Originally Posted by RMC
Grunf,
I have worked as a contractor in the US and am able to comment on skills of "assembly personnel". I was not directing the superior skills comment at design engineering personnel.
Basically a traditional UK assembly worker/fitter/mechanic will have an apprenticeship of 4 to 5 years. The first year is spent in a training school, no where near an aircraft, before being released on the shop floor with at least 12 different experienced fitters in 12 different sections over the three to four year period. Most of the US fitters are what we refer to as "semi skilled" having training measured in months rather than years. For evidence go and have a close look at 2 new 737 leading edges. You will see they are not the same with steps and gaps clearly visable to the naked eye. Then check out an airbus leading edge..all are identical with steps and gap tolerances checked with fine feeler gauges.
You're full of crap slick. You must be one of them thar semi skilled contractors.
After many cycles any airplane will get that middle age spread. During heavy checks, aircraft are torn apart and put back together so they are re-rigged to zero time tolerances. Aircraft flown over here are maintained inspected in Europe too. With these so-called gaps or other blemishes visible after a heavy check has been completed, is it because, as you say, are the engineers here semi-skilled?
Pretty arrogant of you don't you think... athough no... since you made the comment regarding semi-silled labour.