LearjetMech

...You dont secure the top cowling to the inboard side of the pylon. 2500AGL, 235 KTS, over downtown Dallas. Happened this afternoon! Executed an immediate return. Dont think an emergency was declared. Everyone safe!

DKjens

My Feedback: (50)

Yeah, but how many passengers/crew walked funny due to an immediate need of change of pants, once on the ground?
DKjens

LearjetMech

I have a pic of the pilot looking at it. Close inspection reveals a seat cushion poking out his ***

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

can you say "pilot looking for a job"?

cwrr5

My Feedback: (32)

Not the pilot, mechanic that last worked on the plane would be the one looking for a new job. The pilot did exactly what he should have done(land right away).

Don't use nylon screws on engine cowlings... check.

Lowlevlflyer

My Feedback: (3)

Glad to hear of an uneventful ending to this story... could have been worse!

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

My first citation flight, the instructor came out, shows me the plane, I am in lala land trying to keep up. Taxi onto the runway, he is driving at this time. I am watching gauges. As he goes to full throttle we start rolling, power set, V1, left ITT gauge drops to zero. Rotote, past the point of stopping by about the length of the runway (short runway). Both engines running smooth, nothing else wierd.

Fly north of the airport, throttles follow fine, no sign of anything wrong. WE come around to land, everything fine. Shutdown, and call Cessna to order a new ITT gauge because we have a flight the next day. They say "its not the ITT gauge, go look in the front of your engine, tell us what you see".

75% of the blades in the fan are missing chunks from tiny to as big as a quarter. I can't figure out how it didn't vibrate at all. We had no indication that we shelled an engine.

Pulled it off, and sent it in. Turns out, the avionics guy grabbed the key to the jet out of the lock box in the office for what ever reason, and set it on top of the plane. THe door is never locked in it so noone has a clue as to why he did it, but he wouldn't admit it, other than the key was checked out to him.

Strange deal!!!

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

Just curious. Did the pilot shut down that right side engine in flight? I can only assume those planes can fly on one engine.

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

Assuming you are talking about the one in the picture? Don't know that, but yes, they fly very well on one for the most part. The westwind was a blast on one. The CRJ that they use for the delta connection is a dog on one. The single engine climb rate on one engine with a full boat is 100 FPM. Had a friend on one a month ago that lost one on final and the dope in the cockpit elected a go around, and took 30 minutes to get high enough to make another go. Noone will ever know why he went around. Strange.

Gotta go fly, you all have fun!

cruzomatic

My Feedback: (17)

100 FPM, Wow!! Nothing like going to full throttle and pulling straight up as with a 4*60 and a 91FS huh?

Yes, was talking about that one in the pic. Very interesting, thanks for responding.

APIA

Can you say half *****ed preflight!
-Tom

LearjetMech

Tom,
I would agree with you if this were a smaller airplane! But to check this you physically have to get on the wing. Have you ever seen a FE or FO with a major airline climb up on the wing and check things. No! Professional pilots walk around with a flashlight maybe, and look to see if all the big pieces are there and there is air in the tires. Now occasionally I do get some pilots that find the most ridiculous things. I attribute that to not wanting to fly. I feel like kicking them square in the sack because there are so many of us that would give up our first born to have their job. One pilot wrote up an inop maintenance bay light in the hell holle. Since it wasn't listed in the operators MEL, he grounded the airplane. Another wrote up the 2" piece of chafe tape on the wing leading edge fairing. Not in MEL, no fly! Most business jet guys dont even check the oil. They simply figure if they have pressure on start and the temp is good during the flight, the level must be ok. I agree that it was a poor pre-flight, and I know what the regs say, but it just doesn't happen. I have a few customers that when there airplane comes out of heavy maintenance, they look over the airplane for about 30min to 1 hour. After start they sit there for another 30 min and check EVERY system. They also do a shake flight. If everything is good they land and gas up and turn and burn. If not back into the barn for some check flight sqks! I'm not blaming the pilot at all. He just assumed and gave credit to the mechanic and maintenance facility. He did a "bang up" job of landing the airplane.
His training payed off in that situation. And a small update on the damage. The engine had to come off and the pylon firewall will need to be replaced. The oil tank has to be replaced along with a fire extinguisher discherge tube. Almost all of the gang drains have to be changed along with an accessory case fire detect element. TR bucket is ok and will need some filler and paint along with a few spots on the fuselage. I'm almost positve that more things will creep up. All this time and money for about 30 seconds of work turning in approx ten camloc's.

Turbo442

how about this one?

MB
www.rob.com/pix/oops

deltatech

(Now occasionally I do get some pilots that find the most ridiculous things. I attribute that to not wanting to fly.)
We reffer to this as "PCF". It is sometimes a major factor in determining if the pilot is motivated to take the plane or be a stick in the mud on a little issue. "PCF" or Pilots Car Factor gives you an idea on wheather the pilot is going home to his car "motivated". Or heading away from car/home "unmotivated to down right kicking and screaming". Ive also seen plenty of pilots who were just crabby - didn't like the layover hotel/food/transportation didn't get any from flight attendant and they are looking for someone to unload on.

goinav8n

My Feedback: (16)

I was at one time called crabby and some other names when I reported that 15 screws were in the cockpit and I didnt know what they were for. Well they turned out to be from on the tail. I remember an airplane that crashed in the south because the screws werent replaced in the tail. I think an EMB-Brazila. A Delta commuter???

So let see............. If the aircaft crashes the Mech goes home. Where does the pilot go?????

Jeff

LearjetMech

I think it might of been one of our CRJ's. We were actually just talking about it last week. It was 12 screws left out of the horizontal leading edge if my memory serves me right. I do have to agree with DeltaMech though. I see some pilots intentionally right up stuff that is not in the MEL so it has to be worked. And wouldn't you know it their duty time expires in 4 hours!!! Stuff like aft maintenance bay light inop. The best one was "wing root leading edge missing chaffe tape". I mean c'mon now, the plane aint going down due to an inop light in the hell hole!!! Not in the MEL, GROUNDED!!! I get the occasional customer that will slip me a $20 or take me out to lunch if I drag my feet and help him miss a flight because they want to play golf in Dallas, or catch a race, or a Cowboys game. We call it "P.U.S.S." syndrome. Or Pilot Under Sudden Sickness. Sickness could be physical, but mostly mental. We had one pilot ask us to delay him cause his cat died and he was mourning his loss!!!! I would cut off my testicles to fly some of this equipment they are using in the GA arena. Smokes the airlines. I took an american pilot down to the shop and he said it is far more advanced then even the 777. He was blown away! What a shame some people take things for granted.
We all chose our professions to an extent. Mechanics complain cuz we keep em flying and get payed about 1/3 of a captain. Pilots complain cuz they cant go home if the mechanic screws up! Pilots and mechanics both screw up. We dont want to but it happens. There is so much pressure on the mechanic this day and age due to the reduced workforce and cutbacks. You will always have a co-pilot next to you and an engineer if req. But the mechanics are very overworked which leads to undue stress which leads to forgetfulness sometimes. Sorry it is the truth!!

deltatech

LearjetMech. Insightful reply! I agree on your point about aircraft technitions being understaffed overworked and if I may add unappreciated. goinav8n I'm not implying that PCF would lead to the mech going home and the pilot going to heaven. I was mearly pointing out that there are grey areas and the pilots direction of motivation could make a gray area black or white. When ever there is an obvious airworthiness issue any pilot worth his salt will stop the flight regaurdless of the circumstances. There are plenty of times where the pilot calls us out on a grey issue and we give him his options "everything staying under a legal umbrella" and in the end everyone is happy. I pitty the tech who would criticeze a pilot with a hand full of screws and a concern.

goinav8n

My Feedback: (16)

I must be real fortanute with the Mech I have. He is one of these anal type a people that I just love to have working with me. There is never any question. If he is comfortable. I am very comfortable. Its apperent you are with the airlines. It must be alot different than when I was there. Of course it has been over 10 years since I have been on the airline side.

I can assure you that most pilots love to fly. As Im sure the Mech's like thier jobs. It just appeared that the pilots were being attacked on this one.

Jeff

deltatech

Oh come on now. No one is attacking anybody. This was just some cheerful banter between technitions not intended to offend anybody. As you must know in this industry we all must deal with a myriad of problems and always handle them with professionalism. Happy flying goinav8n.