assembly interruption a dangerous thing

On May 22, 1:43*pm, danlj wrote:
Dear List,

From time to time a pilot is broken or totalled because assembly was
in some way incomplete. I'm simply writing to remind us all not to
permit ourselves to be involved in conversation, however well-
intended, during assembly.

This is motivated by the fact that I discovered that the wing root
tape IS sufficient to hold the right wing onto a Ventus when the main
spar pin is not fully engaged. This discovery was sufficiently
humiliating that I have waited for a few days to confess.

The hookups of the Ventus are brain-dead simple and foolproof, except
that the locking pins really do need to be engaged.

Sometimes I have forgotten to pull off the wing-root tape before
trying to remove the wings during disassembly, which has sparked one
of those random fantastical thoughts, "I wonder if the main spar pin
is really needed."

I normally assemble completely alone; one day last week a friend came
along to see the glider and wanted to 'help' assemble, and of course
happens to be one of those wonderfully friendly, fascinating, chatty
types.

During the latter part of the subsequent 2-hour flight, I heard a
faint low rumble from behind, making me wonder if the engine
compartment doors had fully closed.

After I landed, I discovered that the tape over the right wing root
gap was still fully covering the gap, but the gap had widened from the
usual 2mm to about 5 mm. I need hardly tell you the sense of fright
and self-abasement this inspired.

I immediately realized that I had failed to push the main spar pin
'home' - normally the sequence is to put it halfway through (into the
left spar) to hold the left wing in place while the right wing is
installed, then go straightaway and push it home. In this case an
interruption to correct wing-taping being done by my 'assistant'
caused this step to be skipped.

I recall an old suggestion that pilots should wear a red cap as a
signal not to be interrupted. But the signal won't be obeyed until
it's learned. Maybe a more effective device would be to screen-print
words on the front and back of a light vest to be worn during
assembly, perhaps
*"DEAF" - or
"Shut up (please)"

But of course the real discipline is with us assemblers, to not permit
interruptions, and to say to the first person who offers to help,
"Yes, you can help by preventing anyone from talking to me until this
is done."

Dan Johnson

I use a written assembly check list, laminated and attached to a
clipboard. I check off each step with a red grease pencil. If by
chance I'm interrupted, I have a written record of the assembly
progress and know exactly where I left off and what steps remain.

Rich Kiray

On May 23, 8:53�am, wrote:
On May 22, 1:43�pm, danlj wrote:





Dear List,

From time to time a pilot is broken or totalled because assembly was
in some way incomplete. I'm simply writing to remind us all not to
permit ourselves to be involved in conversation, however well-
intended, during assembly.

This is motivated by the fact that I discovered that the wing root
tape IS sufficient to hold the right wing onto a Ventus when the main
spar pin is not fully engaged. This discovery was sufficiently
humiliating that I have waited for a few days to confess.

The hookups of the Ventus are brain-dead simple and foolproof, except
that the locking pins really do need to be engaged.

Sometimes I have forgotten to pull off the wing-root tape before
trying to remove the wings during disassembly, which has sparked one
of those random fantastical thoughts, "I wonder if the main spar pin
is really needed."

I normally assemble completely alone; one day last week a friend came
along to see the glider and wanted to 'help' assemble, and of course
happens to be one of those wonderfully friendly, fascinating, chatty
types.

During the latter part of the subsequent 2-hour flight, I heard a
faint low rumble from behind, making me wonder if the engine
compartment doors had fully closed.

After I landed, I discovered that the tape over the right wing root
gap was still fully covering the gap, but the gap had widened from the
usual 2mm to about 5 mm. I need hardly tell you the sense of fright
and self-abasement this inspired.

I immediately realized that I had failed to push the main spar pin
'home' - normally the sequence is to put it halfway through (into the
left spar) to hold the left wing in place while the right wing is
installed, then go straightaway and push it home. In this case an
interruption to correct wing-taping being done by my 'assistant'
caused this step to be skipped.

I recall an old suggestion that pilots should wear a red cap as a
signal not to be interrupted. But the signal won't be obeyed until
it's learned. Maybe a more effective device would be to screen-print
words on the front and back of a light vest to be worn during
assembly, perhaps
�"DEAF" - or
"Shut up (please)"

But of course the real discipline is with us assemblers, to not permit
interruptions, and to say to the first person who offers to help,
"Yes, you can help by preventing anyone from talking to me until this
is done."

Dan Johnson

I use a written assembly check list, laminated and attached to a
clipboard. I check off each step with a red grease pencil. �If by
chance I'm interrupted, I have a written record of the assembly
progress and know exactly where I left off and what steps remain.

Rich Kiray- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On May 23, 8:53�am, wrote:
On May 22, 1:43�pm, danlj wrote:





Dear List,

From time to time a pilot is broken or totalled because assembly was
in some way incomplete. I'm simply writing to remind us all not to
permit ourselves to be involved in conversation, however well-
intended, during assembly.

This is motivated by the fact that I discovered that the wing root
tape IS sufficient to hold the right wing onto a Ventus when the main
spar pin is not fully engaged. This discovery was sufficiently
humiliating that I have waited for a few days to confess.

The hookups of the Ventus are brain-dead simple and foolproof, except
that the locking pins really do need to be engaged.

Sometimes I have forgotten to pull off the wing-root tape before
trying to remove the wings during disassembly, which has sparked one
of those random fantastical thoughts, "I wonder if the main spar pin
is really needed."

I normally assemble completely alone; one day last week a friend came
along to see the glider and wanted to 'help' assemble, and of course
happens to be one of those wonderfully friendly, fascinating, chatty
types.

During the latter part of the subsequent 2-hour flight, I heard a
faint low rumble from behind, making me wonder if the engine
compartment doors had fully closed.

After I landed, I discovered that the tape over the right wing root
gap was still fully covering the gap, but the gap had widened from the
usual 2mm to about 5 mm. I need hardly tell you the sense of fright
and self-abasement this inspired.

I immediately realized that I had failed to push the main spar pin
'home' - normally the sequence is to put it halfway through (into the
left spar) to hold the left wing in place while the right wing is
installed, then go straightaway and push it home. In this case an
interruption to correct wing-taping being done by my 'assistant'
caused this step to be skipped.

I recall an old suggestion that pilots should wear a red cap as a
signal not to be interrupted. But the signal won't be obeyed until
it's learned. Maybe a more effective device would be to screen-print
words on the front and back of a light vest to be worn during
assembly, perhaps
�"DEAF" - or
"Shut up (please)"

But of course the real discipline is with us assemblers, to not permit
interruptions, and to say to the first person who offers to help,
"Yes, you can help by preventing anyone from talking to me until this
is done."

Dan Johnson

I use a written assembly check list, laminated and attached to a
clipboard. I check off each step with a red grease pencil. �If by
chance I'm interrupted, I have a written record of the assembly
progress and know exactly where I left off and what steps remain.

Rich Kiray- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

One thing I did when I owned my Ventus was I would clip the main
safety pin on the boom mike. You shouldn't be taking off if that
thing was hanging in front of your face!

On 22 May, 19:50, Rick Culbertson wrote:

*"CRITICAL AIRCRAFT ASSEMBLY IN PROGRESS
*Please do not disturb the pilot until this sign is removed.
* * * * * * *Thank you, Name and glider ID"

That simple addition to the assembly process just may save a life
someday, maybe mine!

As long as it doesn't stop someone from pointing out (or noticing)
something you've missed.

My present club insists on independent rigging checks for all
aircraft, and I have /always/ asked someone else to check the main pin
insertion as well as the control connections. Maybe worth considering
where the OP flies?

Ian

On 23 May, 00:51, CLewis95 wrote:

I love your simple answer to the eager helpers.... "you can help by
preventing anyone from talking to me until this is done." *After a
while the eager helpers will get the idea.

I like having eager helpers. I can't lift a Pirat centre section on my
own, and I can say to them "Will you confirm that this control is on
tight and that a small pin has popped out behind it?"

Ian

JJ Sinclair wrote:

Thanks for posting, we need to talk about these kind of things....


This is an important thread. In reading through the posts, I notice many
instances of "I never...", and "I always...." Such absolutism can also
produce a dangerous mindset, one from which a mistaken self-assurance
can grow. Every time you assemble is a little different from every
other. Be alert to the moment and its unique challenges. Avoid following
the well worn path of habit.

No rush, no rash.


Jack

Jack wrote:
JJ Sinclair wrote:

Thanks for posting, we need to talk about these kind of things....


This is an important thread. In reading through the posts, I notice many
instances of "I never...", and "I always...." Such absolutism can also
produce a dangerous mindset, one from which a mistaken self-assurance
can grow. Every time you assemble is a little different from every
other. Be alert to the moment and its unique challenges. Avoid following
the well worn path of habit.

No rush, no rash.

Always remember that never before has a thread contained so much
absolutely important material.

There may be a simpler, safer ship to rig than a Zuni (1970's American
15m design), but I've not yet seen it. Except for the single main pin,
everything connects automatically, with no possibility of mis-set flaps
or ailerons or (all-flying) horizontal stabilizer. (There are no
spoilers, and, no loose safety pins.) Further, the main pin safety is
built into the ship, in easy reach and plain sight.

God, Himself, would have difficulty rigging a Zuni improperly, while
only an idiot would never rig a Zuni incompletely.

In fact, I've incompletely-rigged mine only once since 1981. I
absolutely meant to never do it. I've never done it since, and yet,
maybe 18 or so years after it happened, I still feel like an absolute
idiot. I'm darned glad I can, and still do!!!

There I was, whining to my derigging buddy about falling out on a
rotorish day a mere 2.5 hours after releasing, reached in to unsafety
the main pin only to discover God had already pre-removed it by an inch
or so...BECAUSE I'D FORGOTTEN TO ROTATE THE HANDLE INTO POSITION FOR THE
(NEARLY) AUTOMATIC SAFETY TO SPRING BACK INTO 'HANDLE-CAPTURED/SAFETIED'
POSITION.

I now have a good idea what heart stoppage feels like.

Kids, however you accomplish it, don't try this on your own!!! Not even
if you're a trained professional...

Regards,
Bob - human perfection is not an option - W.

Bob Whelan wrote:
Jack wrote:
JJ Sinclair wrote:

Thanks for posting, we need to talk about these kind of things....


This is an important thread. In reading through the posts, I notice
many instances of "I never...", and "I always...." Such absolutism can
also produce a dangerous mindset, one from which a mistaken
self-assurance can grow. Every time you assemble is a little different
from every other. Be alert to the moment and its unique challenges.
Avoid following the well worn path of habit.

No rush, no rash.

Always remember that never before has a thread contained so much
absolutely important material.



It's a sly and perceptive devil you are, Robert.

Thanks.


Jack

On May 26, 3:58*pm, Bob Whelan
wrote:
Jack wrote:
JJ Sinclair wrote:

Thanks for posting, we need to talk about these kind of things....

This is an important thread. In reading through the posts, I notice many
instances of "I never...", and "I always...." Such absolutism can also
produce a dangerous mindset, one from which a mistaken self-assurance
can grow. Every time you assemble is a little different from every
other. Be alert to the moment and its unique challenges. Avoid following
the well worn path of habit.

No rush, no rash.

Always remember that never before has a thread contained so much
absolutely important material.

There may be a simpler, safer ship to rig than a Zuni (1970's American
15m design), but I've not yet seen it. *Except for the single main pin,
everything connects automatically, with no possibility of mis-set flaps
or ailerons or (all-flying) horizontal stabilizer. *(There are no
spoilers, and, no loose safety pins.) *Further, the main pin safety is
built into the ship, in easy reach and plain sight.

God, Himself, would have difficulty rigging a Zuni improperly, while
only an idiot would never rig a Zuni incompletely.

In fact, I've incompletely-rigged mine only once since 1981. *I
absolutely meant to never do it. *I've never done it since, and yet,
maybe 18 or so years after it happened, I still feel like an absolute
idiot. *I'm darned glad I can, and still do!!!

There I was, whining to my derigging buddy about falling out on a
rotorish day a mere 2.5 hours after releasing, reached in to unsafety
the main pin only to discover God had already pre-removed it by an inch
or so...BECAUSE I'D FORGOTTEN TO ROTATE THE HANDLE INTO POSITION FOR THE
(NEARLY) AUTOMATIC SAFETY TO SPRING BACK INTO 'HANDLE-CAPTURED/SAFETIED'
POSITION.

I now have a good idea what heart stoppage feels like.

Kids, however you accomplish it, don't try this on your own!!! *Not even
if you're a trained professional...

Regards,
Bob - human perfection is not an option - W.

I did the same mistake with my new ASW 27 few month ago. Both pins
were not secured!! Luckily they did not move at all, maybe my stuffed
luggage compartment, or god, kept them in place. Talking about a heart
stoppage!
In my case it wasn't another person interupting me. It was a wind
gust. The glider was already assembled the prior day, I only needed to
install the batteries, which in the ASW 27 is difficult unless you
rotate the pins out of their safety. Once I installed the batteries a
wind gust forced me to close the canopy, and I never got back to
rotate the pins back to safety! I now install the batteries the hard
way if the glider is already assembled, without rotating the pins.
The moral is that anything can interupt your routine, not just another
person. Just make sure that your routine does not include any traps,
then check and double check the critical assemblies.

Ramy

What Bob states below definitely true. Anything that distracts you during
the assembly process is a hazard.

I recently wrote an article for Soaring about an incident that happened
during assembly at Logan, UT. If you missed it, here is a link to the
original draft copy of the article.
(http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder/St...mbly_Check.pdf)

Wayne
HP-14 "Six Foxtrot"
http://www.soaridaho.com/Schreder

wrote in message
...
On May 26, 3:58 pm, Bob Whelan
wrote:

Snip ..

In my case it wasn't another person interupting me.

Snip...