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Visitors during maintenance, and the things that can happen

airguy

Unrepentant fanboy
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So this afternoon I was in the middle of my annual inspection, and I was changing out the brake pads and tires. This year I needed to replace my worn tires with a new set of Monster Retreads, and I always wear a set of brake pads down to near nothing during a years flying anyway. I had the right main off, fixed, and reinstalled, and had just jacked up the left main and pulled the tire when I heard some aircraft on low flyovers overhead. We had visitors.

That's not unusual - we get a few of the low-and-slow crowd coming to land in our wheat field just to BS and say hi occasionally, it's part of the fun. I stopped what I was doing and went out to visit. The barbeque pit was already hot and ribs were on, this promised to be a good visit.

Long story short - three airplanes, one was being brought in from Kansas by a ferry pilot (former RV9 owner, most of you would recognize the name if I dropped it) for a sale to a guy in Midland. During the subsequent show-and-tell of all the airplanes that flew in, and were based at, our little private airport, the ferry pilot absent-mindedly grabbed the jack handle that was holding up my left main, and it slipped off the jack.

I have (had?) the FlyBoy accessories jack point on there, that has the little wishbone-style aluminum piece bolted to the brake assembly. The wishbone itself was fine, but it broke off the flange that it bolts into for lifting on the brake assembly, very briefly slowing the airplanes descent. When the rest of the airplane then continued onto the concrete it bent the Cleveland brake torque plate (thankfully I already had the caliper out of it) and the Vans axle mounting piece that bolts it all up.

Thankfully the gear leg itself stopped just short of the concrete and the threads were undamaged. I was able to find replacement parts for $600 for the damage done. No comma's or stitches were involved, so all in all it's a very good day for an aircraft incident.

Lessons learned:
1) for visitors - if you can't write a check for it, don't touch it!!!
2) for maintenance in progress - if there is a chance that visitors might come "look-see", even visitors that in theory should know better, remove items at risk like an airplane on jacks. I should have dropped it onto 2x4's before leaving the hangar. I will next time.

The ribs were still good. :cool:

Ya'll be careful out there...
 
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The more I read, the tighter every sphincter muscle in my body became. What a terrible series of unintended outcomes.
 
Greg, no bodily harm, that's a good thing !!
But that was a close one and "only" $600 damage.
Could of been way worse.

Closing my cowling after the annual inspection, a pilot, good friend of mine, dropped by and I continued doing my stuff while chatting away, resolving all the world's problems of course.

Later in the day, after the airplane was all buttoned up, I went out for a run-up check and a short test flight.
Grounding one of the ECU's, the usual slight drop in RPM was observed.
Grounding the other one, something was very wrong as the RPM dropped a good 500-600.
Back to the hangar, I confirmed that the # 1 & 3 bottom plugs leads were not connected...
A further, complete visual inspection of the firewall forward was done.

Lesson learned: stop working when a visitor is in the place...
 
Sorry to read of about you experience

I read somewhere here on VAF, or in Kitplanes, or Sport Aviation providing some hangar etiquette that I follow. One item was that a hangar visitor should not feel it a snub if I do not immediately drop all I am doing to entertain/engage them. I will provide a quick explanation that I will be with them shortly and then spend the few minutes completing a task or making safe the aircraft. If it is a longer visit or of multiple people I will lay the cowl over the engine, close the canopy and take it off of any jacks or supports. I do that anyway at the end of a work day if in middle of task just incase visitors show up without me there.
 
My lesson in interruptions. Not aircraft related but one that sticks w me. Hooking up a 16’ bumper hitch trailer on the back of my dually. Going to pick up a 300 gallon fuel tank for the hangar. Daughter comes out to talk to me. Driving on I95 north into northern Va (a real b’tch of a drive anyway) the trailer comes off the ball on my truck. All 3 lanes of northbound I95 are full, traffic flowing at 75 mph. Trailer is fishtailing on the safety chains. Get it slowed down slowly so it doesn’t wrap itself around my pickup and into to median. By the time I get it stopped one safety chain has broken and one is still holding. No harm done. Thankfully fuel tank not onboard.

Apparently I forgot to close the latch on the ball.

Still wakes me up some nights to think what could have happened had it separated.
 
I feel your pain...

There's one thing worse than an aviation guest during maintenance....and that is the uninvited guest.

I have 2 tee hangars located back-to-back for my 2 RV's..with a building panel removed between them for a pass through. During hot days, I open both hangar doors for ventilation, even though I cannot easily see from one hangar to the other.

A newbie guy I did not know, from another part of the airport, came to "visit" me and gawk ...but unbeknownst to me, brought his two small children (about age 3-4), who were "busy" in the other hangar containing my 7.... I found one of them standing on a wing, and the other with his hands pulling on everything in sight..!....Needless to say, we had words. When I later walked past the newbie's hangar, I saw a playpen inside! What a bad omen....

As a reminder, just because someone rents a hangar at an airport doesn't mean they know jack about aviation, or how to be around aircraft. I no longer take anything...or anyone...for granted.
 
Visitors

1) for visitors - if you can't write a check for it, don't touch it!!!
2) for maintenance in progress - if there is a chance that visitors might come "look-see", even visitors that in theory should know better, remove items at risk like an airplane on jacks. I should have dropped it onto 2x4's before leaving the hangar. I will next time. Ya'll be careful out there...

When I was working as an aircraft mechanic, the hangar was always open to visitors. People dropping over was just part of the job. It was one of the ways the business grew. 'Will you have time to annual my Super Cub next month?' I learned early on (along with many other things) that I had to mostly ignore whoever came over to chat until I was finished with what I was doing. I would even say 'Let me finish this so I don't lose track of where I was'. Most people understood. Some would continue talking as if I hadn't said anything. Those were usually the same people each time.:rolleyes: I got good at ignoring people and, at the end of what I was doing, coming up and saying 'now what were you saying?':):D At the end of their visit I would routinely go back over whatever task I was doing and recheck to make sure I hadn't lost track of where I was...!

With the condition inspection and annuals, it is far less busy with visitors but people who come over to visit or are helping me know if I am doing something I am not going to pay much attention to them until I am finished with whatever particular task I am doing. I could tell you stories.....:eek:
 
Attention to detail

This post reminds me of my flight in the Rv-1 from Oregon to my home in Georgia.
I was on the start of my 2nd leg from Bakersfield to Casa Grande, AZ doing my refueling & preflight when an old guy in a golf cart pulls up and says "an RV-1 Huh?"
I respond with out looking up, said "yep, I think it's the only one flying" meanwhile trying to focus on my pre-flight.
I ask if he was a pilot. "yep he says.
I ask trying to be polite: "What do you fly?"
"Rockets" he says.
I respond "you mean like the Harmon Rocket?"
He responds" Yep, I'm John Harmon"
"Nice to meet you John, shaking his hand, but I'm trying to pre-flight this new to me A/C so I'll make it to Casa Grande before it gets any hotter.
He understood and I was on my way.
However, after departure, climbing out I look over at my left wing and see the fuel cap is not secured. I contact approach and request return to L45.
Even a slight distraction can be a possible catastrophe.
Fortunately no fuel escaped and I landed and secured the cap.
My Primary Instructors words came back to me..."Pre-flighting is the 1st important and critical task of any flight"
Words to live by...
 
Visitors

I used to get lots of visitors. If a task required my undivided attention, I treated it just like the landing sequence. I would politely say, "Hold that thought." They always understood.
 
Taught my kids that when they walk into the shop, if any tool is turning and until they get eye contact, that they stand there quietly and wait ... hard for a 12 yo to do!

They still carry that habit :)
 
Fuel Cap

If you put the cap in your pocket you will be reminded when you tighten the belt over the cap. Likewise Lycoming dipstick.
 
I realize this is preaching to the choir... and thread drift.... but... I feel like there are a bunch of common courtesy/respect type things that have been lost over time. That might be 'old guy' talking!! :) Such as leaning up against someone else's airplane/car. Not a lot different when bit comes to a shop - don't touch stuff, never lean/sit on anything, don't distract, etc... There is even a REALLY old one that suggests avoiding parking your car where you have to back up - a really great one at the airport!
 
I read somewhere here on VAF, or in Kitplanes, or Sport Aviation providing some hangar etiquette that I follow.

Maybe we need a stand alone thread for these stories, put the airport/hangar etiquette all in one thread?

-I never interrupt a pilot during their pre-flight unless I see a safety issue.

-Even with old friends I never assume I'm welcome in their hangar. Sometimes people have things on their mind and have come to the airport to get away from their problems, or think them out. Or they just want to work a problem on their own.
-I love it when strangers wait for eye contact and ask if they can come in. A quick "Need a hand?" or "Got a sec?" is a small thing, but huge.
-When walking around the airport or if someone taxies by, I'll give their airplane a quick glance to double check for open panels, airplanes starting while still tied down (seen it twice), etc.
 
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If you put the cap in your pocket you will be reminded when you tighten the belt over the cap. Likewise Lycoming dipstick.

"Is that a dipstick in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"

Yeah, I get that a lot... Hazards of a good, thoughtful preflight.
 
Dipstick

"Is that a dipstick in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"

Yeah, I get that a lot... Hazards of a good, thoughtful preflight.

That's an easy one. Drill a hole in the bill of your cap. Slip it in the hole. Guarantee you won't miss it. Also wipes the oil off! :D
 
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