expensive by the coerced and forced overtime and it helps to shorten the existing staff numbers as much as it creates the extra dangers associated with tiredness and burnout. Our economy will be better once we fix these problems too, more people employing instructors in these industries, more people working and buying more goods and services and safer airplanes and other things taking up less government funds to conduct disaster investigations.
This is why I don’t allow owner assist annuals, i don’t need to be rechecking something some “expert because I read Mike bush” guy screwing around with things he knows nothing about.
I remember years ago after an annual inspection it was very good and dependable, you could take your airplane anywhere you wanted with out worry,, and almost never did you have to return it because of shoddy workmanship. Today its a very different story, I’ve sat there and watched mechanics shoot the bull, talk about everything else except the work they are getting paid $100.00 an hour to do and instead they are screwing off BSing about the night before or something else, the bottom line is that the mechanics need to be made responsible for everything they screw up in a persons airplane, weather on purpose or accidently. We know that humans do make mistakes once in a while, but lets be perfectly clear, when it comes to jeopardizing peoples lives it needs to be dealt with very important practices, this business of, OH well that’s close enough, or I don’t feel well, Ill just hurry up and finish this so I can go home and relax, or I’ll let Joe Blow finish this part, I’ve already done most of it. Most mechanics are very responsible people and need to be commended, but there are still a few out there that actually suck at pretty much everything they do, they want to make a lot of money without doing it responsibly, but most importantly they can cause death and they don’t care if they do or not, it’s not my job man !!!
I find Mr. Gutierrez comments very offensive and way off base. I was an A&P/IA for 35 years. I’ve worked as everything from a wrench on the floor to maintenance manager. I’ve worked in three man shops in GA to airline hangers with 50 mechanics on shift. I’ve worked on GA aircraft that flew 50 hours month to ISR platforms that flew over 400 hours a month. I’ve never met a mechanic that makes $100 an hour. Mechanics are held legally responsible for the work they do. Rule of thumb where I’ve worked was that a second set of eyes checked all work. I also found that many private aircraft owners want the work done and cheaply and quickly as possible, and they will still complain about bill. The mechanics I have worked with were all professionals and took pride in their work and profession.
At a major GA manufacturer, Production Test Pilots making the first flight after completion of assembly, even after all inspections and certifications have been made, typically spent 8 hours on their Preflight Inspection. It’s very wise to closely scrutinize every detail in your preflight after maintenance. 🙂
Only use an old guy like me who does not have a cell phone and is too miserable to talk to anybody. Life is peaceful.
In that case I can do my own😂😂😂
I find articles like this frustrating. I know they are true but it doesn’t have to be so. In my 54 years working on military, airline and GA planes I’ve learned there is not much that can’t be checked and verified on the ground before releasing a plane for flight. Engine run ups, leak checks, system electrical and avionics checks, taxi checks, pressurization, gear swings, flight control/rigging checks, all can and should be done before putting your John Hancock in the log. Granted, aerodynamic loads, vibration, temp changes can all ’cause flight problems that are a challenge to troubleshoot on the ground.
Mechanics need to do their job thoroughly and professionally and shops should establish good communication with aircraft owners so they understand exactly what was done. Shops/mechanics should recommend a flight check if they have any concerns. Owners should carefully review the work performed and not be shy in asking questions, such as how a task or repair was operationally or functionally checked.
We don’t have to be professional pilots (or mechanics) to act like them. As one of my early mentors said “do the right things” and “ do the right things right”
Integrity matters
You are correct! I started in aircraft maintenance also. His first statement was YOU NEVER WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A LIFE IN THE AIRCRAFT YOU SIGNED OFF FOR FLIGHT!! That stuck with me on every maintenance work I completed until this day! I’m to old now and just work on my farm equipment. People today I don’t trust working on my aircraft. I need to sell it. COVID shots cause my heart to mess up and I ended up with a pace maker!!!
Perhaps if we treated the professional certified mechanics better, paid them what they are worth, and stop rushing them to hurry up you would not need to have so much concern. Oh, and perhaps lobby to have rules that ONLY certified mechanics are allowed to work on aircraft. But all that uncertified labor is so cheap isn’t it.
The ‘uncertified labor’ are usually guys that are apprenticing to get the 30 month of working on aircraft to qualify to become certified mechanics.
The only other way to an A&P certificate is to spend 2 years, 5 days a week, in a college course…paying for it vs earning a wage while learning..
And, the recent FAA legal ruling on 14cfr43.3[d], and what ‘in person’ means, will kill off all the ‘wanna be’ A&Ps, working as ‘uncertified labor’.
This is a very bad day for the future of FBOs and new A&Ps.!
Number 1 problem: We are in a hurry!
Shop had to order parts that didn’t come in on time. Workers trying to finish the other plane they are working on. Unexpected problem that slowed down the Annual or Repair.
Pilot pickup after shop finishes, was supposed to be done last week, now everyone is in a rush. Or was supposed to be picked up at 10 AM, now it is 5 PM and it is almost done. Are the log entries right? Don’t worry we will have them done. Owners trip to xyz starts in the morning.
We have all had it happen, it is hard to slow down. Pilots can inspect only so much without taking things apart. Inspect what you can. It is easier to see some things than others, what is NOT there is sometimes the hardest to see.
So why take the risk of a complete annual inspection when I only fly my C150 30 hours a year? Hopefully MOSAIC changes this situation.
MOSAIC has absolutely ZERO effect on annuals (except for the legal name of the inspection — otherwise, they are identical). But it DOES bring up the question of why the mechanic/inspector needs to be certified — does nothing to protect the vehicle owner.
It keeps happening. The same problems. A tool left on top of the engine a rag stuffed somewhere. A careful preflight usually gets it , but not all the time.
Probably the worst thing is a mechanic talking on the phone while they are working on an aircraft, or someone talking to a mechanic while working on an aircraft.
A short flight after maintnenance is a must ……a landing and another inspection.
I am a pilot as well as an A&P and I always fly the aircraft with the owner after maintnenance. Then do a walk around with the owner.
My buddy us to look over the aircraft after maintnenance and I did the same for him before releasing any aircraft after maintnenance.
When picking up an aircraft after an annual or critical maintnenance, get someone from the shop to fly with you. Good shops do this and problems do show up and most are easily fixed. Some are embarrassing too.
Like I said…..get someone to fly with you when picking up your aircraft after an annual or big maintnenance job. If they say no I would write that shop off ….
All licensed mechanics working alone should be required to fly with the pilot / owner and all shops should require licensed mechanics to take their turns in flying private and commercial airplanes with pilots after inspections and repairs.
Any mechanic refusing to do one’s part should be required to refuse the job too. There are other mechanical jobs which do not require people to risk their lives that much with, in or on what is fixed, appliance repair is a lot safer without having to test with the owner or hired operator.
I flew on airplanes I fixed, I wasn’t alone at it so I took, so to say, my turn on any which I was involved in inspecting and repairing. However, I know people who shunned the idea, that makes a team a split team of those who trust themselves and their peers and those who don’t.
If I had of taken up practice alone, I’d have gotten someone in training who may well become a qualified staffer with schooling and work time, and I would have done all those flights all the time, or better yet go in with at least one qualified peer, so not alone and we’d generally take turns on those test flights.
Ground tests and run-ups do help and must be done first, but they don’t show trust in what the airplane is really expected to do. Perhaps it’s time an airplane is first deemed airworthy for test flight and then deemed fully airworthy by the signing engineer once the test flight is completed with that person or a peer engineer onboard with a set of rules what the airplane must go through during the test flight, no sending the apprentice or the hangar maintenance person up as that test flight passenger.
Yes indeed Chuck..
Make the poor mechanic the sacrificial lamb to help you have the balls to do YOUR first flight after YOUR aircraft’s annual.
I do about 95% of my own maintenance and the mechanic looks it over and gives thumbs up iAsks would you fly it and feel good about the work you did.
I am very happy that Diamond Aircraft Industries GmbH based in Frankfurt-Egelsbach EDFE and which services my DA62, performs a test flight using their own pilots prior to receiving the aircraft back after service.
It is for this reason I later looked for guys who had no license but had some farm and ranch background. There you make sure it works before you go out.