Originally Posted by
Uplinker
I hear and agree with 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?
In some ways yes with new engineers being brought up on modern Airbus, 787 etc rather than the previous generation of aircraft where you had to rely on proper hands on troubleshooting and fault finding. Its inevitable there's going to be a difference in approach. But in my opinion there should always be a basic underlying knowledge and initial troubleshooting ability present in any engineer.
BUT my main point and objection to the post by esscee is we are only human, we cant possibly remember the ins and outs of every system of every aircraft we work on. And to try and do so would be massively dangerous. That's why we have technical documentation to use and follow. But pilots and engineers alike, sometimes all that's needed is the mk1 eyeball.