Originally Posted by
Yeehaw22
I take exception to that statement. Many engineering type courses nowadays are much shorter and go into much lesser detail on systems than they used to. The manufacturers want the "engineer" to follow the FIM or TSM. They actively enforce the fact. Would you prefer the "engineer" to act all gung ho and act outside of the manufacturer's documentation?
In this instance it looks like a massive blunder by the MRO but there also has to be responsibility taken by the manufacturer and also the pilots doing the pre flight.
It's too easy to just blame the "engineer" just like in the numerous other threads on here that jump to the conclusion and blame the "pilot".
I hear what you are saying. It would seem that to reduce costs, engineers as well as pilots are having shorter and less supervised training. So we end up with the situation that today’s new pilot can operate a computerised aircraft but hasn’t got basic stick and rudder skills, and it would seem that today’s new engineer can interrogate a computer and replace systems, but lacks basic engineering fault finding and resolution skills?
A friend’s Porsche would not rev beyond 4000rpm. The Porsche “specialist” garage with its computer diagnostics replaced the mass air flow meter but the problem remained. I had a look (without access to computer diagnostics), but using my ingrained troubleshooting experience, which is based on first principles; I first checked the power supply to the various engine components. The voltage of the feed to the fuel injectors was well below what it should have been, and I traced this to a bad earth. Once fixed with an alternative earthing point, the V8 was back to its free revving self.
Yes, of course today’s complex aircraft need computer diagnostic facilities, but the basic engineering skills are still needed to give an overview and ‘reasonableness’ check of what is being done, and whether the system is functioning correctly once fixed.
Something as fundamental as flight controls need special attention. Pilots in the cockpit cannot see their own control surfaces, and have to rely on cockpit displays - which might also be wrong. The only true check of flight controls after maintenance is with a third party external to the aircraft observing and confirming correct movement.