I'm an airline mechanic...ask me anything

[BlueCollar]

OK...so I've never done one of these threads before but I'll give it a shot.

A little background: I work for a "legacy" carrier. I'm represented by a Union and work in maintenance Quality Assurance. I've got 18+ years seniority and have worked in this business since 1984.

I have an FAA A&P (airframe and powerplant)license.

I learned my trade in the U.S. Navy.

I'll try and answer questions about aircraft maintenace specifically, and airline related questions generally.

Let's try this...

For obvious reasons I'd prefer not to identify the carrier I work for

[Padraig18]

1. Why do parts keep dropping off of Pacific Cathay's 777s?

:shrug:

[BlueCollar]

4. They don't

"...keep falling off of Pacific Cathay's 777s"

Part of a thrust reverser fell off one jet...a later investigation revealed potential problems with certain other reversers. I understand Cathay Pacific has grounded the affected aircraft. Other than that I can't answer your question more specifically...I don't work for Cathay Pacific.

[flamingyouth]

2. Do you work on all types of jets?

[BlueCollar]

6. No

Although I am technically licensed to work on "...all type of jets..." we have a relatively strict process. I am not allowed to "...sign off" on any aircraft type that I have not received specific training on. Most of us in the business of commercial aviation understand this limitation.

[flamingyouth]

8. So, just out of curiosity, 737s? 767s? 777s?

I'm sort of a novice aviation buff, so I'm just curious. :D

[BlueCollar]

25. 767/777

but if I had my choice...I'd go back to 727-100 (72 shorties). Built like flying dumptrucks...can't braek a 72 unless you're trying...lol

[flamingyouth]

37. I like flying on 767s and 777s

I just went to Hawaii last month on a nice 767. They're comfortable.

Never cared for the 757 much. For some reason, I always found it kind of "noisy" (for lack of a better word) and shaky.

[BlueCollar]

41. Narrow body vs. Widebody

Ferrari or Rolls Royce...lol

the 757 with an RB211 is the next best thing to a fighter...lol

[DS1]

3. I don't want to sound insulting in any way shape or form

to your professionalism but honestly, sometimes when I hear about mechanic unions getting shafted by 'the man' in the news, in the back of my mind where the dark things lurk I worry about disgruntled mechanics... shall we say - not doing as thorough a job as they could...

[BlueCollar]

14. In all my time as a mechanic and inspector

I can honestly say I have never heard of or witnessed a situation where our anger with Management resulted in any action that affected passenger safety...we may have provided management with an "...aluminum enema..." on occasion, but Never have compromised safety. Remember, our friends and families fly on our planes...

[DS1]

17. That's reassuring, thanks

:toast:

[BlueCollar]

26. you're welcome

we love what we do and we want to keep doing it...

[bigwillq]

5. What do you want for Christmas?

Or the holiday that you celebrate this month?

[BlueCollar]

15. A safe travel season for everyone...eom

[bigwillq]

40. Are you traveling anywhere for the Holidays? (nt)

[BlueCollar]

42. afraid not

the airline business operates on night shift and holidays...no...we'll be doing what we can to make sure your plane is at the gate, your bags are on board, and you make it to your destination safely and on time.

I'll be flying in February when no-one else is...at the fares we're charging I can't fly standby anyway...lol

[Kellanved]

7. Airbus or Boeing?

n/t

[BlueCollar]

16. Boeing

If it's not Boeing I'm not going...lol

Actually, they're all built well...my preference is Boeing...I understand their product more since I've worked on more of their craft...

[flamingyouth]

18. I had that on a T-shirt when I was a kid

Grew up in Seattle during the depressed '70s. :D

[babylonsister]

9. Did you get your A&P in the Navy?

[BlueCollar]

19. No

I didn't know about a&p licenses then. Found out after I got out...got my "tickets" when I found out how important they are in civilian aviation.

[babylonsister]

20. My husband works in aviation. He got his

A&P in the CG prior to retiring. And it enabled him to get a job with the airlines. Valuable thing to have!

[BlueCollar]

27. a transferable asset also

railroads etc like A&P licensed mechanics...it's the attention to detail thing...

[babylonsister]

57. You're serious? An A&P for planes can transfer

to railroads? That sounds so strange!

[BlueCollar]

58. actually the railroads

and the airlines both fall under regulations covered by the Railway labor Act...if you read how airlines and railroads are supposed to operate and the regulations that govern them you'll find they are very similar.

Railroads were first...when airlines started congress decided they should be run the same way.

Airlines get the attention, rail doesn't but are supposed to operate the same way.

It's not about the license, but the thought process...

[kedrys]

10. Ever get pressured into signing off on a plane that still had

possible problems?

Just curious. A friend of mine with his A&P license walked off a job in Vegas because of an unscrupulous boss who asked him to do just that. General aviation, but still.

[BlueCollar]

21. No way

and your friend did the right thing...fact is that pressure exists but in commercial aviation the risks are too high...you hear about it on occaion but it is very rare...in a Union shop it's better.

[rug]

11. why are the peanuts so salty?

[BlueCollar]

22. increases liquor sales?

I work in maintenance...nort marketing or food service...:-)

[GOPisEvil]

12. Can you please be on top of your game next month?

I'm flying your (unnamed) airline.

How ya doin'? :hi:

[BlueCollar]

23. Hey Dave

Thanks for flying us...we'll do everything possible ... :hi:

[Catchawave]

13. Yikes....

You've never done one these threads before and you have 1000+ ???

[BlueCollar]

24. Been here since Earhart preflighted....

lurked for ages...lol

[AngryAmish]

28. Do you fish?

[BlueCollar]

30. for Rainbows and cuthroat

spinners from the bank only...everything else is entrapment...

I don't "bluewater" fish for Rolex's and other things...Fleet service handles that task...lol

[hangemhigh]

29. Hi Blue Collar...

Here's what I'd like to know, it's general safety and not mechanical, however. Why, oh why, do the airlines not tell the passengers the reason for the in flight rules? I fly for business frequently and I don't give the airlines any shit. But I think if more passengers understood what difference a reclined seat-back, a tray table, a CD player, a live cell phone actually make with regard to safety, it would go a long way with passenger compliance.....Thanks for the info.

[BlueCollar]

32. good point

those of us in the business understand what's going on but for John Q. it probably sounds inane. For instance, overhead bins stowed and latched...reason...unstowed bags are missiles in flight...the aircraft is moving at 350-400 knots...you know the rest. Seat backs upright in case we need to evacuate or deal with an emergency on board.

Really, the best to answer those questions are your flight attendants. They are the key vital to the operation and I am sure they would gladly answer any question...if they don't have an answer most will get one for you...

There's a column on USA Today in the "Travel" section called "Ask the Captain" or something like that. The columnist is a female UAL captain who answers questions. She's very good. I recommend her column.

[msgadget]

31. What is it about planes that makes you guys think it's okay to keep them

in the air, day in and day out, without replacing them? We replace cars and buses far more often.

And, maybe you know this: is it true we'd all be safer as passengers if the seat faced the other way?

[BlueCollar]

36. i'd be willing to bet

we look at our planes more often than you look at your car. I can't speak for any other airline than my own but I'll say this.

Generally, every night the aircraft is given a general walk around and the logbooks are reviewed.Pilot write-ups are evaluated and if possible repaired. Safety of flight items are automatic. Cosmetic and sometimes convenience items are repaired if manpower and parts are available. Periodically, about once a week, the aircarft undergoes a specific inspection program. Once every three-four weeks it undergoes an "A" or "B" check which can last from 8 to 24 hours with as many as fifty mechanics looking at it. After a specified period of time, the aircraft is grounded for a "C" or "D" check. As many as 200 mechanics spend 3-8 weeks dissassembling and re-assembling the aircraft.

We remove parts for "Time" even if they aren't broken because we don't want to fix it when it breaks. We perform preventive maintenance on everything we can think of.

Maintenance schedules vary by airline, but I promise you that no corners are deliberately cut by responsible carriers or their maintenance departments.

on edit: I didn't address the seat position question. Honestly I don't know...I can't see what realistic difference it would make though.

[msgadget]

38. I'm relieved, thank you.

[BlueCollar]

44. you're welcome...enjoy your flight

:hi:

[arwalden]

33. Do Airliners Dump Their Gray-Water and Black-Water While In Flight?

If so, what keeps it from raining down toilet chemicals and poop all over someone's house or car or person?

[BlueCollar]

39. All commercial aircraft have "holding tanks"

Dumping waste is hazardous to the airframe and the population. The tanks are dumped by ground service either at night or when the on-board indicating system says the lav tanks need to be dumped.

The guys that do that are "special"...nobody much knows why they excercise seniority to do it...but at my carrier that's a fleet service job...not maintenace.

Occasionally you hear about "Blue ice" landing in someone's yard...it's a result of a leaking lavatory drain plug...moisture/fluid leaks out and freezes during flight...remember you are at 3oK feet moving at 350-450 knots...it freezes and falls off...

It used to be a problem but now we have retrofitted our waste valves so that the occurrence is extremely rare. The Pilot/Copilot look carefully for signs of leakage during every preflight and our ground crews automativcally look at the areas around drains and waste dump valves for signs of leakage. Leaks are no-go items...generally,if it's leaking the aircraft is grounded until it's fixed.

[Sanity Claws]

34. Can you get a job working on AirForce One

and "fix" it?}(

[BlueCollar]

43. AirForce One is an AirForce thing

1) I'd never be accepted by the Air Force. I'm ex-Navy

2) There is no way I'd ever "fix" any airplane...regardless of who was on it. Not my style...nor anyone I know...I hope you understand...

[Sanity Claws]

48. I was just joking!!

I wouldn't want you to really "fix" it or any other plane.

[BlueCollar]

51. I'm sorry

I probably over-reacted. I promise you, the vast majority of us who work in this business would never deliberatly risk endangering the lives of passengers or crew. I have heard that there have been occasions where people have attempted to sabotage aircraft, a felony, and I can assure you I know of no-one who would engage in that behaviour or action. I also promise you that if I were ever to witness that, I would report it immediately and do whatever I had to to ground that airplane and arrange for the arrest of the individual who did it.I also guarantee that the individual would be in sorry shape by the time authorities arrived....nuff said?

Too much trust and pride is invested in doing this job right.

[TexasLady]

35. Kewl! My daddy did that!

before he got religious and all JW on us...He was even on an airplane with the scary geedubya himself back when they were both party boys, cira 1972!

Dad still stays in touch with the guys from the Natl Guard days, and I 'did' marry a car mechanic, who eventually became a computer guy. Guess being around you guys is in MY blood!

Do you like your job? Dad said he did a lot of electronics stuff. Do you?

[BlueCollar]

45. Love the job

but that "sparky" stuff is reserved for the cone-heads. I used to unplug it or plug it back in...if it was in the way we'd cut it with wirecutters and call the sparky to put it back together...as long as it gets fixed it's cool...

Nothing we can't fix...lol

[dolo amber]

46. How do planes fly?

And don't be tellin' me no science mumbo-jumbo...I ain't buyin' it. There's NO FREAKIN' WAY something that weighs that much should be able to fling itself into the air. So what is it...potions, leprechauns, magic beans...? Level with me here...I'm a big girl, I can take it. ;)

[BlueCollar]

47. OK...it's simple

the combined faith of everyone on board, everyone who built it, and everyone who designed ...in tandem.

Seriously though...next time you have a chance...stick your arm out the window of your car on the freeway...cup your hand and feel your arm rise or lower depending on the position of your hand.

The wing of the airplane works on the same principle. It is curved. If you have enough forward momentum, the airplane will rise naturally because of the curvature of the wing. Less momentum is required if the wing is bigger, hence the flaps and slats are raised and lowered as required...I'd be happy to explain it over a cocktail...lol...

and aircraft aren't really all that heavy...several hundred tons at the outside. the powerplants are more than adequate.

edit for spelling and weight discussion

[dolo amber]

49. That's just crazy talk

Now you're just makin' stuff up. :P

[BlueCollar]

50. which part?

:evilgrin:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

52. Thanks for your input!

I work for an airline, too, and I'm always surprised (and disturbed) at the amount of misinformation out there about how airplanes work and how airlines operate. Airline travel is the safest way of getting around that there is, and a lot of that safety is attributable to the great work done by professional aircraft mechanics. Safety is the primary concern of the people who work on the airplanes, fky them, as well as the people who train those who work on them and fly them. Thanks for offering your expertise. Also, there is another writer who has good stuff, Ask the Pilot on salon.com.

[BlueCollar]

54. Thanks...What do you do?

maybe we can team up and answer the questions...I'm in maintenance and operations...engineering/nuts and bolts...can't always answer other questions.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

55. Glad to throw in my .02...

I work in training on aircraft systems and flight procedures, mostly. I have an A&P, too, though I've only ever done general aviation stuff as far as actually working on airplanes. There's another DUer, DemoTex, who is a US Airways captain, and he has a lot of good info, too.

[BlueCollar]

56. thanks

this business is way too complicated for one person/skill to answer all the questions. I'd love to spensd about 20 hours in a simulator...:evilgrin:...surely some approaches are recoverable...lol

[BlueCollar]

53. Thanks everyone

for some great questions. I hope I was able to reassure some and explain to others. If anyone has any specific questions you can PM me and I'll try to get you answers...:-)