as Line Mechanics is troubleshoot. We at SWA run things differently than most places in that we utilize most of our airplanes and have very few spares. In fact not too long ago we had no spare aircraft which required us as mechanics to fix grounded planes quickly. Unlike the picture above the majority of issues that airplanes have need to be rooted out via troubleshooting. As such a good troubleshooter is usually a good mechanic and vise-versa.Now all that said there are also times when you "Load the shells into the shotgun". When we say this we mean that we take all the parts that could be causing a problem with us out to the plane and start changing them until the problem is fixed. A good example of this for us are Engine Bleed Air issues. We at SWA have a test box that is supposed too tell us which valve or regulator is at fault. The problem is that our test box is not very reliable and often leads us astray. I know that the "Shotgun Method" is a more costly method but for issues like Bleed Air it is the method I prefer. When the boss and OPS are breathing down your throat for a time that the plane will be fixed you simply do not have time to fiddle around with a busted test box.
Last night I worked another problem that called for just changing the part and seeing what happened. This time it was for a totally different reason. My plane had a Fuel Boost Pump inop and on MEL. This particular boost pump was a center pump and on the 737-700 series aircraft to correctly change and ops check the center boost pump you have to put at least 10 thousand pounds of fuel into the center tank. In a situation like this I figured I could fill up the tank, troubleshoot, and try to fix, or I could change the pump and low pressure switch and then fill the tank and do the ops check. Since the pump and switch are really the only things in the system excepting a wire problem its safe to change them as they are most likely to break. Saves time, saves me energy. By the way it fixed the problem.
As most Line Mechanics I see the value of good troubleshooting. We spend a lot of energy with BITE books and in the Maintenance Manual to fine tune and hone these skills but there are times when you have to go old school and pull out the shells for the shotgun.
As a technition four a airline (not USA) I do not find myself or my fellow techition selves using guns on our jobs! What is it good four to damage airplanes with bulletss? This makes only work for metal men to repair on skin of planes? Sometimes planes make me mad when they won't be fixed buy me, but I would not shoot them! Heck no I say! Renches fix a plane better than guns. Americans are mean and violent. Saara Palin for President! GO!
ReplyDeleteAs the comment above proves, some people should not be allowed to touch aircraft or be responsible for other peoples lives. As a mechanic it is imperative to read information correctly and thoroughly, the article clearly explains what the term shotgunning means, yet as we read the above comment we see the dangers of a mechanic jumping to conclusions without proper understanding.
ReplyDeleteAlso it is a shame that someone would use a blog about aircraft maintenance to make a political statement.