@the hitcher; it's a normal thing at my workplace to have security guards doing walk arounds. They check for bombs etc, but I've had them come to me sometimes asking if some issues were normal... I can think about a dent caused by a loading truck AFTER I did my daily inspection. I think this is a good thing as long as you guards keep your hands off the airplane and don't open panels or play with switches.

@dream land; good thing you did spot it, and in main base they shouldn't have ADD'ed it. Paperwork for ADD takes more time nowadays than replacing the valva cap itself. However it's a non event, the cap is not the primary safety. You didn't know so best to ask the engineer indeed. I don't like the attitude of "I made the engineer" and "he was wrong" however... But alas, some pilots are like that.

Turin, sadly the Govmt. we have ,has decided that there will not be a `Minister for Common Sense` to be appointed,as they do not understand the Term,as applicable to us.They are undoubtedly waiting for some stupid Rule from Brussels,otherwise,people `showing Common Sense and Good Airmanship/Engineering Practice` will find themselves sent to Coventry,to wear yellow jackets and have to report to the `Elf and Safety` Polizei for the daily `brainwash` whilst listening to the Muezzins `call to prayers` interspersed with loads of Rap......

Come on now, the only safety issue is the tire "tyre" pressure, if the company allowed it to be an "add" item "nef", get over it. The valve cap on your car is plastic because it should not melt under normal conditions, aircraft brake assy's get really hot.

" ive also spotted a major hydraulic leak on a A321 wheel that the highly paid pilots and engineers had missed."

Hitcher,

Let me offer you a " beginners guide to line maintenance".

Engineers and F/D are human beings, thus sometimes we make mistakes and miss things...rare, but it happens....with me so far ?...so, jet arrives on stand and stays there all night...long after the walk round is completed, a small leak develops..as warm seals "shrink" and possibly fail....worn tyres...said jet arrives on stand and stops...unlike Aunty Betty's flying club who stop, have a quick look round and then trundle a bit further thus allowing all of the tyre area to be inspected. Now, if said jet is moved from the stand to a remote area, and there was a skid mark / cut on the area it was standing on previously, nobody would have seen it until it was moved....still with it ?...in essence, all is not what it seems....to the untrained eye.

Now, as others have said, flight safety is integral to the occupation...and if we get a report from some well meaning person about seeing what they think may be a problem, strangely, those who you see fit to denegrate based on your own ( limited, albeit non existent ) knowledge tend to take a look to make sure....99 times out of a 100 mean anything to you ?.

However, you are on very, very thin ice when you decide to embark on your own quest for glory and proceed to start "inspecting" and subsequently insulting the integrity of engineers and F/D based on what is clearly an ego boosting excerise....your first name isn't Walter by any chance ?....:rolleyes:

A little music for your iPod next time you do an "inspection".... or play with MS Sim...

YouTube - YouTube - The Great Pretender-The Platters(1956)

sycamore.....:hmm:..ok, I take your point, but like Turin, I am still er, confused as it were.....however, what does intrigue me is that we come from the same HM background....to me it's a primary seal..to you, it isn't...there again, HM flying club, despite it's expertise in many areas, has been known to cause confusion to all it's members over the years....;):D

At LGW many reports from cleaners, tuggies, loaders, toiletiers, and security guards filter through to Tech Control via the flight deck or through the TRM. We always go out and have a look. Most of the time it's nothing to worry about but occasionally it's something significant which needs action. We always make a point of thanking whoever reported so they will not feel silly if it happens again. It's good to have a "reporting culture" because one day it might make a big difference! Not sure about other airlines but we normally don't go near the a/c during the day. We only attend for a "called in" defect. Therefore a leak or other significant defect might go undetected till the night-stop.

Valve caps aren't fitted when leak testing tyres over the recommended period of time after wheel build-ups so I can't see how that makes them a primary seal...
Notwithstanding my opinion, here's what my Michelin Aircraft Tyre Care & Service Manual has to say on the matter:
Each valve should have a valve cap on it to prevent dirt, oil, moisture and other contaminants from getting inside and damaging the core. (Page 47)
Valve caps, finger tightened, should be used to prevent dirt from entering and holding open the valve stem. (Page 49)

(This is probably the reference source spannerhead made earlier but the link wouldn't open.)

That does make sense Steve, as how else would you check the integrity of the valve seal.

I think the integrity of the valve cap is assumed after it has been inspected visually and aurally'. :ok:

I take it you've also got virtual engineers doing the preflights, defect rectification and scheduled maintenance tasks before you take off then? The consequences of a crash onto a Legoland school don't bear thinking about. :eek:

had a delayed flight today as plane required a bomb search. plane wasn't sealed after cleaning crew left. just wish the security would do their job correctly.

Who is this man? I thought he said he was a security guard. Legal limits ..... ?? Does he have access to Maintenance Manuals? If so, why?

OK. I've got it Wind up :ugh::ugh:

There is always the Dunning-Kruger effect to contend with. Luckily those affected are rarely in a position to do much besides huff and puff.

KBPsen. The Dunning Kruger effect. :eek: Just wait until The Hitcher sees this.

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which unskilled people make poor decisions and reach erroneous conclusions, but their incompetence denies them the metacognitive ability to realize their mistakes. The unskilled therefore suffer from illusory superiority, rating their own ability as above average, much higher than it actually is, while the highly skilled underrate their abilities, suffering from illusory inferiority. This leads to the situation in which less competent people rate their own ability higher than more competent people. It also explains why actual competence may weaken self-confidence. Competent individuals falsely assume that others have an equivalent understanding. "Thus, the miscalibration of the incompetent stems from an error about the self, whereas the miscalibration of the highly competent stems from an error about others."

Hitcher, I'm curious, assuming this isn't a wind up - genuine question- why don't you get yourself one of these overpaid jobs? Any reason?

we get paid too much:ok:

The Hitcher must be a wind up merchant. How are you qualified to say tyres are below the legal limit?:ugh:

To be honest, if you were second guessing me on any aircraft I worked on grateful wouldn't be a word that immediately sprung to mind:E

I think you have a touch of the green-eyed monsters:)

Oh stop it, you're making me laugh so much i'm missing the Skoda Yeti review on Top Gear:)

Oh and by the way, during your pre-flight inspections you should note we change tyre/wheel assemblies not tyres:ugh:

"you should be gratefull someone is double checking you, safety is everyones concern and as a keen simmer i am well aware of what is safe and what is not "


Emr, would you be including yourself in this statement per chance ? I don't wish to cause any offence, but you really are as thick as pig s££t...and twice as dense...in my modest opinion that it is.

Is English your first language I wonder....assuming you attended school for a sufficient period of time to become conversant with the subject.

Alas, we already have a system in place for double checking, it's called duplicate inspections....which you seem to have taken upon yourself to perform as an intrinsic feature of your security role....

Do let us know how you progress to becoming a Lic.Eng....no doubt you will.

Anyway, of you go now..must be nearly time to crew in on the sim....those log book hrs must be building nicely by now.

One final query please...

What time do the nursing staff dispense the last medication of the evening to you ?

Ok, Hitcher, I was still somewhat defending you in my previous post, but from what I read now it's obvious. Stay away from a/c please. You cannot check tires visually like your bike tire. 50 PSI decrease in a tire can be enough to replace both wheels on an axle, but this amount will not bulge the wheels as you might think. A kick with your foot will certainly not be legal as inspection.
And yes we drink coffee and pour some oil in from time to time, things a monkey can do, but to be in charge of engine changes, flight control replacements and riggings, major avionics rewiring etc is another thing. Of course these things you'll not notice as a guard as you only see line maintenance.
Many of us did study 6-8 years to get all the licenses and still have to learn, something a car mechanic or you will not have done. All security guards I know have followed a 3 days course in an interim bureau. What's even wrong with being a car mechanic?
I really hope you give up your plan to become an engineer, you'll have diminished your chances to find work anyway, aviation is a small world.

This guy's priceless! Keep 'em coming Hitch, much more entertaining than Sunday night TV......."senior licensed aviation secruity officer" :D

Let's hope it's small enough for someone to identify this guy PDQ. Things have gone well beyond a joke with his attitude and he's an airside danger.

I forecast he's got some planned 'defect' discovery in mind - that may just get missed - if you get my drift.