AFW FIASCO AT BAY 4

[Hopeful]

I know I have had managers tell me, just get it done and on the gate. If all went well they were happy, if something went wrong, well then the witch hunt began. Either way a procedure may have not been followed, but no penalties if it went good.

I'm not debating management's role in cutting corners to "get er done."
At the end of the day, when a mechanic moves that gear handle while aircraft rubber on tarmac, he or she should intuitively know something is going to happen like gears wanting to retract.
We're not talking about a supervisor suggesting a mechanic do not waste time pulling up the maintenance manual r&r procedures for a tire change because it's been done hundreds of times before.
An experienced mechanic failed to install gear pins before moving the handle.
I'm sorry, fault lies with the mechanic. Sorry if people disagree with me.

 

[Bob Owens]

I'm not debating management's role in cutting corners to "get er done."
At the end of the day, when a mechanic moves that gear handle while aircraft rubber on tarmac, he or she should intuitively know something is going to happen like gears wanting to retract.
We're not talking about a supervisor suggesting a mechanic do not waste time pulling up the maintenance manual r&r procedures for a tire change because it's been done hundreds of times before.
An experienced mechanic failed to install gear pins before moving the handle.
I'm sorry, fault lies with the mechanic. Sorry if people disagree with me.

Granted he made a mistake, he probably assumed the pins were in. I dont think that anyone's denying that. Personally I'm a little paranoid when I touch that handle, I want the nose jack on it even if its pinned-especially with the A-300. I dont even like touching that handle when we do a gear swing and the whole thing is on jacks. 30 years and I still get nervous.

I think what they are saying is that management had a lot to do with creating the circumstances that led up to the accident, like me with the 777 and the stairs truck over at TWA back in 01.

 

[Hopeful]

I think what they are saying is that management had a lot to do with creating the circumstances that led up to the accident, like me with the 777 and the stairs truck over at TWA back in 01.

I agree. We all know that culture still exists. But when the case gets heard, the blame game doesn't carry too much weight. My point is that even though we all get pressured into doing "certain" things to ensure an ontime departure...The wolves wil be waiting for us should an incident or accident occur.

 

[eolesen]

Silly me...

I forget that management is always at fault when employees do stupid things and violate common sense, and that the employees deserve all the credit when a change to the business model works as planned or expected.

Got it loud and clear guys...

 

[JimJimmyJim]

Silly me...

I forget that management is always at fault when employees do stupid things and violate common sense, and that the employees deserve all the credit when a change to the business model works as planned or expected.

Got it loud and clear guys...

FINALLY

 

[Hackman]

Silly me...

I forget that management is always at fault when employees do stupid things and violate common sense, and that the employees deserve all the credit when a change to the business model works as planned or expected.

Got it loud and clear guys...

You sure you got it? I doubt it. Your management friends at Centerpork always want to take credit for "saving the airline", even though the savior was mostly a drubbing of the employees and some renegotiation of contractor and supplier agreements. When an incident occurs, or a major failure like the MD80 fiasco, it's never a management problem, it's always a "stupid employee" problem. Good thing the NFL doesn't follow this type of failed management, we'd be watching the coaches screaming at an empty locker room on sunday.

You spend an inordinate amount of time here defending the company line, it's almost like your still floAAting around, hoping to find your wAAy.

One has to ponder why you can't get AA out of your system, since your no longer here.

 

[Bob Owens]

I agree. We all know that culture still exists. But when the case gets heard, the blame game doesn't carry too much weight. My point is that even though we all get pressured into doing "certain" things to ensure an ontime departure...The wolves wil be waiting for us should an incident or accident occur.

Well actually it does carry some weight when the case gets heard in front of an arbitrator. If we were sitting at work with written regulations and no boss then we wouldnt have as good of a case, because the rules are clear, however if we have management there we have to do as they say, there are certain outs we can use, but if management does not enforce their own rules and allows them to not be adhered to then they are in part as responsible as the person who didnt follow the rules. If management puts pressure on workers to "get er done", and they all do, then they are even more at fault since they have the power to reprimand if they feel the performance was not adequate.

In order to be in management in Aircraft Maintenance you have to be an A&P, and despite Eolesons complaints about that there's a good reason for that. Management should know the job and exactly what it entails, otherwise they can create dangerous conditions. In the past Aircraft Maintenance managers were very protective of their mechanics, if other departments starting butting in they would be told to but out. I've seen Aircraft Maintenance supervisors curtly direct management from other departments to not even talk to mechanics-if they had any questions as to what the mechanics were doing call them. One of the problems we have today is all the inexperienced management we have. We have Station Managers that never worked the floor or only have five months of working on the floor. They dont really know the job and they react to what every other department has to say and they pressure mechanics to work unsafely.

 

[777 fixer]

Yes they flogged him first, satisfied?

I was talking about the other people involved.

 

[The Dissident]

An interesting item showed up fromthe FAA in my email today. I find it very pertinant to the situation. Better late than never!!



FAASTeam Maintenance Safety Tip

By Western-Pacific FAASTeam

Tip 1

October 2009

Control and Actuator Locks/Pins
The more complex the aircraft is, the more dangerous the maintenance environment. Aircraft manufacturers know this and engineer a variety of special safety equipment. Safety pins and locking devices are available to apply or affix to aircraft system components to prevent accidental movement when maintenance is being performed around or on them. Their use is typically directed in the maintenance procedures. If you have them, use them. If you don’t have them, acquire them

 

[the cave]

Bob just a correction as you do not need an A&P to be in management of aircraft maint as is the case with the witch project here in dfw[

 

[Bob Owens]

Bob just a correction as you do not need an A&P to be in management of aircraft maint as is the case with the witch project here in dfw[

Whats that?

 

[limit]

Bob just a correction as you do not need an A&P to be in management of aircraft maint as is the case with the witch project here in dfw[

Since when?

 

[Jager]

This is true.. Blairwitch does not possess an A&P License and from what I heard (not verified) He does not have a Batchelors Degree either.. I thought there was an educational requirement for that position..

 

[Rogallo]

This is true.. Blairwitch does not possess an A&P License and from what I heard (not verified) He does not have a Batchelors Degree either.. I thought there was an educational requirement for that position..

There's no education requirement for any position at AA.

 

[Tex-Mech]

Whats that?

Your future boss after he is done screwing up dfw, he already did that here at afw.