gyroscopic systems · airmaintenance update 53 o kay, this heading was blatantly plagiarized from...

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Gyroscopic Systemsexplained

The Mighty Martin MarsPart 2

AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE 5AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE 3

Okay, this heading was blatantly plagiarized from the theme of the recent Pacific AME Association’s

annual symposium. My apologies to you. I’m going on a bit of a different tack with this though, partly inspired by a letter to the editor (see page 8).

There have always been complaints about the amount of paperwork required by gov-ernment authorities, and about how much time it takes to do this paperwork. The let-ter mentioned above is from a small AMO owner who is considering shutting down his operation because there is simply no time left to do the work. Has it really come to this? How many readers out there are having the same problem? We’d like to hear from you.

Now, some level of government oversight is not going to go away, ever, even though the new safety management systems (SMS) suggest that we might become self-policing. The reason for this was brought to my at-tention recently. The general public would not accept it. End of story. We do live in a democracy, and one of the problems with a democracy is that everyone has a say, even if they don’t know enough about the issue. The thing is that nothing better than democracy has come along.

So, we’re stuck with government watch-dogs in aviation. But does it have to be adver-sarial? Does it always have to be a them-and-us scenario? Is it possible for us all to pull in the same direction? Well, it is possible for us to work together. I saw it in action years ago in the Western Region. One particular TC inspector who came by every month or so was not only a wealth of knowledge, but ac-tually would go back to Edmonton and re-search questions I’d asked him and come up with an answer. He also did the other part of his job, that of having a look at aircraft and the associated paperwork, and was quite thorough in this aspect of his job.

If all concerned could work toward getting aircraft safely into the air, and we could all pull in the same direction, the current system could work quite well. We are going to have more on this topic in future issues. If you have anything you’d like to say on the matter, please drop me a line at [email protected]. Perhaps we can all pull in the same direction. — Ian Cook, Editor

Freedom to Fix Departments

The Importance of Accurate Record-keeping 12By Norm Chalmers Gyroscopic Systems Explained 16By Gordon Walker

The Mighty Martin Mars, Part 2 30By Mike Broderick

Unusual Attitude: A Human Factors Issue 36By Stuart McAulay

4 Upcoming Events

4 Advertisers Index

6 STCs & New Products

8 Letters from Readers

10 Industry Forum

22 AME Association and PAMA News

39 Classified

42 AMU Chronicles By Sam Longo

Features

AMU is viewable online: subscribe and download at www.amumagazine.com

30

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ISSN 1703-2318

4 AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE4 AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE

Upcoming Events

Advertisers Index

CANADIAN EVENTS

Alberta International AirshowJuly 21 – 22, 2012

Lethbridge, ABwww.albertaairshow.ca

50th Abbotsford AirshowAugust 10 – 12, 2012

Abbotsford Airport, BCwww.abbotsfordairshow.com

Atlantic Canada International AirshowAugust 25 – 26, 2012

Summerside Airport, PEIwww.airshowatlantic.ca

Canadian International AirshowSeptember 1 – 3, 2012

Exhibition ParkToronto, ON www.cias.org

Ontario AME SymposiumOctober 17 – 19, 2012

Delta Meadowvale Resort and Conference Centre

Mississauga, ONwww.ame-ont.com

UNITED STATES EVENTS

55th Annual AEA (Aviation Electronics Association) International Convention

April 3 – 6, 2012Washington, DC

http://www.aea.net/convention/DC2012/

NBAA Business Aviation Regional Forum

April 12, 2012Van Nuys Airport, CA

http://www.nbaa.org/events/fo-rums/20120412/

27th Annual Maintenance Management Conference

May 1 – 3, 2012Nashville Convention Centre

Nashville, TNhttp://www.nbaa.org/events/mmc/2012/

EAA Airventure OshkoshJuly 23 – 29, 2012

Wittman Regional AirportOshkosh, WI

www.airventure.org

NBAA 65th Annual Meetingand Conventioin

October 30 – November 1, 2012Orange County Convention Center,

Orlando Executive AirportOrlando, FL

http://www.nbaa.org/events/amc/2012/

INTERNATIONAL EVENTS

Aero FriedrichshafenApril 18 – 21, 2012

Friedrichshafen, Germanyhttp://www.aero-expo.com/aero-en/travel-accommodation/overview.php

12th Annual Ebace (European Business Aviatioin Convention

& Exhibition)May 14 – 16, 2012

Geneva Switzerlandhttp://www.ebace.aero/2012/

Business Aircraft EuropeSeptember 12 – 13, 2012

Biggin Hill, UKhttp://www.miuevents.com/bae12

Aeroneuf Instruments Ltd ...................... 11Aerosmith Heli Service .......................... 32Aviall ...................................................... 43 BKD Aerospace ..................................... 17Canadian Aero Accessories Ltd ............ 21Canadian Airframe Solutions Inc ........... 35Canadian Propeller Ltd .......................... 14Casp Aerospace Inc .............................. 15Concorde Battery .................................. 15Condor Aircraft Accessories ................. 31Eagle Fuel Cells Inc ................................ 8

FAA Production Studios ........................ 37Gregorash Aviation ................................. 9Hartwig Aircraft Fuel Cell Repair ........... 20Hope Aero .............................................. 7MARSS ................................................. 20Manitoba Culture, Heritage & Tourism ...................................................................... 13NAASCO ............................................... 35Okanagan Aero Engine Ltd ................... 32Perimeter Aviation ................................. 19Precision Aviation Group ....................... 19ProAero Engines Inc. ............................ 34

Progressive Air ...................................... 10Rapco Inc .............................................. 2SIL Industries ........................................ 18Ship It AOG ............................................ 5 StarterGenerator.com ........................... 14Superior Oil Coolers ............................. 31Thunder Bay Aviation............................ 29U.S. Air Tool Company ......................... 33Universal Aero Engines Ltd .................. 10Vector Aerospace ................................. 44Western Propeller Company Ltd .......... 37

6 AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE

Mecaer Aviation Group unveils AW169 VIP helicopter interior

STCs & new products

Concorde Battery has announced certification of the higher capacity RG-224 for the Bell LongRanger. Concorde’s sealed lead acid recombinant gas, absorbed glass mat RG-224 is a 24Ah battery designed for improved performance and longer life in demanding applications. RG-224 is FAA TSO C-173 approved and has passed the rigorous requirements of TSO testing. The RG-224 can be installed in Bell LongRanger models using Falcon Crest STC No. SR090692RS and is a plug-in replacement for the OE Ni-Cd or previously installed RG-222. For more information www.concordebattery.com

Level 5 KTC from Snap-On Industrial provides tool security for mobile boxes

Snap-on Industrial’s new Level 5 KTC (Keyless Tool Control) series of tool storage is a system that fully secures tools by using an electronic keypad or scanning an ID badge to gain entry into a tool box. With KTC the box is easily accessed anytime, anywhere, achieving the same level of security as a lock and key system while eliminating the inconvenience that keys often produce. The result is a tool storage system that actually enhances shop and facility productivity.For more information visit www.snapon.com/industrial

Mecaer Aviation Group (MAG), the Italian aircraft interior specialist, has developed a new interior for the AgustaWestland AW169 with the vision of maximizing passenger comfort, reducing noise levels in all flight conditions and providing a state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system (IFE). The 6-passenger

cabin configuration can be quickly re-configured into a 7-passenger version, among a variety of different cabin layouts available to meet customer requirements. Comfort and ergonomics, careful study and positioning of lighting, quality details and superior materials are the leading design features. For more information visit www. mecaer.com

Carrying medical oxygen now safer with invention from Quality Aircraft Interiors

The Oxygen Cylinder Restraint System (OCRS) meets the needs of both oxygen-dependent clients and aircraft operators by providing a safe, easy-to-install method of transportation for the ‘E’ or ‘D’ model of oxygen cylinder. This product meets the requirements of Advisory Circular No. 0257(2006.12.11). Two models of the OCRS are available and possess an STC for a number of aircraft. Call Quality Aircraft Interiors at (888) 996-1999 or visit www.qualityaircraftinteriors.com for details.

Walter Surface Technologies launches Bio-Rust to replace toxic rust removal

Walter Surface Technologies has announced the availability of BIO-RUST, a non-corrosive solution that eradicates rust on iron and mild steel. It provides workers with a safe, biodegradable alternative to traditionally hazardous, labor-intensive processes. BIO-RUST is safer for workers and the environment because it does not use highly corrosive and toxic acids. The new product is volatile organic compound-free, solvent-free, and phosphate-free. Workers can safely use BIO-RUST without wearing special clothing and the non-flammable solution does not require costly storage or complex disposal procedures. For more information www.walter.com

To announce your STC or new product, email a JPG photo and a product description [email protected] or [email protected]

AeroMechanical Services Receives its first AFIRS 228 Activation STC

AeroMechanical Services Ltd., under its FLYHT brand name, has received its first activation STC for the Automated Flight Information Reporting System (AFIRS) 228 on a Bombardier CRJ-900 series aircraft. The activation STC was approved by Transport Canada Civil Aviation and issued under the authority of FLYHT’s Design Approval Organization. It allows for the full installation of AFIRS 228 on the aircraft type. For more information visit www.flyht.com

Concorde Battery announces highercapacity RG-224 for Bell LongRanger

We all grumble about government authorities, but frustration with the ever-increasing amount of paperwork required by these authorities has been

an ongoing complaint in aviation for many years, and there seems to be no end in sight to this increase. We will be delv-ing into this in a future issue of the magazine, but meanwhile, here is a letter from a reader. It would be interesting to know how many AMO operators are considering closing their doors because there is simply no time left to do the work, and also, how many people have considered opening a shop but have opted not to for the same reason.

Have a look at the letter and if you have any comments, whether in Canada or the US, please send them to me at [email protected] and we’ll publish them in a future edition of the magazine.

— Ian Cook, Editor

To Whom it May Concern:

My husband is an AME as well as a commercial pilot and operates a small AMO. Like many other small operators, he is increasingly frustrated with the escalating paperwork required by Transport Canada. In conversations with others

in the same predicament, he is discovering that the burden is becoming too great, and he is hearing of more AMEs relin-quishing their AMO because the paperwork leaves them little time to do maintenance, and they are sick of the hassle.

We are wondering if anyone knows how many AMOs there are in British Columbia, how many AMOs lost or gave up their license in the past year, and how many new ones have become licensed in the past year. Is there a net gain or a net loss of AMOs in British Columbia? Does anyone know where this information can be obtained? — Dawson Creek, BC

To the the Editor:

I just read Norm Chalmers’ column, and I think it makes a good addition to the magazine. As I said to Norm in an email, I like working on airplanes, not studying regulations, but I think if he keeps it simple, his column in AirMaintenance Update is a good source of knowledge that we all need, whether we like it or not.

— Walt S.


Letters from Readers

VECToR ExPANDS LANGLEY BC oPERATIoNRICHMOND, BC, Feb. 11, 2012 — Vector Aerospace Helicopter Services-North America has announced the con-solidation and expansion of its Langley, British Columbia, Canada structures and avionics facilities, which is sched-uled to open for business in December 2012. Vector-Langley has provided its highly specialized airframe and avion-ics services such as engineering, Supple-mental Type Certificate development and glass cockpit system development and integrations to an international customer base for more than 20 years. Vector’s comprehensive service portfo-lio includes: engines (Pratt & Whitney PT6T, Rolls Royce model 250, Arriel 1

and Arriel 2, General Electric T58/CT58 and CT-7A /T700), including complete test capability, dynamic components, airframes and major inspections (sup-port for various Sikorsky, Eurocopter and Bell models), full-service avionics including glass cockpit engineering, development and integration, complete aircraft rewires, and Supplemental Type Certificate development. For more in-formation about Vector Aerospace, visit www.vectoraerospace.com.

AIR NEw ZEALAND SELECTS STANDARDAERo FoR TURBo-PRoP ENGINE MRoTEMPE, AZ, Feb. 27, 2012 — Standard-Aero has announced that it has signed a service agreement with Air New Zea-

land for turboprop engine maintenance repair and overhaul (MRO) work for all three of their regional airlines: Eagle Airways, Air Nelson and Mount Cook.

This agreement is an expansion and formalization of the services Stan-dardAero has been providing for Air New Zealand carrier, Eagle Air-ways, for the last several years. Today’s announcement expands that relation-ship to include the airline’s two other regional carriers – Air Nelson Ltd. and Mount Cook Airlines Ltd.

Service will be provided on all three regional operator’s fleets of turboprop aircraft. Eagle Airways operates a fleet of 18 Beech 1900D aircraft; Air Nelson operates a fleet of 23 Bombardier Q300 aircraft; and Mount Cook operates a fleet of 11 Avions de Transport Regional ATR72-500 aircraft. All work will be performed at StandardAero’s Winnipeg facility with support from its Service Centre in Sydney, Australia. For infor-mation visit www.standardaero.com.

CANADA MARkS NATIoNAL AVIATIoN DAY wITH STUDENT INTERNSHIPOTTAWA, ON, Feb. 23, 2012 — The Government of Canada celebrated Can-ada’s fourth National Aviation Day and the aviation industry’s future leaders by


Industry Forum

launching a new internship program for senior high school stu-dents interested in civil aviation. The Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) Student Internship Program is a paid, two-month summer work term at Transport Canada headquarters in Ottawa. Internship is open to students currently enrolled in grades 11 and 12, Secondary V or the first year of CEGEP. Applicants must be fluent in English or French and be prepared to submit a letter of reference from a teacher and a parental onsent form. Students must complete the online applica-tion and submit an essay by April 30, 2012, to be considered. The successful intern will be notified by June 8, 2012.

For more information on the eligibility requirements and the online application process for the Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) Student Internship Program and National Aviation Day, visit our website at www.tc.gc.ca/aviation-day.

HRD AERo SYSTEMS ExPANDS wITHCoMPoNENT CoNTRoL SoFTwARESAN DIEGO, CA, Feb. 23, 2012 — Component Control has announced that HRD Aero Systems, Inc., the world’s largest independently-owned safety equipment repair station, has expanded its Quantum Control MRO and Logistics software footprint to increase operational efficiencies as the company grows to support and link together globally dispersed inven-tory and repair partnerships in the United States, Asia and Europe.

HRD Aero Systems offers end-to-end safety equipment services, for every make of aircraft and helicopter, on a full range of fire extinguishers, oxygen bottles, oxygen masks, evacuation slides, life rafts, vests and air bottles.

The Quantum Control MRO and Logistics solution deliv-ered to HRD Aero Systems operates on a highly scalable and secure Oracle database and includes a range of logistics and business modules. For more information visit www.hrd-aero-systems.com.

CCS CoMPoSITES RECEIVES SILVER BoEING SUPPLIER PERFoRMANCE AwARDFAIRFIELD, CA, Feb. 27, 2012 — CCS Composites, a sub-sidiary of TenCate Advanced Composites, has received a 2011 Boeing Performance Excellence Award. The Boeing Company issues this award annually to recognize suppliers who have achieved superior performance.

CCS Composites is one of only 407 suppliers to receive the Silver level of recognition. Paul Draghi, Vice President of Operations for parent company TenCate Advanced Com-posites USA states: “This award is especially meaningful as a result of the investments we have made in capacity. We have maintained this high delivery rate and quality standard while completing a move to a new larger aerospace grade facility in Fairfield, California.”

For more information on the Boeing Performance Excel-lence Award, visit www.boeing.com/companyoffices/doing-biz/supplier_portal/bpea.html. For more information on CCS Composites visit www.ccscomposites.com. n

600, 3 Avenue, Laval, Quebec, H7R 4J4Tel: (514) 631-2173 Fax: (450) 627-2199www.aeroneuf.com [email protected]

e600, 3 Avenue, Laval, Quebec, H7R 4J4Tel: (514) 631-2173 Fax: (450) 627-2199www.aeroneuf.com [email protected]

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Now in

Votre solution enMaintenance d’Avioniques

Your solution forAvionics Maintenance

Ground EquipmentEquipment au sol

AIRMAINTENANCE UPDATE 11


The Regs

Chris Sheldrake, an AME and Maintenance Coordinator from Ontario, in on the mark when he writes to us: “We all get complacent and start to take shortcuts with the mundane task of record-keeping.”

AccurateRecord-keepingthe importance of

Norm Paterson starts out his letter with “I still find that I keep learning about regulations.” He, I, and everybody else are also learning. He also asks about sourcing inspection checklist advice, stating that he spends a lot of time sifting through every SB, SL, AD, mod., STC, inspection chec list, etc., etc. to keep the lists current. Norm expresses concerns about what he “might be missing in the vast sea of regulations.”

Good on Norm; we all ought to be like him. Wor-rying about missing something is part of the life of an AME, A&P, and AI. That is our normal burden. Un-til the wheels are back on the ground in front of the hangar, we worry. If you are not concerned every time you put your signature on the line, maybe you ought to consider another line of work. This topic is important to everyone, from the person writing up the mainte-nance work order to the pilot. Every person or com-pany in the process has responsibilities.

Complacency has been one of thebad guys of the Dirty Dozen identified and made immortal many years ago by Doctor Human Factors himself, Gordon Dupont. Records keeping, or lack of it, has been identified in many crash investigation reports as a source issue or contributing factor. The legal position of Transport Canada (TC) is this: if the task completion is not recorded in the logbook, then it was not done. Be prepared to explain it to the judge, because the documented record is often the only evidence to show that the work was done. If you have certified that an inspection was completed and one item is missing that needed an initial, stamp or signature, then the aircraft is unairworthy.

If you find that recording may be an area of concern in your organization, then you have identi-fied a risk as per SMS. The next step is to do some-thing to reduce or eliminate the risk. That action might be creating an additional screening step that requires sign-off somewhere in the final review of the documentation.Chris also brings up the topics of SMS and fatigue management, QA and elementary work which are on my do-to list for future columns.

BY NORM CHALMERSPacific Airworthiness Consulting


For our purposes here, I will assume that we are referring to an AME/AMO dealing with private aircraft just to keep things simple.

First, I’ll point to sources of infor-mation that may help. TC Staff Instruc-tion MSI26 and the associated checklist identify the basic requirements that the aircraft must meet to be operated in Canada. You can find all these docu-ments at the TC web site at http://www.tc.gc.ca/eng/civilaviation/standards/maintenance-regsdocs-menu-2944.htm.

You can also find it by going to my website and then to LINKS and choos-ing “Transport Canada Index”, then “Maintenance and Manufacturing – Regulations and Documents” and you’re there. Read these documents carefully to identify what parts of the checklist apply.

Following that initial or import inspection, we must attend to the “con-tinued airworthiness” aspect with annu-al and other scheduled inspections. The minimum requirement is specified on CAR Standard 625 Appendix B - Main-tenance Schedules and in Standard 625 APPENDIX C - Out of Phase Tasks and Equipment Maintenance Requirements. The aircraft inspection checklist must address every area identified in this Appendix B. Usually the maker’s aircraft inspection check sheets address all areas. CAR 605 Division III identifies the specif-ics of who is responsible for the ongoing maintenance of aircraft. For the purpose of this column we will call that person the owner.

The following scenario is as per the CARs. This person who owns an aircraft brings it to you to have an inspection done. You perform the work identified in that request or work order, make a technical record of all the work done and perform the maintenance release for that work. The owner has the responsibility to ensure that all of the work that isre-quired is identified in the maintenance release. That, in a very small nutshell, is what the CARs require and TC expects.In reality the scenario is different. The owner is an individual who knows little about “technical stuff ” and doesn’t under-stand owners’ responsibilities. The own-er brings an aircraft in and says “please do an annual”, or words to that effect. Now you sit the owner down with a work

order and a list of the requirements and options. The requirements include the inspection checklist (Appendix B stuff), the due items in Appendix C and airworthiness directives. If you are not up to date on the ADs for that aircraft then the work order needs to specify that you will do the research and com-plete whatever ADs are needed. The optional items are the SBs and all that stuff. When all the items are listed on the work order, the owner signs it to acknowledge understanding and agree-

ment. If you have a customer that doesn’t want the “required” stuff done, I strong-ly advise you to reject the work. More commonly, your customers just do not know this stuff. It is your responsibility to educate them and do the required work. This is not in the regulations, but is the ethically right thing to do and is also that way legally. Remember the term “duty of care.” I will illustrate this point.

On September 17, 2005 an Enstrom helicopter crashed, taking the lives of


two men. The Transportation Safety Board of Canada Report A05P0227 found several contributing factors, including lack of attention by TC. More to the point, the report made the following statement:

“The accident helicopter’s maintenance records were in-adequately kept and did not constitute a reasonably accurate reflection of the condition of the helicopter or of the level of maintenance performed or required.”

The families sued various entities, including TC and the AME. One of the families settled out of court earlier on in the process. The action came to trial in May 2011, but TC and the manufacturers settled out of court with the remaining fam-ily just before the trial. The amount settled on was almost $4 million. The AME did not settle out of court, and went to trial in May. The trial took place, and when it was done, the judge found against the AME. The judge issued his Reasons for Judgement and I quote from that document the single most important part that relates to my point. It went as follows:

“The only conclusion to be drawn from that is Mr. X (the AME) breached the duty of care he owed to Mr. Y (the pilot and owner) to take reasonable steps to ensure that the aircraft was airworthy and that that breach of duty caused the crash.”

The judgement for damages due to the family from the AME was $645,000 Canadian. In the U.S., the awards are as-tounding. For more on that you can visit the website of The Wolk Law Firm Airlaw at www.airlaw.com. Select the “Ver-dicts & Settlements” tab to view individual cases by year. There are numerous examples pursued by the USA DoT avail-able at www.oig.dot.gov. Select the green tab “Investigations” and then “View All”. In the judgement mentioned, the term “duty of care” was used. That term is a universal phrase mean-ing just what it says. The Canadian Law Dictionary states it as “the amount of care that would be taken by a reasonable man in the circumstances.” We all owe this duty of care at some level to those around us.

And now for something completely different. Tis the season for aviation seminars, symposiums and conferences. Being located in the Vancouver, British Columbia area, I attend-ed the January 2012 edition of the Pacific Aircraft Maintenance Engineers Association Annual Symposium and Trade Show. The venue in the facilities of British Columbia Institute of Technology’s YVR campus was superb. The line-up of lectur-ers was also superb. I highly recommend that you view the presentations at the PAMEA.com web site. TC usually pro-vides us with updates on regulations, and they did so again as you can see. I also attended the Aviation Leadership Fo-rum and the BC Aviation Council annual meeting, which also had some great speakers on important topics. I thank all the people who came to me and commented that they read this column with interest.

And now for something else completely different. Trans-port Canada is moving its Abbotsford, British Columbia district office away from the airport into a warehouse. I can only imagine two reasons that this could happen. The first is that the Minister of Transport must have angered the Minister of Public Works and Government Services who con-trols the real estate and accommodations for federal offices.


Whatever he did, he ought to apolo-gize, because the next move could be to Puntzi Lake or Stewart.

The second reason is because of SMS. Since close contact with, and surveil-lance over, the aviation community and industry seems to be no longer relevant, they now have cheaper digs at 103-1785 Clearbrook Road, V2T-5X5, north of the Abbotsford airport. They don’t have enough parking spaces for their own cars, so if you need to visit them you might park at the Tim’s and buy some Tim-Bits and coffee to take to the TC of-fice in the back. It might cheer them up.

In our next issue, I plan to speak to the Accountable Executives, Cer-tificate Holders, and PRMs out there, so heads up and stay awake. I also will revisit “Elementary Work”, because my previous discourse on this subject did not sufficiently address it to meet the needs of commercial operators. I do like to consider myself an expert on the subject of the administration and ap-plication of Canadian aviation regula-tions and standards by the regulatory authority, but I am not a legal expert. From now on you will see the follow-ing disclaimer at the end of my column: I am not a lawyer or legal expert. What I write in my column is not legal advice, nor legal opinion. If you face a legal is-sue, you must get advice from a lawyer, preferably one with experience in the aviation matters in your own country.

NORM CHALMERS worked with Trans-port Canada as an Airworthiness Inspec-tor for 25 years. Before this, from 1967 to 1983, he worked in the aircraft main-tenance industry in and around Western Canada and in the Arctic. His industry experience includes the operational main-tenance of normal and commuter catego-ry aircraft and smaller transport category aircraft in the corporate sector as well as several years working in major repairs in the helicopter sector. As an Airworthi-ness Inspector, he has been responsible for most duties related to the position, including the approval of all aspects of maintenance, manufacturing, training, and responsibilities related to distribution organizations. Norm now operates Pacific Airworthiness Consulting; www.pacific-airworthiness.ca. n


BY GORDON WALKER, AME ‘E’,Professor of AvionicsCentennial College

Gyroscopic Applications

explained

While not wanting to be slanderous to my own profession, it’s hard to deny that the avionics world is the domain of the more, shall we say, “quirky” characters of the aircraft maintenance industry . . .

I’ve always assumed that this isbecause electrons and radio waves cannot actually be seen (unlike levers, gears, pushrods, and bellcranks) and therefore the avionics “cone heads” must spend the bulk of their time engaged in cerebral exercises, imag-ining what these invisible entities are doing. The recent hiring of a new batch of avionics professors at my place of employment has resulted in a coven-like network of avionics people, gathering like magpies on a wire to bandy about whatever concepts they have been tasked with teaching. The most recent topic of conversation amongst this avionics enclave was centred on gyro-scopes, thus inspiring this month’s article, “Gyroscopic Applications: Explained”.

Gyroscopes – usually referred to simply as gyros – have long been an integral part of the aircraft and

aerospace industry. Instrumentation, stability con-trol, and guidance systems in everything from single- engine trainers, to spacecraft and intercontinen-tal ballistic missiles, rely on the characteristics and properties of gyros to perform their tasks. Like most technologies, gyros have undergone considerable evo-lutionary changes over the years, and particularly in recent times, driven by advances in the development of microchip applications. But before getting into that, let’s have a look at some good old fashioned, mechani-cal gyro basics.

A gyro is basically a rotor, spinning on an axle. That’s it. Simple, eh? Think of a kid’s toy spinning top. If it’s not rotating, it will fall on its side; but once we spin it causing it to rotate at high speed, it will stand

Feature


erect maintaining its position as long as it continues to spin. The artificial horizon in an aircraft works in the same way. Because the axle, or axis, is vertical and the rotor is horizontal, the spinning top is considered a vertical gyro (VG).

The vertical gyro in an aircraft has its spinning rotor aligned with the earth’s horizon. As the aircraft pitches and rolls, the rotor, mounted on pivoting rings called gimbals, continues to spin, aligned with the Earth’s horizon. The key to understanding this instrument is to realize that it is NOT the horizon symbol which moves (it remains rigid, aligned with the Earth’s horizon) but the instrument case, and the aircraft that move around it. Likewise, as the aircraft nose pitches up and down, the gyro remains in place, aligned with the actual horizon. It is in fact the aircraft, and the instrument case which pivot around the gyro. Of course, because the pilot is attached to the moving aircraft, it appears that it is the artificial horizon that is moving rather than the aircraft and instrument case.

Well then, if a vertical spin axis means we have a vertical gyro, then a horizontal axle will give us a ...WRONG... not a horizontal, gyro, but rather a directional gyro (DG). A direc-tional gyro is the key to the aircraft’s gyro compass system. Just as the VG rotor remained aligned with the Earth’s hori-zon, the DG’s rotor (spinning around a horizontal axle) will remain aligned with a particular compass heading. As the air-craft rolls and yaws onto various compass headings, the DG maintains its rigidity in space, causing the compass card in the radio magnetic indicator (RMI) or other gyrosyn indicator to constantly display the current heading of the aircraft.

Gyros do have an unfortunate tendency to drift and pre-cess over time. (This is why the spinning top eventually starts to move away from its original position), so the directional gyro must be periodically reset or corrected. This can be done manually by the pilot if the aircraft has a free compass sys-tem, or automatically by means of a flux valve which senses the Earth’s magnetic fields, in a slaved compass system.

The artificial horizon and the gyro compass form two of the most essential flight instruments in the panel. Less expensive mechanical gyros are driven pneumatically by vacuum pressure supplied by a pump or venturi. More expen-sive mechanical gyros are driven by electric motors. The gyro rotors may be contained within the instrument, in the case of smaller aircraft and standby emergency instruments, or they may be remote mounted units, connected to the instruments by means of synchro motors, in the case of the larger M2 class aircraft.

The phenomenon of maintaining its rigidity in space is a gyro characteristic that is also a key element in the develop-ment of inertial navigation systems (INS). Inertial navigation allows an aircraft, spacecraft or guided missile to find its way from departure point to destination (or target) without the aid of external inputs, such as radio signals or magnetic compass fields. This is accomplished by using accelerometers to mea-sure movement from a known starting location. In order to prevent changes in pitch or roll attitudes from causing erro-neous acceleration readings, the accelerometers are mounted on a gyro-stabilized platform. To clarify, picture an aircraft


commencing its take-off roll. As it moves from a full stop to flying speed, the accelerometer will measure the amount of acceleration in a forward direction to determine the present position of the aircraft. However, when the aircraft rotates and the nose rises, the gravitational pull on the accelerometer would cause the navigation unit to calculate this as an increase in forward acceleration if the accelerometer was mounted directly on the airframe. By mounting the accelerometers on a gyro-stabilized INS platform which will remain aligned with the Earth’s surface regardless of aircraft attitude, erroneous acceleration readings are avoided.

These precision gyros are very delicate, and very expen-sive. The phrase “Handle Like Eggs” is often stencilled on the gyro casing, and purpose-built shipping containers are used to transport them. The fragile nature of mechanical gyros, and the fact that they contain many high-speed precision mov-ing parts, means high maintenance costs as well as high initial purchase prices. For these reasons, as well as reliability issues, aircraft operators have welcomed advances in gyro technol-ogy which have lowered costs and increased reliability. Ring laser gyros and strapdown technology have eliminated the mechanical gyros from the attitude, heading, and reference systems of many M2 aircraft.

Even more exciting is the development of microelec-tromechanical systems, or MEMS. These devices can con-tain accelerometers and full axis gyroscopes in a package the size of an aspirin at a cost of less than a cup of coffee.


This is the technology that has been used extensively in video games and cell phones for position and orientation sensing, and is now making its way into aircraft cockpits. It is already possible to call up a (free) app on a smart phone, which will give the user fully functional and real-time video display in-strumentation, including gyroscopic artificial horizon and heading, air and ground speeds, altitude, rate of climb and more. Many aircraft owners are now opting to replace their existing instruments with MEMS technology, and some manufacturers are actually offering modular MEMS packages designed to fit directly into the old panel once the mechanical instruments have been pulled.

While many of today’s aircraft still use the stalwart old rotating mechanical gyro, they, like dope and fabric, naviga-tors and flight engineers, free in-flight meals and baggage checks, are destined to become just a part of aviation history.

GORDON WALKER entered the avionics industry after gradu-ation from Centennial College in 1980. His career with Nordair, Air Canada, CP Air, PWA, and ultimately Canadian Airlines took him to many remote corners of Canada. Since leaving the flight line to pursue a career as a college professor, Walker has continued to involve himself in the aviation/avionics indus-try, by serving on several CARAC Committees concerning the training and licensing of AMEs, being nominated to the CAMC Board of Directors, and being elected President of the National Training Association. (NTA). n


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2012 SoCal PAMA Calendarl April 10: Chapter Meetingl May 1: Deadline for Scholarship Applicationsl June 12: Chapter Meeting, Scholarship Awardsl July/August: No Meeting (Summer Recess)l September 1: Chapter Meetingl November 13: Thanksgiving Chapter Meetingl December 11: Holiday Social

November 2011 Meeting Wrap Thank you, Ken Heath.The SoCal Chapter enjoyed a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner, replete with turkey, stuffing, and all the fixin’s on November 8, 2011 at the 94th Aero Squadron Restaurant in Van Nuys, CA. Hosting the dinner and presentation was Mr. Ken Heath of Goodrich Corporation, Sensors and Integrated Systems, who traveled all the way from Ohio to deliver an excellent presentation on “Installation, Care And Maintenance of Pneumatic De‐Icers.”

Ken opened with an overview of the early years when Goodrich invented and patented their deicers (1935). The first boots were in-stalled on Douglas M‐2 mail transport aircraft and Ken noted that their newest generation boots are still considered the most cost effec-tive to this day.

He seamlessly covered an extensive wealth of information includ-ing the anatomy of a deicing system, boot composites, the inspection process with tips for spot checking condition, laser band codes and cure dates, warranty, storage, installation dos and don’ts, and helpful line maintenance, cleaning, and repair recommendations.

For anyone needing further information on installation, Go-odrich provides a video on their website and YouTube. Of course, all are welcome to contact Ken directly anytime via cell (330‐354‐5791), email ([email protected]), or visit www.goodrich.com. Bravo Ken! Thank you and Goodrich.

Greg Potter, Chapter President, MC’d the chapter meeting with the usual review of financials and chapter events before opening the floor to guest introductions, employment opportunities and an-nouncements. Special thanks go to volunteers Sabrina Baiocco and Luisa Benin of Clay Lacy Aviation for their assistance in raffle ticket sales, and Carl Abejon of Burbank Sign for the chapter door sign.

$281 was donated to the SoCal PAMA Scholarship Fund! Thank you chapter supporters: Aero‐Nasch/Jet Brella, Task Force, Kobalt, Consolidated Aircraft, Craftsman, Corporate Air Parts, Idea, Kansas Aviation, Mid‐Continent Instruments, SoCal Jets, Rotorcraft Support, and Universal Avionics.

December 13, 2011 Holiday Social Wrap Thank you to our very generous sponsors. The chapter extends spe-cial thanks to:l Dan and Linda Ramos, poinsettia centerpiecesl Joe Sabatini, BizJet, cash donation – SoCal PAMA scholarship fund

l Jim Hanson, Western Jet/Jet Edge, cash donation –chapter general fund

l Nikki King, Extraord‐N‐Air, cash donation – SoCal PAMAscholarship fund

l Carl Abejon, Burbank Sign, holiday social door sign and cashdonation – chapter general fund

l Sabrina Baiocco and Luisa Benin, Clay Lacy Aviationand Veronica Lozano, Rotorcraft Support – raffle ticket sales

December 2011 Scholarship Raffle Prize Donations $2263 for the SoCal PAMA scholarship fund. Thank you SoCal PAMA supporters and raffle ticket volunteers: Aero‐Nasch/Jet Brella, See’s Candies, Aircraft Window Repairs, Aviall, Business Aerotech, Chapter Members (donation by Gail Erwin, Derek Freeman, Chris Cancelosi), Clay Lacy Aviation, Consolidated Aircraft, Corporate Air Parts, Extraord‐N‐Air, Gulfstream LGB, Helicopter Accessories. Services, HeliPower, Million Air Burbank, 94th Aero Squadron, Ro-torcraft Support, Standard Aero LAX, Triumph Instruments‐BUR, Universal Avionics

2012 SoCal PAMA Scholarships The scholarships are open to Southern California resident A&P stu-dents and A&P/IAs enrolled in approved aviation education pro-grams. The 2012 applications are available at www.SoCalPAMA.org. The deadline is May 1, 2012, and the awards will be presented on June 12, 2012.

Industry Events 2012

l NBAA Regional Forum – April 12, Van Nuys, CA; NBAA.orgl NBAA Maintenance Management Conference – April 30–May 3,

Nashville, TN; NBAA.orgl ALEA Convention, July 11–14, Reno, NV; ALEA.orgl ALEA W. Regional Conference, Sept. 4 – 6,

San Diego, CA; ALEA.netl AEA W. Regional Conference, Sept. 11–13 Reno, NV; AEA.netl Reno Air Races Sept. 12–16, Reno, NV; Airrace.orgl AOPA Aviation Summit, Oct. 11–13, Palm Springs, CA; AOPA.orgl IA Training – Rotorcraft Support, TBA; Burbank, CA; 818‐997‐7667l NBAA Annual Convention, Oct. 30‐Nov. 1, Orlando, FL; NBAA.orgl Western Museum of Flight, Monthly, Torrance, CA; WMOF.com

PAMA Mission Statement The mission of PAMA is to promote continuous improvement in professionalism and recognition of the aviation maintenance techni-cian through communication, education, representation and support.

SoCal PAMA NewsDan Ramos, Publisher and Gail Erwin, Editor

PAMA SoCal Chapter


Maintenance Symposium Provides Training and Awards The Ohio Aviation Maintenance Symposium ran from March 14th to 15th at the CSCC Aviation Maintenance Technology Facility at Bolton Field. The two-day event featured vendor booths and presentations good for submission to the FAA for IA renewal. FAA representatives from the Columbus and Cincinnati FSDOs were in attendance to par-ticipate in this annual event.

The first day began with the presentation of the Charles Taylor Award to Cliff Kelling for his 50 years of service in aviation mainte-nance as both a technician and educator. Tim Sokol, our FAASTeam program manager, started the presentation by sighting several facts about Cliff ’s career that prompted 30 letters of recommendation received by his office. Tim jokingly told the group they could stop sending letters; his mailbox was overflowing. Only three letters of rec-ommendation are required for consideration of the award.

Tim handed the podium over to Mark Harden of the Columbus FSDO who advised that Cliff ’s wife, Marylyn, and son Greg, were also in attendance for the award presentation. As part of the award, Mary-lyn received a pin to acknowledge her support over those 50 years of Cliff ’s aviation career. Mark then shared highlights of Cliff ’s life that helped win him the award.

Cliff started at a local machine shop manufacturing parts for sev-eral aircraft produced by North American Aviation. He then worked at Lane Aviation as a mechanic, then as shop foreman, and helped pre-pare the “Spirit of Columbus” Cessna 180 aircraft that set so many records for Geraldine “Jerri” Mock. I asked Cliff for his memoirs of his participation in her flights and he responded with Background Infor-mation on the “Spirit of Columbus” and a photo of 38 Charlie.

During the winter quarter of 1976, Cliff joined the Aviation Maintenance Technology staff of Columbus Technical Institute, now known as Columbus State Community College. I was lucky to attend one of the first classes of students he taught at CTI, and that was the quarter my transcript has for course 2513 - P/P TH & MNT-JET, our first interaction as instructor/student. While there, he helped train over 1,600 students and earned higher degrees in his own education. He finished his career at NetJets Inc. and now lives in retirement at his home in Hebron, OH.

During the afternoon session, members of the FAA presented the Award of Excellence “Gold Award” to Columbus State as part of the AMT Awards Program. On the podium to present and accept the award were Dick Bickerstaff, CSCC Chairman of Construction Sci-ence & Engineering Technologies; Valerie Palazzolo, Manager, Great Lakes Region FAASTeam; Tim Sokol, Program Manager, FAASTeam Manager; and Mary Vaughn, CSCC Assistant Dean, Career & Techni-cal Programs.

The second day of the Symposium included the presentation by Gene Sprang of a $900 check from the COPAMA Scholarship Fund to Dwight Jarboe of MMS Aviation. The check will pay for testing fees of two apprentices finishing the MMS program to become A&P techni-cians. They are Paul Gettle, who has a background in automotive en-

gineering and worked at Teledyne Continental Motors for 6 1/2 years, much of that time as a Senior Quality Engineer.

Also graduating is Mark Beckwith from England, who comes to MMS Aviation through a partnership MMS has with Mission Aviation Fellowship – United Kingdom (MAF-UK). Mark has been a Design Engineer and has worked for British Aerospace, Boeing, and Agusta-Westland. We’re happy we could help them as they test for certification and enter careers in Missionary Aviation Maintenance.

Finally, we want to thank all who dropped by the COPAMA booth and participated in the daily raffles, either by providing prizes or buying tickets for the fundraiser. Thanks also to our members who manned our booth, and Dale Forton and Tammy Van Prooyen at the PAMA booth next door.

COPAMA Takes Part in 2012 District Science Day District Science Day, Saturday, March 17th, featured warm spring-like weather as we arrived Columbus State’s main campus. This year’s judges included Gene Sprang, Earl Redmond and Lowell Dowler to review the aviation-related projects of the hundreds of student proj-ects there for the district competition. The three projects chosen for the COPAMA Sponsored Award are:1. The Effect of the Design of the Airfoil on the Lift Produced

Gregory Vojacek, Saint Paul ES; 8th Grade2. The Effect of Winglets on Gliders

Alex Gray and Jack Carlin, Immaculate Conception ES; 7th Grade3. Model Rocket Fin Shapes

Edwin Glaubitz, John Sells MS; 7th Grade

We want to thank all the students we interviewed for competing in this year’s District Science Day and to encourage them to continue their interest in science and aviation.

At the Professional Pilots Association March Meeting, President Tom Lusch presented a check for $1,000 to Gene Sprang as a dona-tion to the COPAMA Scholarship Fund. This marks a continuation of support by PPA to the scholarship fund by both monetary donations and co-hosting and attendance of the Central Ohio Aviation Golf Outing and Holiday Dinner.

Gene extended the thanks of all of us at COPAMA and the Schol-arship Fund recipients to Tom and all of our friends at PPA for this generous contribution.

The February Topic was “Next Gen” by Ed Bannen of Honeywell Our last meeting was held February 14th and featured a discussion of “Next Gen” airspace and equipment by our good friend and sup-porter, Ed Bannen of Honeywell. He highlighted the hardware changes that will be required for communication between ground controllers and other aircraft. He also mentioned that, with the number of air-craft needing to be modified and the FAA just finalizing the equip-ment requirements, the 2020 deadline might slip to a later date for full

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implementation. Ed’s discussion was well worth the risk to those who attended this meeting, held on Valentines Day.

The meeting included a presentation of a FAASTeam Award to Rich Cadys by Tim Sokol, our FAASTeam director. We want to con-gratulate Rich on receiving the award and look forward to having Tim back to give our April presentation “Aviation Maintenance – Past, Present and Future”.

April will be our next regular meeting, with the Maintenance Symposium being our March event. We’ll send out notices when we get closer to that meeting. Please RSVP to the email notice you receive, or send a note to [email protected] with the number who will be attending. This helps up assure there will be food enough for all at dinner.

Rick Ochs of Spirit Avionics Was Chosen for Two Awards

In an email from their Airmail Maintenance forum, the NBAA Main-tenance Committee announced their selection of Rick Ochs to re-ceived the GA Regional Avionics Technician of the Year Award.

On Friday, February 10th, Rick was notified that he has also been selected as the FAA Avionics Technician of the Year. The award includes round-trip airfare, four nights in a hotel, and a rental car for Oshkosh, along with a bunch of prizes donated by the industry. He will be presented the award by the FAA administrator at the Theater in the Woods during AirVenture on Wednesday night. We want to congratu-late Rick on the outstanding achievement of receiving both the award and the national recognition.

Coming Up on the Calendar l Tim Sokol of FAASTeam will give a presentation on “Aviation Main-tenance - Past, Present and Future.” April 10th at Lane Aviation: Social Gathering 5:30 p.m., Dinner 6 p.m.; Presentation after dinner.

l Alan Harding will give a presentation about the Ohio Aviation Association at our May 8th meeting.l 2012 Central Ohio Aviation Golf Outing: Friday, September 7th

Recent Events

The Ohio Aviation Maintenance Symposium was held on March 14th and 15th at CSCC AMT Bolton Field. The two-day event featured IA Renewal and Vendor Booth presentations.

We’re looking for presenters as we build our fall meeting calen-dar. If you have a technical presentation around an hour in content and have held back due to the cost of the meeting sponsorship, please contact us at [email protected] . We have resources ready to fund the cost of the meetings that do not have a presenter.

Our Monthly Meetings Monthly Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the following months: January, February, April, May, October and November. The pre-meeting gatherings are at 5:30 p.m., dinner is at 6 p.m., and the presentations are after dinner. The Central Ohio Aviation Golf Outing (COAGO) is our September meeting and the holiday dinner is our December meeting.

Lane Aviation’s Port Columbus facility at 4387 International Gateway, Columbus, Ohio 43219 is the location of our six monthly meetings. We meet in their Media Room on the second floor. Thank you Lane Aviation and staff.

COPAMA’s Mission

COPAMA, is a non-profit membership organization designed to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas, concepts and techniques through communication, education, representation and support related to the aviation industry.

December Chapter Meeting There’s lots of stuff to report on this month, so here goes. The first item is that the chapter elected some new officers at the December meeting. Heartfelt thanks go out to Sandy Brown who served as chapter presi-dent for the last year. Dave Armando, who served as vice-president, has been elected to the position of president. Dave is a recent graduate of Connecticut Aero Tech and has recently been hired as the Director of Maintenance for Flight Design USA. Dave is also a private pilot and has built and flown both a Rotorway 162 and a Kitfox.

Robert Torres was elected as the new vice-president. While Rob-ert was in high school he was told about the adult aviation program at Harvard H. Ellis Technical High in Danielson, CT. He visited the program and shadowed a student there for a day. After a well-given tour of the facility, coupled with the kindness of the individual with

whom he spent time at the school, he made up his mind that after graduating high school, he would attend the adult education program at Ellis, and he did. He began the program, but sadly, was unable to complete it at that time. After spending four years in North Carolina he returned to Connecticut to resume and complete his schooling at the newly-constructed facility of Connecticut Aero Tech in Hartford where he is currently a student.

Shane Hilton remained on as treasurer and yours truly is still the chapter secretary. Again I would like to thank Sandy for guiding us so skillfully through the past year.

Our presenter at the December meeting was Jack Rice, a WWII veteran who flew P-51 mustangs over Iwo Jima. Jack explained that for much of his life, he did not like talking about his military experiences, but at a reunion several years ago he realized that he did have some memories that he enjoyed sharing. He told about the time he landed

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and grabbed a watermelon from a field next to an abandoned airstrip. Upon returning to base his wing commander greeted him and asked how he got the melon, to which he responded that he had made a really low pass. Jack also made us aware of some of the differences in the aircraft models and how the improvements allowed our pilots to have better fighting machines. At ninety years old, he amazed the people in attendance by answering a question about the amount of fuel his aircraft held, with quantities that were correct to the exact gallon. We want to thank Jack, both for sharing his memories with us, and also for his service to our country.

I/A Refresher Event Follow Up Thank you to all who attended the Hartford–Springfield PAMA-host-ed I/A Refresher Event on March 8th. The event was made possible by the contributions and assistance of the following organizations: API Worldwide, Global Jet Services, 3M Industrial Business, Aviall, Dallas Airmotive, The New England Air Museum, Federal Aviation Admin-istration, Windsor, CT FSDO, Hartford–Springfield PAMA Chapter. The event was a great success, and I am very appreciative to everyone who took time out of their day to attend.Regards,Hartford–Springfield PAMA Vice President Robert Torres

Aviation Humor by Unknown Career ChangeAfter nearly 40 years in practice, a gynecologist decided to retire to pursue his first love, aircraft maintenance. He enrolled at the local community college and worked very hard, but worried that he was too old to compete with his younger classmates. Sure enough, on the

powerplant practical exam, the other students finished in about two hours, while it took him the full four hours allocated. Afterwards, as he washed up, he asked his teacher about his grade. “I gave you a score of 150 points out of 100 possible, said the teacher. “What? How can that be?” asked the surprised former gynecologist. “Well, I gave you 50 points for disassembling the engine perfectly, another 50 points for reassembling the engine perfectly, and an additional 50 points for doing the whole damn job through the oil fill door in the engine cowl.

New Chapter Website We have created a new website for the chapter, but kept the name rela-tively close to the old one. The old address was hspama.org. The new address is hspama.com. Due to the closeness in addresses, if you do a regular search on the new address, most search engines will find the old .org address, not the new one. By adding parentheses around the new address you can force the search engine to only look for an exact match. So try using “http://www.hspama.com” and you should not have a problem. Once you get there you will find lots of new content and all of the current chapter information. We have added a section for classified advertising. We can post job ads or ads for anything else you might want to sell to aircraft mechanics.

Attention At the Hartford–Springfield chapter meeting on April 10th, the mem-bers of the Board of Directors of PAMA National will be attending. This includes our new president, Dale Forton. It will be a rare opportu-nity to come and meet with the leaders of our organization and discuss first-hand any issues you might have. The meeting will be at the Sky-line Restaurant. Please mark your calendar for this important event.

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Career Education Ladder

The following is meant to be a discussion paper for members of CFAMEA with a view to identifying what training a professional AME would need for certain paths. It is hoped that from these discussions, training objectives, followed by standards and expectations similar to other professions, would be developed to support the professional AME throughout his or her career. I have avoided placing timelines because in today’s workforce there are no norms any more for when a person should be at the next level. Instead I have focused on what skills a person needs to do the job and to what level of competency.

Initial Applicant Training There are currently five methods for an individual to enter the AME career path. The first is the traditional full-time student at one of the training institutions across Canada. The program traditionally lasts from 12 to 36 months, depending on the type of AME program.

Graduation from this program will provide each person with some credit to their experience, or more properly, their skills development. Traditionally, these people are known as students and not apprentices. The majority of AMEs today begin their careers in this manner.

The next way to achieving initial training is through a four-year apprenticeship program. Under this program, a student will attend the training institution for four nine-week training sessions. They are usually credited with time towards their experience credit. During the four-year apprenticeship program, they must remain employed in the industry and build time towards their skills development. This is only offered in one province, and only for the M category of license. After completion of their first semester, they are normally called apprentices.

The next path is through the completion of acceptable training. Currently, the only approved acceptable training is through ICS. This is distance education. People who normally use this path are those who currently work in the industry, and do not want or have the time to attend a training institution full time. There is no credit towards


skills development in this program. People using this form are usually called apprentices until successfully achieving their licenses.

Next would be someone coming from the Canadian Armed Forces who has been evaluated by the proper authority and is either granted equivalency for initial training or who would need to com-plete certain gap training. Normally the gap training can be achieved through acceptable training, and most often, these applicants do not have to complete additional skills development, but must prove six months experience in civil aviation prior to applying for their license.

The final entry path would be for a foreign worker who applies to have his or her credentials assessed by an appropriate authority. Simi-larly they would fill the gaps through whatever means they can find. Gaps in this category may be initial training and skills development.

Skills DevelopmentExcept for those applying from the Canadian military, all of the above will need to work a specific number of hours in skills development. During this phase, all are referred to as apprentices. Traditionally, when the apprentice has demonstrated the ability to meet the mini-mum requirement for that skill, it is recorded in a logbook. These skills are usually signed off as tasks on various systems. It is expected that at the end of the apprenticeship, the individual will have the skills and knowledge to apply for a license.

LicensingOnce all the minimum requirements of the Canadian Aviation Regu-lations (CARs) have been met, the apprentice can apply for licensing. For the majority of apprentices, this is through the presentation of a completed logbook, proof of experience (time), initial training and successful completion of a regulatory exam. Those from the military and foreign applicants will have to complete other exams as well. Upon successful completion and the payment of the fees, an AME license will be issued and the title of Aircraft Maintenance Engineer may be used. Generally speaking the newly licensed AME has a limited knowledge and understanding of the CARs. In commercial operations, the AME may or may not be granted Aircraft Certification Authority to sign a maintenance release.

From this point forward, I will be presenting some options of where a professional AME’s career may go and the skills and knowl-edge that they would need to be successful. There are multitudes of titles in the industry, so I have chosen what could be a traditional career path, regardless of the type of license a person holds. Also, this path is meant for those in commercial operations who make up the majority of professional AMEs.

Crew ChiefA crew chief is someone who is given a group of people and a specific job to do, such as an inspection to complete. As crew chief, they will normally have demonstrated detailed knowledge and understanding of the technical systems of the aircraft or aerospace product they work on. This is normally developed between their initial licensing and their selection as a crew chief. As well, there is a requirement to better understand the CARs, so training in this area might be warranted – in particular, a more detailed understanding of 571. This is usually a person’s first time as a supervisor, so training in work planning, people management, conflict resolution, etc. would be meaningful, as would a better than basic knowledge of company policies and procedures.

Production ManagerA production manager is usually in charge of a large group of people and is responsible for assigning work and resources to crew chiefs. At this level, they require a detailed level of knowledge of CARs 571, 602, 605. 573, 551, 591, 593 and the applicable 700 series, depending on their operations. Also, they require extensive knowledge in work planning, the delegation of duties, usually training skills, computer literacy, an intermediate level of knowledge of supply chain manage-ment, excellent interpersonal skills and detailed knowledge of com-pany policies and procedures. In an AMO environment, this would normally be a middle management position.

AuditorCompanies require auditors. Depending on the company they may have, people whose entire role is this, or it may be one of their additional duties. People who fulfill a position of auditor require spe-cialized training in how to conduct an audit and documentation of what they have done. The Canadian Aviation Maintenance Council (CAMC) has developed a set of Occupational Standards, so I will not try to redo others’ work.

QA ManagerDepending on the company, this may be a middle to upper manage-ment position. As such, they will require management training in standard skills for running a business as well as specific training in QA. Except for the smallest of companies, this would normally be a full-time position. The QA Manager would have to have detailed knowl-edge in not only all aspects of the CARs, but OHS as well. CAMC has already developed a set of occupational standards for QA Manager and should be referenced for specific skills. The following would normally be considered senior management, and the skills are similar regardless of position:Trainer/InstructorIn large companies and training institutions, you will find these peo-ple in roles that require specialized training in lesson plan develop-ment, class control, detailed knowledge of CAR 566, and instructional techniques. Any of the accredited training institutes should be able to provide details of additional skills required. Skill sets for Managers in this field would be similar to those below.

Maintenance Manager, Person Responsible for Maintenance(Control), Director of MaintenancePeople in these positions require very detailed knowledge of virtu-ally all aspects of the CARs, OHS, and labour regulations and can be expected to be called upon to interpret and enforce these regulatory requirements. CAMC has occupational standards in place for this and these should be referred to.

Ministers Delegate MaintenanceThis is a specialty area where the individual would require detailed knowledge of most of the CARs in order to import/export aircraft. Skill set would require the ability to review documentation, aircraft repairs and modifications, compliance of aircraft certification re-quirements and work with owners and organizations conducting the import. They also require the ability to work with the regulator and be able to complete their required documentation in a timely manner.

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AME TechnologistThis person would work directly with a DAR or DER with the design and testing of new or improving aircraft designs. Please refer any com-ments to me at [email protected] or call me at 204-218-0956.

Proposed AME Licensing ChangesA request for feedback from AMEs on whether or not to move from a two rating M license to one has gone out from CFAMEA. I am in support of one M license for the following reasons:

1. If you review CAR 571.10 (1): No person shall sign a maintenance release required pursuant to Section 605.85 or permit anyone whom the person supervises to sign a maintenance release, unless the stan-dards of airworthiness applicable to the maintenance performed and stated in Chapter 571 of the Airworthiness Manual have been com-plied with and the maintenance release meets the applicable require-ments specified in section 571.10 of the Airworthiness Manual. The privilege of signing a maintenance release is granted to an AME in 571.11. If you read the regulation, the person who signs the mainte-nance release is not necessarily the person who does the work. The regulation explained in the standard actually tells you that the person signing the maintenance release is actually inspecting to ensure that the work has been done in accordance with the applicable standard.

This is a major thing to consider, as a significant number of peo-ple believe that the license is an indication of your skills when in fact it is simply your authority to sign a maintenance release. I challenge you to show me where an AME who holds either an M1 or M2 license cannot comply with the regulation, regardless of the type of aircraft they work on. The responsibility is the same for all ratings of the AME license.2. Next, for those who would like to say that you must have the skills and knowledge to carry out the requirement of 571.1, I refer you to CAR 571.11 (3)(4)(5)(6)(7) where the conditions of using your main-tenance privilege is detailed. Again, in the standard, this is explained quite well. The shortened version is that you cannot sign a maintenance release unless it is within your experience level. There is no difference in inspecting the completed work (of yourself or others) on a small aircraft or a large aircraft. I have found that people usually confuse

maintenance control issues, which are an operator (private or com-mercial) responsibility and not an AME responsibility. An example of this is that a lot of AMEs still believe that ADs are their responsibility.3. As for how you get to gain the skills and knowledge for an M AME license, there is currently no difference with a graduate of an approved training program between an M1 and M2. In fact, regulation changes some years ago forced all training institutions to train on all types of aircraft. The merits of this can be debated but I believe this was done to support the license structure in the CARs. I know, for the people in our company, there is no difference between an apprentice (I will use this word as the industry uses it, but it does not exist in any regulation) working on a small aircraft or a large aircraft. The skill development is the same. The knowledge component may be different, but the skill level expectation is the same. In plain words we expect them to be able to correctly remove and install an FCU on both types.4. The current system actually restricts individuals to advancing with-in AMOs, as it is currently up to the Civil Aviation Safety Inspector whether or not the individual’s task logbook has enough tasks to give them both or just one of the ratings. Not only is this subjective, but it fails to recognize skill development that is equivalent. Remember that in order for your logbook to qualify, the applicant (TC language for an apprentice) need only complete 70 percent of the applicable tasks. This means that if you only work on piston aircraft, you can be licensed. This is proof that even in the regulators’ eyes, it is not what you work on, but whether or not you have the skills to inspect the work to ensure it meets the standards. By moving to one M rating, this issue will go away. I queried TC with the question of whether or not a person who only worked on gliders could be licensed, and the answer is yes. This is another area the AME associations should address if we wish to be recognized as professionals outside ourselves.

I believe that the M rating AME license should be changed to only one for the reasons above. This issue should be the first item that the associations deal with. I have hinted that other areas should be addressed, such as the term apprentice and the lack of understanding by AMEs as to what their license really is and is not.

Respectfully submitted,Dennis Lyons AME

“How can I be sure? In a world that’s constantly changing,” are the words from a 1960s hit song. As it was back then, it is still true today – change that is. Here’s just an example of what’s in store for us as time takes us through 2012:

Industry Canada issued new corporate governance rules for not-for-profit organizations. That means we’ll have to do a gap analysis of our current bylaws so that we can be in compliance for the 2014 deadline. Luckily we’ve been doing our homework and this will not be such a daunting task.

The Canadian Federation of AME Associations is moving

forward with the concept of one national AME association across Canada. Their annual general meeting will be held in Toronto, in October. Now that’s an opportunity to get involved.

There’s talk of combining the current M1 and M2 licences into one category. The jungle drums tell us a lot of debate is taking place on this topic. If you have an opinion, do let us know.

And even with all the change that’s going on, we had accomplish-ments from 2011 to be proud of:1. We held the 37th annual Ontario AME Symposium and Workshop in October. This year’s is looking to be even better.

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N2. The Northwestern Ontario AME Workshop was held in Thunder Bay.3. We conducted three human factors courses, most notably with Air Georgian.4. Ryan Gomes won the bronze medal in aircraft maintenance at the World Skills Competition held in London, England. Ryan is a frequent volunteer for the association.5. John Longo won the Gordon Rayner award, Wilson Boynton was honoured with the Robert McCombie award, and Jeff Runciman went home with the Clare Leavens award.

We invite you to become involved and be part of positive change.

SincerelyBoard of Directors

Uncle John’s Advice Column Meetings - Briefings (Cultivate them to enhance your operation) The monthly director meetings for the last three years have been using the system that was introduced in 2009 related to advancing the business of the association. Being new to the group in February 2009, when I thought the time was right I intervened to introduce the full view action list system. The medium used was a white board and eras-able markers in full view of the board members present. As the month-ly meetings happened and everyone appeared to be comfortable with the action list, I added in the three Ws: Who, What, and When?

All the while, issues were being addressed and solved and then the final piece, the full function agenda, was incorporated and is still in use today. We have now experienced three years of meetings using the agenda system and the board members’ feedback is encouraging us to continue. A sample agenda could be made available for you to see what I mean by full function. Of course any of you are invited to copy or borrow any idea that will help you in your operation from what you read here.

Here are some things you could try to enhance your meeting/briefing process. Prepare an agenda document – electronic or paper based (A template that is copied, pasted and adjusted each month)

Features of the AgendaDay, date, location, start time, names of those involved, numbered line items with description of the item, expected outcome, who leads the discussion, who is involved and the time allotted for the item.

State the Reason for the Meeting - BriefingOn the agenda, declare the purpose of the meeting/briefing. In the case of the AME Association monthly directors meeting, it is to pro-mote and mentor (and to advance the business of the association on behalf of the members in a timely and professional manner.)

Plan AheadThink through, invite, and collect subjects/items for the agenda in ad-vance and issue the agenda ahead of the meeting so attendees can review and come prepared to have a helpful discussion on the various topics.

Keep minutes and publish within 24 hoursThis record should be a summary of the key points made along with an ACTION LIST that shows who is doing what by when.

Keep things short and simpleThis focus will help to avoid confusion for all concerned.

About the author:John Longo has AME certification and many years experience in tech-nical operations as a Certified Technician, Technical Trainer, Opera-tions Manager and Industry Advisor. He is currently working as avia-tion consultant with international clientele and serving as the Director of Training for the AME Association of Ontario.

Message from the Board of Directors Regarding Skill Training for the Aviation Community The AME Association of Ontario supports the effort to offer training opportunities to the aviation community. In recent years, the semi-annual Saturday board meetings have included seminars on Effective Communications, Running Meetings and Auditing. This is expected to continue and the selected subjects are influenced by the needs of the members. Members are welcome at these meetings.

We are always open to being hosted for the monthly meeting venue. The training events are also hosted by our corporate sponsors to minimize costs for the association.

We launched training by offering a one-day stand-alone event of Human Factors for Aviation Maintenance with our hosting partner, Air Georgian, on three consecutive days in September 2011. In total, 36 attendees participated in the interactive training including the VP of Maintenance. Also, through our discount for AME Association partners, we obtained two new corporate members, Venture Aviation and Mid Canada Mod Center.

In this initial event, we bartered by offering four complimentary seats per day to Air Georgian staff in lieu of paying to rent their fully equipped classroom. We give this example to encourage other opera-tors who have a training requirement to make a request. We will enter-tain and act on your needs as best we can.

The board of directors decided that any paid up AME Associa-tion corporate partner’s staff may enjoy the lower enrollment fee to attend the training.

Be safe,John Longo AMEDirector Training, AME Association of Ontario

Save the Date The Ontario AME Symposium Committee has started planning for this year’s annual Symposium and Trade Show. The Ontario AME Symposium will be held on October 17–19, 2012 at the Delta Mead-owvale resort and Conference Centre. As always, the committee welcomes and encourages ideas and suggestions for technical session topics. We are also looking for volunteers to help plan another success-ful event. If you have ideas or comments, or want to help out please contact Cara Tweyman at: [email protected]


Feature

BY MIKE BRODERICKHelicopter Engine Repair Overhaul Services

The XPB2M-1/-1Rthe Martin Mars

Part 2

aka

to continue our discussion about the Mighty Martin Mars? Good, ‘cause I am. Last time we ended with a couple of questions about the other four members of this small but mighty family of transport planes. We will answer these questions, and then I say enough with the history; let’s get into the good stuff like how the two remaining aircraft ended up as fire fighters, and what airframe modifications were made to these majestic flying boats so they could not only land and live on the water, but they could drink their landing surface and carry it to the nearest fire.

The first Hawaii Mars life was cut short in an acci-dent on Chesapeake Bay just a few weeks after her maiden flight. A failed leading edge of the vertical stabilizer is what brought this gallant lady down. In 1945, at the end of the war, the contract for the original order of 20 aircraft by the Navy was reduced to six. So four more JRM-1s and one JRM-2 were built: Philippine Mars; Marianas Mars; Marshall Mars; Hawaii Mars (the II) and the lone JRM-2, Car-oline Mars.

And what is the difference that separated Caro-line Mars from her siblings? Well starting with the four Pratt & Whitney R-4360 3000 horsepower engines replacing the Wright R-3350 2400 horse-power engines, along with larger propellers, the Caroline was given an increased maximum speed of 238 versus 222, a cruise speed of 173 versus 158, and an increased gross weight of 165,000 pounds versus 145,000 pounds. Now, what happened to all these aircraft on the way to becoming firefighters? Let’s find out. But before

Welcome back, everybody. Are you ready


we do, here is some cool CK (cocktail knowledge) that will give you a sense of just how big these ladies are. Just in case you want to put one of these together as homebuilt project, here is what you are going to need to construct the airframe: 7.5 miles of wiring, 3 million rivets, 60,000 lbs. of aluminum, 25,000 lbs. of steel; 750 lbs. of rubber, 800 lbs. of plastics, 800 square feet of plywood, 650 square yards of fabric, 2,000 lbs. of copper, tin, zinc (and other metals) and 300 gallons of paint. And a darn big hangar to build it. Now that would be one heck of a homebuilt project don’t you think?

After a short but distinguished career, the Marshall Mars followed the fate of the first Hawaii Mars on May 5, 1950 when she burned at sea during a short test flight after an engine change. From 1946 to 1956 before the big four (as the remain-ing JRMs were known) were unceremoniously retired, they flew a combined 32,997 hours (about five flight hours per day per aircraft), carrying 76,403 passengers, 5,488.3 cargo tons, and 1,495 tons of mail on 1,940 round trips. As a retirement gift, they were put into outside storage at NAS Alameda until being sold for scrap in 1959. Thank you for your 10 years of faithful service.

Another Career Change

Like the Phoenix, whose legend is its rebirth from its own ashes, the Martin Mars also would be reborn due to the ash-es of a particularly disastrous year of forest fires in British Columbia, Canada, during the mid-1950s. A fire protection committee was formed as a result of a meeting between all the lumber companies in BC. The committee recommended the expansion of aircraft as aerial tankers to help fight the forest fires. They also agreed that the current stable of aircraft was not adequate for the job.

Dan McIvor, the senior pilot at MacMillan Bloedel, the largest lumber company in BC, believed that the answer was a large flying boat which could take advantage of all the lakes in the region by scooping a large enough volume of water, then get through the dense groupings of trees in the forest, and smother the flames. Mr. McIvor began the search, only to find that most large seaplanes had been retired. Bob Morin, a friend of Dan’s, told him that the US Navy had its fleet of Martin Mars JRM aircraft on the salvage block. When Dan finally located the right officer in charge of the salvage bids, he was told he was too late. Bids were closed,

“A fire protection committee recommended aerial tankers to fight forest fires . . . the answer was a large flying boat which could scoop up large volumes of water and smother flames.


and Hugo Forrester of the Mars Metals Company was the successful bidder at $23,650 each. Dan offered him $25,000 each, and Hugo, being a sharp businessman, took his $1,350 profit per plane, and the Forest Industries Flying Tankers (FIFT), which was the consortium of BC lumber companies via Dan McIvor, was now the new owner of the big four. Dan’s employers were not onboard right away, but Dan would not be deterred, and finally convinced them to fund an inspec-tion trip to California. McIvor’s proposal paid the Mars Metals $100,000, and set aside another $100,000 for ferry costs and conversion to water bombers. His estimate also figured about $60,000 a year per aircraft for maintenance and a flight crew.

Dan not only struck a great deal in the purchase of the air-craft, he also managed to obtain enough spare inventory from the Navy to guarantee the operation of the big four well into the 21st century. And as a parting gift the Navy gave the new owners 43 metal cabinets filled with everything from hull and airframe templates and drawings to operational histories. Beginning in early August , the big four were flown one at a time from San Francisco Bay. The Marianas Mars was the first to make the journey to Canada, landing in Patricia Bay near Victoria Airport and going to Fairey Aviation for conversion to the prototype fire bomber. Caroline, Philippine, and Hawaii Mars followed over the next few weeks. Caroline Mars joined Marianas in Patricia Bay and was to be used to train flight and ground crews.

The first of the big four slated for conversion was Mari-anas, and those creative engineers at Fairey Aviation came up


with some clever schemes to convert this first gentle giant into a lean mean firefighting water bomber.

First, they removed all the superflu-ous gear that was required for hauling folks and freight and installed a single 6,000-gallon fiberglassed Douglas fir plywood tank in the cargo compart-ment. And since Marianas Mars is an aircraft that lands on water; and there is more than ample water supply from the many lakes in the area, why not design a unique water loading system that takes advantage of both of these facts? They conceived, invented, manufactured, and installed a retractable system that uses two probes faired in just aft of the hull step. The retractable pick-up scoops al-lowed uploading of water while the air-craft was taxiing. The scoops allowed 30 tons of water to be taken onboard in 22 seconds. Later some of the hull fuel tanks were replaced with water tanks.

In the spring of 1960 Marianas Mars was moved to Sproat Lake on central Vancouver Island near Port Alberni. The training and shake-down training was intense as new water dropping tactics and strategies were developed. Those involved in the training discovered they needed a spotter plane to assist in guid-ing Marianas to the right location. They also found out during these training sessions, that 100 knots air speed at about 150 to 200 feet AGL delivered the most efficient application of water.

And Then There Were Two Just prior to the season in 1960, Dan McIvor, who was the main captain trained to fly Marianas, lost his medical due to an eyesight issue and there was a change in captains. This would turn out to be a devastating change. The new captain attacked a fire directly uphill – a tactic that was against established pro-cedures. As he came close to the ground, he turned the Marianas downhill in a steep turn while still fully loaded with water. The downside wing clipped the trees and the Marianas cartwheeled into the mountainside, killing all on board.

The Caroline was rushed forward for conversion, and on appeals, Dan got his license reinstated. Finally, in 1962, he would get his chance to prove that


Caroline on a much tougher fire at the head of Ramsey Arm. This time, the job took two hours and 22 sorties to extinguish the fire. Dan, Caroline and the FIFT had proven the worth of their investment.

However, this moment of joy was short-lived, as Caroline was destroyed in the winter of 1962. She was tethered on the ramp at Patricia Bay when Typhoon Frieda arrived. Frieda was not kind to Caroline as she got tossed about as if she were a toy. When Frieda was gone in the morning, Caroline lay bent and bro-ken, and her flying days were finished. After the storm, Fairey Aviation was once again commissioned to start con-version on the two remaining Mars – Philippine and Hawaii. We will begin our next lesson talking about the excit-ing lives of these aircraft, and is a lot left to tell.

While doing my research and talk-ing with folks involved with these giant machines, what has impressed me the most is the resilience of these aircraft. Think about it: these aircraft began their careers in 1946. They hold airlift and endurance records that have yet to be challenged. These four aircraft had logged 32,997 accident-free flight hours at the time they were retired by the Navy in 1956 and subsequently sold to FIFT. Were it not for a tragic miscalculation while on a mission, and a freak storm I am positive there would still be the big four today.

air support could reach the site. Caro-line, already loaded for work, delivered the first load over the top of the rapidly moving fire. Then, swooping down to Lake Cowichan, she recharged herself and hit the base of the fire. After six more sorties, the fire was under control and extinguished. This took less than an hour. Two days later, McIvor and crew would repeat this same heroic feat with

his investment of time and money into the conversion of the Mars aircraft was going to pay off. A fire broke out on the shore of Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Lake. The fire, induced by its own forced draft, was moving quickly up the slope of an adjacent steep hill.

The Caroline, piloted by Dan McIvor and a crew of three, arrived at the fire before other ground crews or


Next time, we will discuss what Philip-pine and Hawaii have been doing lately, as well as dig deeper into what it takes to keep these two 65-year-old ladies acting like 18-year-old debutants.

Thanks for joining me again today; and until next time, remember: even the best pilot can’t fly until you the techni-cian says its OK to fly. MIKE BRODERICK is Vice President of Business Development at Helicopter En-gine Repair Overhaul Services (HEROS). Over the past 35 years, he has served as a shop technician, engine shop supervi-sor, Engine Program Director, Director of Maintenance, Director of Operations, and owner of a Rolls-Royce engine over-haul and MD Helicopter component overhaul shop. He is a certified A&P, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Avi-ation Administration. As well, Mike has been appointed as an FAA representative for the FAA Safety Team (FAAST) and is a member of the HAI Tech Commit-tee. Mike is a regular contributor to Air Maintenance Update. n


BY STUART McAULAY

Feature

Unusual Attitude:a Human Factors issue

maintenance profession demands a high level of focus and a positive attitude in order to preserve safe behavior. We learn this through the inherent demands of the trade, reinforced by formal human factors and risk management training. The air-craft maintenance professional is also expected to mature as a good communicator in the network of shop procedures, flight operations, and corporate management. Each person within that network also influences the group chemistry in which he or she functions as a contributor of skill, unique experience, and personality. In time, these unique traits come to represent the character of that per-son, for better or for worse, throughout their circle of influence. Many of us can identify those around us who are primarily seen as highly skilled, very personable, somewhat aloof, or even quiet and dependable. Our character is generally reflec-

tive of who we are, or at least who we are perceived to be, within both the social and corporate environments. This, unfor-tunately, is not the complete picture.Looking at each other from a new per-spective is not something that many of us will consider. The point of the exer-cise, though, will become increasingly evident as we consider the weight of our

relationships and the potential to empower those strug-gling within their contributing roles. Every one of us comes to work with outside influences that will continue to occupy our minds and hearts even as we make that daily transformation from personal life to professional life upon arriving at the airport. Some of us make that transformation with ease, while others, to varying degrees, will carry the weight of personal distractions in the form of health concerns, trying relationships, or any number of other stressors. These additional factors will undoubt-edly influence our thinking process as we turn our focus to the tasks at hand. This is something that we tend not to think about, though it greatly affects us. We tend to sense when one of our peers is having a bad day as they appear to be more distant in thought or they just don’t seem to be their regular selves. This is usually regarded as part of the routine of life, and personal issues are expected to remain none of anyone else’s business. We try to ignore them and get on with our work.

It is no secret that the aircraft


Our interpersonal relationships at work are greatly influenced by any combination of stressors that have been shown to alter the results of our work and even our perception of each other. Factors such as fatigue, poor communication, and unnecessary work distractions add to the less obvious under-lying stressors that we have carried with us from home. This regular cycle of psychological strain is often held in check to some degree as our moods ebb and flow with daily events and personal interactions. Many of us would consider this to be quite normal. This cycle however, may also gradually worsen if our mind is in a perpetual state of negativity, hopelessness, or continued stress. This compromised state of being then becomes a legitimate threat to the continued performance of aircraft maintenance.

If we are to be honest with ourselves, we must then con-sider the adverse effects that these unwanted distracters have on our mental health and focus. The effects may even be seri-ous enough to warrant sick time away from work, just as a physical setback like the flu or a broken arm would require. The only difference is that our brain function is compromised in much the same way as our immune or skeletal systems are in the preceding examples.

Our industry is currently exploring the effects of fatigue upon our ability to perform maintenance at an acceptable level. I see the application of fatigue management to be part of a greater issue of mental health awareness. The idea of con-sidering the broader spectrum of mental health and wellbeing can easily become an uncomfortable invasion of our personal space, yet it shares a common concern alongside fatigue man-agement and the prevailing human factor principles deemed worthy of regulated training.

To a general public, mental health issues usually include, but are not limited to, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, or bi-polar conditions. These are all examples of mental condi-tions that are likely to affect our ability to think and focus, and are gradually becoming more manageable with medica-tion or regular cognitive therapies. Many people can learn to perform their jobs at a confident level when diagnosed and treated properly while many others will continue to quietly suffer because of the social stigmas attached to these mental health conditions.

The truth here is that our emotional and social wellbeing are affected by our state of mental health whether we are in good spirits, forever confident or suffering from temporary lapses in clear thinking. The elementary symptoms of known mental health issues are not that easy to sort out, but these common disorders are still often tagged with shame and embarrassment by individuals who need their conditions brought under control. Unfortunately, the stigmas have forced them to withdraw, sometimes even self-medicating with excessive substance use. These disruptive alternatives can result in good workers becoming lesser versions of their personal and professional selves.

I remain acutely aware that my own contributions to this industry have suffered greatly at times due to many years of unresolved symptoms of anxiety and depression. This recur-ring and sometimes elusive condition has taken its toll on my


personal wellbeing, my family, my relationships with others, and therefore my career. I am fortunate enough to have made significant changes at key times along the way but very few observers can imagine the effort involved when just making it through another day is considered a major accomplishment. This, for many of us, can apply to days, weeks, months and even years of struggling to maintain dignity while looking for answers. I have also moved around to different workplaces over the years in a futile search for a fresh mind-set but have always been brought back to the stark reality as an awkward reflection of my true self. Sometimes it feels as if it will never end. Others who have experienced these intrusive feelings know what its like to be followed by a dark cloud.

While struggling employees need to come to grips with their state of mental wellbeing, employers are urged to learn how to provide the knowledge, support, and non-judgmental understanding of the situation as it relates to their own em-ployees. Anyone who suffers quietly will not usually look to his or her employer for support for fear of being shamed or even teased about their condition. Even if a supervisor gen-uinely understands, the matter can easily circulate and the harmful channels of gossip and assumptions made by other co-workers can be very counter-productive.

This sets up a barrier of fear for the worker who would rather not admit that there is an issue. The normal working conditions may become threatened when a vulnerable human mind continues to be responsible for work on the aircraft. I believe, too, that we as employees have another responsibility to consider when we perform our work in the wake of men-tal illness. It might then become necessary for the employee to disclose his or her condition to a supervisor as potentially debilitating stressors, as it could become a safety issue.

How, then, do we really deal with mental evaluations in the workplace? It is difficult to speak on behalf of others who may be affected in their own way and have the capacity to cope in whatever way works for them. Some may have even overcome their illness and be able to carry on a normal work day. I can only draw upon my own interpretation of these feelings based upon my own experiences, but there is still an all-too-familiar story out there.

Raising the awareness and ultimately the acceptance of this touchy subject will not be an easy transition for the work-place, given our current social parameters; but awareness is a good starting point. Individuals can turn to their families, friends or doctors to get a feel for what support mechanisms are out there. They should also be able to approach their work supervisor in confidence and admit that they need to deal with something that not everyone readily understands just yet. Employers and supervisors need to further their aware-ness and perhaps even learn to recognize when someone within their ranks is quietly suffering. If the person is suffer-ing then the quality of the work may also suffer.

A well-prepared manager should be able to relieve the unspoken tension by initiating conversation with the one they have observed to be out of sorts. With this in mind, it may then be prudent to weave these mental health factors into our management training and quality assessments. This concept

may seem like an unfair intrusion into our personal lives but is as important as our present self-analysis methods using ac-ceptable human factor principles.

Our society has been slowly awakening to the effects of mental health in the workplace, yet in many circles, we can’t seem to get past the social barrier that represses this type of illness. Traditional maintenance environments have always been populated by the strong silent types. Regardless of the myth or mystery of the technician, it has become increasingly evident that all corners of our working world must contin-ue to evolve beyond our familiar cultures and be constantly maturing in our ability to recognize that each of us is a work in progress, first personally, then professionally.

Mental illness must now be seen and accepted as an un-wanted disabler of the human spirit. This disabling enemy permeates our otherwise reliable thought processes, leaving them distorted and incapable of doing the best job possible, regardless of preparation or training. This effect does not discriminate between our daily work commitments or our most intimate relationships with spouses or family. It is like an unexplainable fear or loneliness that separates us from our contributing position in the workplace or community. We need to promote an accessible outlet within the corporate structure that permits each person dealing with these issues to discuss alternatives. The company can do its part in protect-ing the dignity of the person while supporting him or her in their time of need while the individual submits to his or her support network. This process could also be applied to addic-tions, health issues, and family situations.

I have endured my career in general aviation while liv-ing with this dark cloud for many years. I have regularly been disoriented by the ongoing battle between the human spirit and the rational mind. In other words, I am often just not capable of doing what it is that I have been trained to do. I have managed to keep evolving in various capacities of aircraft maintenance while still experiencing frequent setbacks but summoning the will to keep going and to provide for a family.

I have shared my experiences here in a sincere effort to further understand and ultimately encourage the awareness of mental health issues in our aviation communities. I have not always been up-front about my own situation; however I am still active in general aviation maintenance and still active in getting myself better.

This summary of thoughts has barely opened the door to our overall relationship with mental illness in the work-place. There is certainly more evidence to uncover, newfound strategies to learn, and many stories to tell. Our increased un-derstanding of these issues, however, should prove that living with an unusual attitude may end up being not so unusual after all.

A new attitude toward dealing with mental illness in the workplace will only come about as we continue to reveal the truth about ourselves. I will continue to uphold the need for continued exploration of mental illness themes and resources in future articles as they pertain to both employers and em-ployees. Further awareness initiatives will be part of our na-tional Mental Health Week, May 7–13, 2012. n

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AMU ChroniclesBY SAM LONGO

Making the Judgment CallAs aircraft maintainers, the most valuable tool that we posses is not located in our tool-box. It is, however, a resource that we continue to covet and collect through out our careers. That intangible commodity is commonly known as experience . . .

When I started my employment with Air Canada in January of 1979, it was a dream come true. I had just finished writing my Transport Canada license in

October of 1978 and everything was coming together. My previ-ous experience, working with Nordair and DeHavilland Canada, gave me the confidence to tackle my new post, wielding wrench-es for the nation’s airline, and I was keen to learn the ropes.

After a few weeks being closely watched and tested on day shift, I was deemed a sufficiently worthy cand date and was assigned a 6-3-rotation shift on Crew 21. As the shifts rolled by, I worked hard, learning and listening, guided by the senior mechanics on my crew. By and large, they were all very gener-ous, sharing their wisdom and experience.

One particular midnight shift, I was assigned to work with Gert. He was an excellent mechanic trained in Germany, having worked for Lufthansa and American Airlines before coming to Air Canada. On this particular night, he shared a pearl of wisdom that I will never forget. After making a judg-ment call on the condition of a tire, he turned to me and said, with a slight German accent; “Sammy, zee difference between a good mechanic und a bad mechanic iz a good mechanic knows vat he can get away wiz.”

To explore this gem of a statement further, how does that “good” mechanic know what he can get away with? The answer is elementary; he has accumulated the necessary ex-perience to consistently make the correct judgment call. De-spite a highly regulated industry with many clear-cut rules, regulations and procedures set out ever-so-carefully in MEL’s (minimum equipment lists), maintenance manuals, and Transport Canada publications, there will always be those pesky grey areas. Consequently, someone will have to make a decision. Should it fly or not? We all have our own stories of playing this game. One that comes to mind for me happened much later in my career with Air Canada.

It was the start of the evening shift, and I had moved on to working in Wide Body Check Crew. The foreman assigned me to change a fuel control unit (FCU) on the port engine of an L1011. He also informed me that the aircraft was required to be serviceable and on the gate before the end of our shift. Due to the urgency of the situation, I got to work right away opening the cowlings of the Rolls Royce RB211

engine, and checked the box left by stores. The new FCU was the correct part, but I immediately noticed the lack of a seal kit. I had done enough FCU changes to know that new seals were required, so I quickly informed the foreman of the omis-sion and carried on with the job. The HP pump, FCU and attached plumbing are all secured with a plethora of 5/16 MS bolts, using finely machined surfaces and rubber o-rings for transferring and sealing the high-pressure fuel within.

Now up to my elbows in fuel pipes and parts, the foreman reappeared to let me know that the seal kit was not coming, and suggested that I simply re-use the old seals and get on with the job. The clock was ticking and now the fun began.

Working in a union environment always has its pros and cons, but the collective agreement is clear. You cannot refuse to do a job when requested by a foreman. I was not happy with his request to use the old seals, and gave him my opinion as such. I also added that although I would carry out the job, I would refuse to sign for the work. He was clearly OK with that com-promise and the job continued. Before installing the new FCU, I very carefully inspected all the old o-rings and found them all to be nick-free, pliable and in “as new” condition. Once the component change was complete, the big Tri Star was towed and chocked at the blast fence for a leak check and FCU tuning run. All was well, and afterwards it made the gate just before the end of our shift. So now the question remains: Was the use of those o-rings ethical? Legal? Perhaps the most important question is: was I comfortable in knowing that the job was beyond reproach and the aircraft safe? The answer is yes and yes. There was no doubt in my mind that the job was carried out to the highest standard. Refusing to sign the job cards was my way of protesting the compromising position in which I had been placed. It was also the only time this type of situation ever occurred with me at Air Canada. To this day, I do not know who signed for my work.

Judgment calls continue to be a tricky business, and due to the nature of our industry, we will all be required to face those challenges and personal tests. Just be sure to remember Gert’s wise words and always err on the side of the GOOD mechanic, and be absolutely sure you know exactly what YOU can get away with. For more published columns by Sam Longo, please visit www.samlongo.com n

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