What would you do.......
Guest
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It appears that some of the responses to redtails' initial question are being skewed slightly. It is obvious that redtail is working under FAA guidelines and individuals that are working under CAA guidelines and British labor laws are generating most of the responses. This is not to say that the responses are not valid as most are related to human relations and not necessarily labor relations. I would advise redtail to read the reverse side of his A&P ticket.
I quote,”THE HOLDER HEREOF SHALL NOT PERFORM OR APPROVE ALTERATIONS, REPAIRS OR INSPECTIONS OF AIRCRAFT EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS OR SUCH METHOD, TECHNIQUES, AND PRACTICES FOUND ACCEPTABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
The words above are your guidelines. If you refuse to sign off for what you consider to be defective or poor workmanship then don’t do it. If your company management tries to override your decision and forces you to sign off, then report them to the FAA standards branch. Of course, don’t use your real name. If you reveal your name and it gets back to your company you could very well lose your job but you still have your ticket in your wallet.
I speak from experience. I reported to the FAA that the German firm I worked for was building systems for the Airbus A310 that were defective. I told the FAA not to use my name but they did. The VP and the program manager were fired and, I was blacklisted from ever working on Airbus Programs. Little do they know my last contract position was on the cargo handling system for the A340 and the A3XX.
Now back to the subject. If you do not report the offending individual and it is determined that you were responsible for his work then you may as well paint a target on your chest. If an aircraft crashes and the eventual lawsuits ensue the lawyers will go for the deep pockets and the not so deep pockets. In one case involving the crash of a commercial CH-47 in Scotland the lawyers went after Boeing Helicopters and their chief designer for approving a design which eventually caused the crash. They also got the designer.
The best advice I can offer is to follow your conscience. And remember if you are involved in a lawsuit you can have your ticket revoked and quite possibly pay a very heavy fine to the US Government.
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The Cat
I quote,”THE HOLDER HEREOF SHALL NOT PERFORM OR APPROVE ALTERATIONS, REPAIRS OR INSPECTIONS OF AIRCRAFT EXCEPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE AIRWORTHINESS REQUIREMENTS OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS OR SUCH METHOD, TECHNIQUES, AND PRACTICES FOUND ACCEPTABLE TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
The words above are your guidelines. If you refuse to sign off for what you consider to be defective or poor workmanship then don’t do it. If your company management tries to override your decision and forces you to sign off, then report them to the FAA standards branch. Of course, don’t use your real name. If you reveal your name and it gets back to your company you could very well lose your job but you still have your ticket in your wallet.
I speak from experience. I reported to the FAA that the German firm I worked for was building systems for the Airbus A310 that were defective. I told the FAA not to use my name but they did. The VP and the program manager were fired and, I was blacklisted from ever working on Airbus Programs. Little do they know my last contract position was on the cargo handling system for the A340 and the A3XX.
Now back to the subject. If you do not report the offending individual and it is determined that you were responsible for his work then you may as well paint a target on your chest. If an aircraft crashes and the eventual lawsuits ensue the lawyers will go for the deep pockets and the not so deep pockets. In one case involving the crash of a commercial CH-47 in Scotland the lawyers went after Boeing Helicopters and their chief designer for approving a design which eventually caused the crash. They also got the designer.
The best advice I can offer is to follow your conscience. And remember if you are involved in a lawsuit you can have your ticket revoked and quite possibly pay a very heavy fine to the US Government.
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The Cat
Guest
Posts: n/a
Redtail, I am sincere mate. I got out of the big company game for these kind of reasons. Working for the small outfits maybe less pay but certainly more rewarding and you do not have to put up with the union/management/bean counters games. These jokers are playing with folks livelihoods usually to satisfy their own egos. I have known managers who would sell their frigging mothers if they thought it would get them another step up the imaginary ladder. They love to crow to the board.."look how much money I have saved you " ... and sod the consequences. If they could get Bangladesh Biman approved to do the maintenance for ten bucks an hour...you know as well as I do thats where your aircraft would go.
Rest assured you are not the only ones. Lufthansa use SASCO in S'pore heavily for B747-400 C checks (7 done so far I think) meanwhile LHT are laying guys off in Hamburg!
Rest assured you are not the only ones. Lufthansa use SASCO in S'pore heavily for B747-400 C checks (7 done so far I think) meanwhile LHT are laying guys off in Hamburg!
Guest
Posts: n/a
Redtail,
I appreciate your predicament. I recently had one of these lazy useless clods foisted upon me. I did not know of this person's reputation at the time, but rapidly became aware of his utter uselessness. Cannot even read an IPC, yet is licensed for many years. They do still get through the cracks, everywhere.
There was little the management wanted to do, and as I had no say in his employment initially, I could do nothing but point out the danger he represented to the operation, to the Manager responsible.
Now some time afterwards, I have yet to find anyone who has ever worked with him that has anything good to say about him. Yet, he still manages to pull the wool over management's eyes and get the occasional job.
I appreciate your situation, and can tell you there is little you can do. I actually delayed the aircraft if he did not carry out the work properly (I was on the following shift), and did it properly myself. At least my conscience was then clear.
Be patient, it eventually comes to them that they deserve, while the rest of us keep the aircraft safe.
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When all else fails, read the manual!
I appreciate your predicament. I recently had one of these lazy useless clods foisted upon me. I did not know of this person's reputation at the time, but rapidly became aware of his utter uselessness. Cannot even read an IPC, yet is licensed for many years. They do still get through the cracks, everywhere.
There was little the management wanted to do, and as I had no say in his employment initially, I could do nothing but point out the danger he represented to the operation, to the Manager responsible.
Now some time afterwards, I have yet to find anyone who has ever worked with him that has anything good to say about him. Yet, he still manages to pull the wool over management's eyes and get the occasional job.
I appreciate your situation, and can tell you there is little you can do. I actually delayed the aircraft if he did not carry out the work properly (I was on the following shift), and did it properly myself. At least my conscience was then clear.
Be patient, it eventually comes to them that they deserve, while the rest of us keep the aircraft safe.
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When all else fails, read the manual!
Guest
Posts: n/a
I am becoming more and more envious of the pilots, who have to meet a recurring set of standards. Their group has a harder time of hiding incompetence.
Jango, I agree with you on your point. If it weren’t for a minority of workers at an airline who cared and tried to excel in their field, usually out of personal pride, the various operations would grind to a halt. These people need to be rewarded, somehow. I doubt if any organization’s operational manuals can actually work in the real world without some savvy individuals knowing all of the work arounds. When the airlines finally break their spirit, watch out.
If I come across as a hard-nut, well, chalk that up to the nasty old mechanics who showed me the ropes. They preached a “zero defect” ideal.
Jango, I agree with you on your point. If it weren’t for a minority of workers at an airline who cared and tried to excel in their field, usually out of personal pride, the various operations would grind to a halt. These people need to be rewarded, somehow. I doubt if any organization’s operational manuals can actually work in the real world without some savvy individuals knowing all of the work arounds. When the airlines finally break their spirit, watch out.
If I come across as a hard-nut, well, chalk that up to the nasty old mechanics who showed me the ropes. They preached a “zero defect” ideal.
