This may not work for long haul jets, but how about checking the accumulated flight time of the last crew? If the total flight time of the last crew is written, then one could assume that if there are no technical reports logged it is because there isn't any technical reports at all and then you would proceed to forge your colleague's signature :E

- "Hello mate, you forgot to sign the logbook before you left the airplane. Care to tell me if there's anything wrong with this flying piece of aluminium?"

- "Why, sure, this is broken and this isn't"

- "You're too kind, now beat it"

Proceed as necessary. What else could you possibly need? :ugh:

Engineer carries out a full Daily or transit check to sign CRS, more fool him, a ramp check cannot check for the infinite number of defects an aircraft can have.

Captain has to come back and sign it at my Airline. It is a legal document.

I sign communicating I have fixed, he/she signs communicating I have not broken.

er,..isn't that what I said Escape Path?! 'A telephone call would satisfy me'?!

Err, sorry, I took it as sarcasm by this bit:

Consider English is not my native language either...

I offer my apologies to you :O

:) No problem!

Stale Biscuits and Cold Tea.
 

What planet are we all on?

Most outfits these days you are lucky to see an engineer on arrival, even if you've requested their attendance, as they are operating in the same overstretch mode as Flt Ops-refer to your recent editions of "CHIRP"!

In the midst of the usual quick T/R panic, running late, ATC slot etc etc, the state of the loco operation in 2011 seems to have edited such luxuries out.

If there was something serious wrong with the 'frame, I would have thought the inbound Capt would have entered the defect or at least attempted to contact someone to discuss same. Alas, the practice of a "note" on the control column is still used to avoid the writeup which may be a "stopper", thereby spoiling everyone's day!

Yes we all know it shouldn't be done but very often that is the only perceivable option in the light of commercial pressure. Until "DE MANAGEMENT" start providing more support to the flight and ground crews whilst cost-cutting in all departments, we will continue to be faced with this quandary.

I usually sign the inbound section during the cruise and then write up any defects after landing, to try to eliminate this signature problem for the incoming crew.

The RAF recommended method of copying your predecessor's scribble was to turn the page upside down and make a fair copy in the relevant box, it being reasoned that it eliminated your own handwriting "fingerprint"........!

This method was allegedly practised when the unfortunate forgetful individual (WHO IS PERFECT??!!) had just "bought the farm". The Board of Inquiry would make great capital out of this ommission, even though the reason for his demise was a cause totally unrelated to the administration error.

I anxiously await the publication of the seminal book "Airline Management & Regulation-A Firm Grasp of the Non-Essentials", soon to be available at all good EASA bookshops!!!! :ugh:

Whatever about a lack of a signature, what about a lack of detail? I've had the situation twice where the previous Captain has forgotten to record the arrival fuel and so I have no way of performing a meaningful uplift check. So far I've been able to get the offenders on the phone but what about the day when I can't? Drop him in it?

Regardless of whether there's an engineer there or not it's incumbent on the captain to raise any defect in the tech log, for your own safety if anything as you may be the next person to fly the aircraft. I've rarely seen notes on control columns these days, vast majority of crews are very professional and use the tech log. On the few occasions I have seen notes one of two things happens; either it gets slung in the bin as 'no tech log entry, no defect' or it gets stapled to an MOR report and sent to Quality/CAA. I think most crews realise that keeping defects out of the tech log leads to less engineers being available and their own jobs getting slightly more dangerous.

Beeline, if an Engineer couldn't find the "infinite" number of defects an A/C could have, then why bother inspecting them at all :ugh:

I heard some did this with the bar book of a pilot who had just "bought the farm" because the bill would be written off. But I never did.

The Job is Not Over Until the Paper Work is Done!
 

In most regulatory jurisdictions the post-flight entry and signature is required by law (the national law not just your Ops Manual). Non-compliance in many places is punishable on conviction by a fine or imprisonment, or the matter may even be dealt with by ‘administrative means’, which allows them to pull your license / certificate if you have been frequently upsetting the regulator or they really don’t like you.

Even where a ‘Just Culture’ is in place such deviant behaviour would perhaps justify some form of retribution.

A captain refused to sign the log book once when I was an FO, said he was too busy. Knowing he hadn't signed it I waited until we were off the plane and said "You did sign the log book, didn't you" He ticked me off so I got even, he had to walk across the ramp and get into the plane during boarding and made my day. Sometimes it is fun to get even.