What type of pen writes on maintenance release?!!
 

Does anyone else have terrible trouble trying to sign or write the hours on the waxy paper of a maintenance release? Such that the document ends up looking like the pilot was drunk every time he signed it?

What is the best type of pen / biro that will reliably write on a maintenance release?

It's the time of year also. Summer time means lots of sweaty hands resting on the paper while signing and leaving residue which makes writing difficult.

'Roller ball' style ball ink pen or Parker ball point ink pens and refills (the genuine Parker ink is the best) are the go IMHO. :ok:

Ive got a Parker and still have the same issues. Just about gave up the other day trying to write in completed maintenance. Guy I know got some "super pen" refill for his, ill ask what it was, seemed to work ok.

Parker roller ball is always pretty good. Even the plastic Bic does a good job.

Stay away from gel ink or felt tips, they are terrible I have found.

Try keep it as clean as possible. As mentioned grotty hands all over it won't help so try minimise that as much as you can.

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Spirit-based fine fibre-tips (0.5mm) have generally worked for me on such surfaces.

Fisher space pen

Try gently scraping the wax off and roughening the surface of the MR with a new ScotchBrite scourer. Any good quality biro should then work, but do not press too heavily.

Without fail, regardless of the pen style (except felt pens) I always have to get the pen started on another piece of paper first, then move to the MR. I also find that I need something solid behind the MR to write on it effectively.

Don't scrape off the wax, otherwise the inherit water and fire-proof qualities of the MR may be lost forever :{

crayon.:rolleyes:

Cheap biros don't work because the heat causes the ink to brain away.

Medium felt tip pens or a good quality biro seem to be best.

A very rare one, that should be guarded with your life, and pray that it doesn't run out of ink!

PaperMate Profile Retractable Ballpoint Pens Black 4 Pack | Officeworks
or
Pilot G-2 Fine Retractable Gel Pen Black | Officeworks

I do like those certain MR's some workshops have that are in normal type card / paper without the bull**** wax on them. They are a dream to write on in comparison :ok:

The Bic Clic ballpoints with the fine tip rather than the standard tip work a bit better.

I have used the Pilot G2s for ages - they write really well on logs.

Old GA rule ,

1.never let pilots near a M/R with a biro,

2. a well maintained aeroplane will only ever go unserviceable on the leg to the maintenance base,

Thanks guys, many humorous replies there, and I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who grapples with this issue on a daily basis. It looks real professional doesn't it when the pilot can't write on his paperwork and has to get the pen started by scribbling on a piece of scrap paper... almost as reassuring as not being able to start a hot continental with pax onboard and people watching (especially if you forgot to turn the mags on).

But there are some genuine suggestions as to which pen works best and I shall purchase a variety next time I'm at office works!

Bic multi color Biro. That way I can make the MR a thing of multi coloured beauty.

Fishers Space Pen........Couldn't Agree more !

I bought one after seeing a mate use it on EVERY MR without issue. Best buy, and if you get it from the states (and buy bulk refills on ebay) it works out very affordable!

In another era I couldn't get the gear down in a Baron while landing at Essendon. Long story but not here. Tried to wind it down but the handle would wind only three or four turns each way and then jam up. Turned out that was due to freight often being dumped over the winder and deforming it enough to make it jam. The hard plastic cover over the handle was cracked with age and freight on it. End result I cut my hand badly on the sharp plastic and bled a lot.

Finally got the gear down and wrote it up in the maintenance release. Got the DCM for all that but had the satisifaction of bleeding all over the maintenance release. As usual the MR had no recorded defects on it before that flight (SOP in GA) but after I finished with it the blood and pen entry were mixed with each other and another MR needed..:ok: