Maintenance Will Kill You

[Colonel]

The more maintenance performed upon an aircraft, the more
dangerous it is, and the more likely it will try to kill you.  This
is not new.

[quote][u]Wild Ride For E190 Crew Over Portugal[/u]

A crew of six doing what appears to have been a post-maintenance check on an Astana Airlines Embraer E190 nearly ditched the aircraft in the ocean after it became uncontrollable shortly after takeoff.

The crew reported multiple system failures as they endured a wild ride over the countryside northeast of Lisbon, Portugal, where the aircraft had apparently been [b]undergoing maintenance for more than a month[/b].[/quote]

[BCPilotguy]

This is why I never allow passengers in my airplane for the first flight post maintenance (except the mechanic who worked on the airplane). Even if it's just an oil change I'll take it for a shakedown run before I take anybody anywhere.

[Eric Janson]

I was once called in to do a test flight on an A320 at an Asian Airline.

Spent the afternoon waiting as the aircraft was not ready. It started getting close to sunset and the flight had to done in day VMC conditions.

When they were finally ready there was just enough time to fly a circuit - which I don't consider a test flight.They were planning to operate the aircraft on a commercial flight later that evening.

I told my Boss that I wouldn't be doing the flight.
The next day I found out that because of the work done (engine change which the Engineering department had 'neglected' to tell me about) a permit from the CAA was required. As it was Sunday it wasn't possible to get one.
I was basically putting my Licence and Career on the line without knowing it. Glad I didn't do the flight.
I stopped trusting the Engineering department after that - subsequent events showed that was warranted.
Moral of the story - know [b]exactly[/b] what has been done to the aircraft before you take it flying.

[Nark1]

Eric: here we have a maintenance record/can/logbook. It’s the first thing I look at, after my originating flow.


I can look back and see the mx action for the preceding number of days or weeks, depending on each write up. 
I’m not sure the origin, but it requires a mx write-up to install the landing gear pins.


Now as far as the maintenance action, I have no idea the procedure.  “Engine replaced, return to service” is as far as I’ll ever see. We do have a robust maintenance call center, whom have helped me through a CB reset on occasion.  Not infallible, as they cleared the wrong write-ups, and deferred the wrong item.


I’m positive the 190 has a flight control check prior to take off.  It’s displayed on the center display.  I’d be interested to know what comes of this event. 

[JW Scud]

Just read today, Roy Chadwick, designer of the Avro Lancaster was killed in in the protoype Avro Tudor. Maintenance did some aileron work and hooked them up backwards.


Remember seeing a mechanic with a shirt saying, "you'll fly when I say you can fly". How about, "So, I won't die, I'll fly after doing my best to see if you messed anything up". That includes returning your tools to you from various parts of the aircraft that I have found them in. That is why it is good when they engrave their initials in the tools. Identification.

[Eric Janson]

[quote author=Nark link=topic=9336.msg25649#msg25649 date=1542080980]
Eric: here we have a maintenance record/can/logbook. It’s the first thing I look at, after my originating flow.


I can look back and see the mx action for the preceding number of days or weeks, depending on each write up. 
I’m not sure the origin, but it requires a mx write-up to install the landing gear pins.


Now as far as the maintenance action, I have no idea the procedure.  “Engine replaced, return to service” is as far as I’ll ever see. We do have a robust maintenance call center, whom have helped me through a CB reset on occasion.  Not infallible, as they cleared the wrong write-ups, and deferred the wrong item.


I’m positive the 190 has a flight control check prior to take off.  It’s displayed on the center display.  I’d be interested to know what comes of this event.
[/quote]
Obviously a company that does things properly - I've seen very different in Asia.
They didn't have a procedure for the Gear Pins either - didn't stop them from installing a second set! Caught that twice!