Loss of Mechanic skills
 

For the last 5 (10 or so off and on) years out of about a 20 year career I have dedicated my skills to Avionics. With today's modern aircraft, this is the future. I have now found that my highly skilled electronic brothers fail hard when it is time to turn a wrench, simply adjusting a FDR POT is not within their skill set. I work in a unique environment where we mostly work 22/31&34. My past employers had required Blue water to Avionics skils, I know how to turn a wrench and T/S on all levels to a decent extent. I am wondering if some old fellers out there have seen the same with green horn tech's who spend more time in the wires than getting a bit of break dust under the nails?

Couldn't agree more, grounded!

It's regular practice where I work for the 'fairies' to have the airframe lads remove busted screws for them, or even remove panels so they can access the wires underneath!

One might question whether this is 'loss of skills' or just laziness.

Most definitely the latter, and part of the eternal game played between the trades! :ok:

The same way riggers always ask fairies to undo plugs otherwise they'll "saw through the cable to get it off"... :eek:

@ glum and dougie:
some organisations enforce the demarcation between trades.
To the OP question, is probably true, but consider that my father was appalled that I did not know how to hand scrape a bearing(automotive) and viewed that as loss of skill. He did his trade in 1930s and I did mine in the 70s