NOT ONLY IN G.A.
Like JT I also have had the priviledge of knowing 50 CENT-TAURUS for a long long time.He has a very good aviation brain and from time to time when I find myself stumped, especially on training issues, turn to him for some good advice.
CENT will remember the many stories I have told him about one of my earlier employers in a far away land who operated 757s at the time.I noticed him both laughing his head off and looking at me strangely as if I was bloody liar/loony when he heard of the following maintenance "problems" on the 757.
1.A composite leading edge panel around 2 feet wide and 16 feet long rapidly breaking up in flight and disappearing completely from the 757 WHILE OVERHEAD A MAJOR CITY.The yoke had about 20 degrees deflection just to keep wings level.
2.At 35000 feet a large bang was heard followed by yoke deflection, upon inspection at XXXX the left engine COWLING was completely missing/gone.Someone got a free garden shed.
3.The RB211 engine on one 757 regularly flamed out at idle at TOD and was not able to be restarted.I flew it to investigate and the same thing happened.I grounded it.The CEO called me to demand that I fly it back to XXXX ON ONE ENGINE!!! without PAX or CREW.When I refused/said it cant be done he said "why not? you always do this in the simulator"!!! I kid you not.
I have about 15 more crazy examples like these but will save them for the bar.NOT ONLY IN G/A!!!!