Jet 2, Nobody is saying there are more accidents with using the FAA ststem but to those of us using the JAR 66 licensing system can understand where Itlbefine is coming from.
For years the BCAR licence gave you A+C (Airframe and Engine) responsibilities and these alone on modern aircraft can be complexed as I am sure most people know and now we are all expected to get Electrics as well.
To me wiggly amps were always the domain of the avionic lads and will always remain so.
As an A+C engineer whilst I have an understanding of electrical systems my knowledge is nowhere as in depth as my avionic collegues as I am sure there Knowledge of some of the finer points of our art is much the same.
Now under the JAR/EASA system we are all expected to have in depth knowledge of electrics (no oral though,a definate backward step).
Hypothetically speaking,heres a scenario.....
One day your are going to be happily working away on an engine change and somebody is going to ask you to clear some electrical mod/repair off because you now have the coverage.You now have moved from an area that you are perfectly comfortable with and deal with everyday, to a position of having to release a task that you may not be altogether comfortable by virtue of the fact that all your life you have dealt with nuts and bolts, not wires and cables. You are obviously a very capable engineer as you hold the coverage that allows you to certify these tasks. How would you feel?This could happen to anyone of us in the future.
All our lives mechanics and avionics have been two sides of the same coin, but now the authorities want to merge the fields.Is this really good for the industry that relies and prides itself on the safety element everyday?
I have my own views but I also have to work within the current system of the day,like it or not.The only thing guys can do is rely on there own experiance and integraty when using there authorisations.Only time will tell if this has a direct impact on technical faults causing more accidents.
I for one hope that we can still rely on a safe industry and all accidents attributed to any reason can only be regarded as a tradgedy and lessons leant if required