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#21
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Have you got your own 3/8" wrench and phillips screwdrivers??? And can you ask
your friendly mechanic to look at something that may have been installed without paperwork to see if it was done properly? As somebody said, we flying these single engine machines do NOT have a serial number paper trail in the logbook back to the day it left the factory. Look in your "factory installed" documentation. I defy you to tell me the model/serial that your airplane left the factory with. Jim (Andre) shared these priceless pearls of wisdom: -Jim, - -As a clearly well respected expert on both maintenance procedures, AND -unicorn dung Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup) VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor http://www.rst-engr.com |
#22
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Jim,
As a clearly well respected expert on both maintenance procedures, AND unicorn dung, I want you to know that my primary intention in STARTING this posting was EXACTLY to find out HOW to tell a REAL mechanic FROM a paper-shuffler. I need guys like you to tell me what a REAL mechanic SHOULD do when asked to put in an AI under the circumstances outlined. Armed with THAT information, I will be able to call him on his drible (if that's what I get) when I approach him next week and hand him the AI to install. But FIRST, I need some guidance on what's drible, and what's not. That's where I could use your very specific help. So, could YOU please tell me what I should expect from my mechanic, under the circumstances outlined, if he WERE a REAL mechanic? The more specific the better... Thanking you in advance... Andre Jim Weir wrote in message . .. A mechanic who understands how the real world works is worth his weight in unicorn dung. Stop looking for a yellow tag and start looking for a real mechanic as opposed to a paper shuffler. Jim (Andre) shared these priceless pearls of wisdom: -I was just hoping to avoid the hassle and get my mechanic to install -the thing, and needed some advice on what resistance I might get from -him. - -Andre Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup) VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor http://www.rst-engr.com |
#23
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Jim Weir wrote in message . ..
A mechanic who understands how the real world works is worth his weight in unicorn dung. Stop looking for a yellow tag and start looking for a real mechanic as opposed to a paper shuffler. snip snip Methinks you might be doing my brethren (none of which would refer to themselves as "real" mechanics) and Mr. Andre a slight dis-service. As there are no "real mechanics" stepping forward, I guess you will have to settle for the self-proclaimed wart on the ass that makes up GA maintenance discussion on Usenet. As Mr. Weir is not doubt aware, a "yellow tag" is meaningless unless it contains the information required to approve equipment for return to service after maintenance, overhaul or alteration. The format (or it's color) is not relevant. It's not likely for there to be a "service release" for Mr. Andre's gyro, if it was originally purchased new, nor would one be required if it has never been repaired, overhauled, or altered. If it was purchased new, all that would be found would be some type of certificate of origin/compliance. This can consist of as little as a copy of the original invoice/packing list, or more formally an FAA 8130 or a JAA Form One. If one is referring to a "real mechanic", I would like to think that some mention of professional ethics should be made. Unfortunately, ethics don't seem to be very fashionable anymore. A "real mechanic" who doesn't think that following the rules of his/her profession is important, and cannot (or will not) keep up with the "paper pushing" aspects of it is not likely to take the best care possible of the GA owner/pilot customer. The harsh reality of life in GA is that a typical FAA representative has no clue in the world what an "airworthy" aircraft/engine/propeller/accessory looks like, but you can bet your ass he/she knows at least the bare minimum to look for in regard to maintenance records. Granted, the odds are extremely slim, but if there is one aspect of GA that will get an owner/pilot in trouble with the Federales, it is going to be "paper" that has been improperly "pushed". If Mr. Andre walked in off the ramp as a new customer with a attitude gyro in his hand and asked me to install it, I'd want to see some paperwork (as described above). Lacking documentation, I would not install it. (emphasis on the period) I would very graciously explain the requirements of the CFR, and suggest that he try to obtain some scrap of paperwork for me to "push". I could legally install it under the CFR, if I was willing to personally certify the condition of the part. So lets say I install the part, attest to same in the maintenance records, and Mr. Andre decides to spin out the clouds, or fly into a mountain. Please don't tell me the odds on this, I'm quite familiar with them. Running out of gas, VFR pilot/aircraft continuing flight into IMC, and CFIT seem to stay right up there on the list of not-so-inventive ways that pilots commit suicide year-after-year-after-year. While it's also not likely that Mr. Andre's estate will sue me (given my limited means) it is likely that my name will on the list of "possibles", along with the manufacturer of every other piece of his aircraft. Especially if I'm stupid enuff to put my name and number in the maintenance records attesting to the condition of a primary flight instrument. That's a pretty big committment for a "real mechanic" to make for an hour's worth of labor. Especially since in these times, liability insurance for a "real mechanic" is pretty much non-existent. Now if Mr. Andre was a current customer, and had been observed to show at least some sound judgement in flying/maintenance matters, AND wasn't a pain-in-the-ass, I still wouldn't install his gyro, for all the same reasons stated above. Comes back to the ethics thing, primarily. However, if he asked me to borrow a couple tools, or maybe take a peek at it after it mysteriously appeared in his instrument panel, I would be glad to give him some assistance. Assuming I fit into the "real mechanic" category, I sure as hell wouldn't whine about the gyro at the next annual, either. Finally, in regards to Mr. Weir's statement concerning a mechanic's "worth", in my geographic location, with the local customer base, a "real" GA "mechanic" is worth about $15-$20 an hour, which unfortunately is exactly what clueless dip-****s (unicorn or otherwise) in the same industry are worth. The following attitude, experienced on a daily basis: (Andre) shared these priceless pearls of wisdom: -I was just hoping to avoid the hassle and get my mechanic to install -the thing, and needed some advice on what resistance I might get from -him. paired with the fact that I couldn't afford much unicorn dung, are the primary reasons that I no longer work in GA. Regards; TC |
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