Best engineers you have worked with
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Best engineers you have worked with
Hi
As this forum is dedicated to all you rotary pilots. What about the guys that keep you in the air. Who are some of the best engineers you have had the privelage of working with in past and present times. I'm sure there's got to be a few stories to tell
As this forum is dedicated to all you rotary pilots. What about the guys that keep you in the air. Who are some of the best engineers you have had the privelage of working with in past and present times. I'm sure there's got to be a few stories to tell
Last edited by rapman; 6th Apr 2007 at 08:25. Reason: spelling mistake
Seeing that I normally work by myself it must be .............................me
Engineers and pilots usually share the same passionate common denominator when dealing with helicopters. It means that their relationship is more like of a love and hate type. Now, maintenance is becoming more and more computerized and numeric with captors everywhere but I like to see when they lay a palm on a tail boom to detect weird vibrations listen for noises or smell for some overheat. Even for the new ones, time and experience turn them into craftmen that cannot be replaced with a snap of fingers.
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From a senior Canadian Pilot (with which I fully agree!):
“I've always found that the maintenance I received over the years has more to do with the work habits and ability of my engineer than what dictates came out of any Head Office. After all is said and done, it is basically what you the pilot and he, the engineer will put up with. I've seen pilots who will put up with an awful lot, but the engineer was damn good, a hard worker and knew the a/c darn well........and in that scenario it was the ENGINEER that kept that a/c producing money and making sure that it got what it needed, when it needed it. Turn that situation around and as good as the pilot might be, you got a can of worms and lots of down time and unhappy customers. Just give me a good a/c, a good engineer and my down days you'll be able to count on one hand for the whole summer. I'll also buy that poor s.o.b. all the beer he wants because while I'm in my room watching TV, he's swatting at horseflies, etc., etc. trying to make me look like a hero for the next day. I've also taken a/c from hangars and they never saw home for a year and when they finally did return to the hangar (barring and major component changes), they were in as good a shape or maybe even better than when they left. To me at least, the buck stops with the engineer that accompanies me and NOT with the DOM or company policy because a good engineer has certain standards that he won't compromise for NOBODY because his reputation rides on what he produces and will put up with. Other engineers and pilots quickly notice and take note of the hard-working and able engineers and the word spreads and helps him down the road somewhere.
So am I a huge admirer of engineers?........ I KNOW a huge portion of the reason I'm still here on Mother Earth is because of the engineer working on my a/c and his standards of excellence and not anyone back at some company headquarters. The buck stops with him and that's why when my a/c is on the ground HE'S "the Man" and if he says it's grounded or HE got a problem with parts or HQ, then HE gets 1000% of my back-up and I'd walk before going against him. So if somebody at some company wants to push or lean on my engineer concerning doing something improper to my a/c, they're messing with the wrong engineer, on the wrong a/c and driven by the wrong pilot to play those games with. That is why I have a huge respect for the good engineers that I've had and maybe someday before I pass on, I'll see them get paid as much as pilots with the same experience (God forbid eh?), because they earn it in spades. Anyone in charge of making sure MY a/c stays in the air and in one piece deserves a healthy paycheque.”
Phil
“I've always found that the maintenance I received over the years has more to do with the work habits and ability of my engineer than what dictates came out of any Head Office. After all is said and done, it is basically what you the pilot and he, the engineer will put up with. I've seen pilots who will put up with an awful lot, but the engineer was damn good, a hard worker and knew the a/c darn well........and in that scenario it was the ENGINEER that kept that a/c producing money and making sure that it got what it needed, when it needed it. Turn that situation around and as good as the pilot might be, you got a can of worms and lots of down time and unhappy customers. Just give me a good a/c, a good engineer and my down days you'll be able to count on one hand for the whole summer. I'll also buy that poor s.o.b. all the beer he wants because while I'm in my room watching TV, he's swatting at horseflies, etc., etc. trying to make me look like a hero for the next day. I've also taken a/c from hangars and they never saw home for a year and when they finally did return to the hangar (barring and major component changes), they were in as good a shape or maybe even better than when they left. To me at least, the buck stops with the engineer that accompanies me and NOT with the DOM or company policy because a good engineer has certain standards that he won't compromise for NOBODY because his reputation rides on what he produces and will put up with. Other engineers and pilots quickly notice and take note of the hard-working and able engineers and the word spreads and helps him down the road somewhere.
So am I a huge admirer of engineers?........ I KNOW a huge portion of the reason I'm still here on Mother Earth is because of the engineer working on my a/c and his standards of excellence and not anyone back at some company headquarters. The buck stops with him and that's why when my a/c is on the ground HE'S "the Man" and if he says it's grounded or HE got a problem with parts or HQ, then HE gets 1000% of my back-up and I'd walk before going against him. So if somebody at some company wants to push or lean on my engineer concerning doing something improper to my a/c, they're messing with the wrong engineer, on the wrong a/c and driven by the wrong pilot to play those games with. That is why I have a huge respect for the good engineers that I've had and maybe someday before I pass on, I'll see them get paid as much as pilots with the same experience (God forbid eh?), because they earn it in spades. Anyone in charge of making sure MY a/c stays in the air and in one piece deserves a healthy paycheque.”
Phil
I was tasked to visit one of our operations to determine the source of some personnel problems. The Ops Mgr also wanted to know why the base was using so much de-greasing solvent.
Way early one morning I let myself into the hangar thinking no one was there. I had a box of Krispy Kremes under my arm and the newspaper under the other. My sole intention was to make the coffee and have a doughnut while reading the paper before anyone got to work.
Upon entering, I observed the Engineer working on the aircraft. He returned the greeting of the day in a very cold manner. Upon discovering I had the Kremes and the morning paper, he warmed up a little bit.
As we talked, he accepted my explanation of the "early" arrival and became very friendly.
What was he doing at work at O' Dark Thirty?
He was touching up the normal scratches in the paint on the aircraft and cleaning the aircraft............at Five AM in the morning.
His aircraft was spotless, shined like a diamond, and looked better than new.
The reason for the "excessive" use of cleaning solvent was explained by the appearance of "his" aircraft.
My recommendation to the Ops Mgr was to give the guy a heathy raise and send him all the solvent he needed. He was certainly the kind of mechanic/engineer that ensures success of a helicopter operation.
Way early one morning I let myself into the hangar thinking no one was there. I had a box of Krispy Kremes under my arm and the newspaper under the other. My sole intention was to make the coffee and have a doughnut while reading the paper before anyone got to work.
Upon entering, I observed the Engineer working on the aircraft. He returned the greeting of the day in a very cold manner. Upon discovering I had the Kremes and the morning paper, he warmed up a little bit.
As we talked, he accepted my explanation of the "early" arrival and became very friendly.
What was he doing at work at O' Dark Thirty?
He was touching up the normal scratches in the paint on the aircraft and cleaning the aircraft............at Five AM in the morning.
His aircraft was spotless, shined like a diamond, and looked better than new.
The reason for the "excessive" use of cleaning solvent was explained by the appearance of "his" aircraft.
My recommendation to the Ops Mgr was to give the guy a heathy raise and send him all the solvent he needed. He was certainly the kind of mechanic/engineer that ensures success of a helicopter operation.
"Just a pilot"
Hard to pick a "best" out of the list over 40 years.
Two names stick out- "Chet" Lajeune (excuse any misspelling, Chet), and "Rusty" Scogman. Exceptional people all around who also happened to be great, almost mystical masters of their craft. Apologies to those I've worked with and didn't mention, but I know your feeling won't be hurt because I remembered Chet and Rusty's names.
Two names stick out- "Chet" Lajeune (excuse any misspelling, Chet), and "Rusty" Scogman. Exceptional people all around who also happened to be great, almost mystical masters of their craft. Apologies to those I've worked with and didn't mention, but I know your feeling won't be hurt because I remembered Chet and Rusty's names.
Best Engineer Ever
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A Few Come to mind, of the best, The Fishers, Dirk, and Tim. Another Fisher, Peter. Mickey Dawson, Peter Kwa, Matt Scriven, Peter Schultz, Brian Dravitzky, Steve Seed, Bob Jones, Bill O'Brien, Bloke, and there will be a few Ive forgotten for now. Ill go anywhere with this lot.
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Engineer Trough And Through
being a hgv and plant mec myself for meny a year you get a felling for who is good and the buls***ters.the only eng i will letwork on my heli is G.A.BURLEY . I have known Glenn for quite a while and he never lets me down he is very conceiencious and always pleased to help absolut top lad.
