Ask an Aircraft Mechanic anything

155 Questions

Last Answer on July 09, 2022

Please help How do I get broken off screw heads on the fuel panel of my Cessna 172?

Asked by Kirk A&P almost 5 years ago

I recommend that you find some local help with your issue. I do not offer technical help in this forum.

Do you get buddy passes what are they?

Asked by Jacobi almost 5 years ago

I do not, and never have, gotten buddy passes; or had employee flight benefits of any kind. If you want those kinds of things, you would have to work for a passenger airline.

Buddy passes are basically stand-by/space available tickets that an airline employee can give to family or friends. Certain taxes and fees would still need to be paid.

Using those passes, puts you at the lowest priority of stand-by. So there is zero guarantees of you actually getting on a given flight.

497 Votes

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Why do so many people have a fear of flying. I mean it’s the safest mode of transportation even more so then a school bus. As well as you can die from anything.

Asked by Summer almost 5 years ago

It’s psychological, of course. There are whole studies based on that question.

Fear of heights + fear of what we don’t fully understand + not having any control + media highlighting every passenger plane crash or incident.

Not really the focus of this Q&A though.

495 Votes

Have you almost ever made a critical error or even been responsible for a air emergency?

Asked by Jamie over 4 years ago

Honestly? Most of the things we do are “almost making a critical error”. In that if we judge things wrong, it can be critical.

No. I have never been responsible for an air emergency.

495 Votes

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Another question is what is the most difficult aircraft to work on?

Asked by Daniel over 4 years ago

When you ask me " what is the most difficult aircraft to work on?" I"m taking that as: "What is the most difficult aircraft that I have ever worked on". Because that is a very subjective question.

I guess the aircraft that consistently gave a pretty high difficulty level to us, has been the DC-10's. They are overbuilt tanks in the sky; with a lot of unusual structure to them we need to work around and with.

I had a friend who said that F-4's were pretty hard to work with. He did fuel cell work on them in the Air Force.

It's all based pretty much on personal experience. Ask ten different mechanics that same question, and you may very well get ten different answers.

494 Votes

Okay. Then why don’t they fly anymore

Asked by Mikey almost 5 years ago

Look. I’m not going to get into an argument with you. You could very easily educate yourself about the aircraft type if you wish.

They don’t use DC-10s for passenger use much anymore for the same reason you don’t see 747-100’s and -200’s out there flying passengers much.

Economics.

Newer aircraft can fly the same amount of people for less money in operating and maintenance costs. That’s all aviation is really. It’s a money game.

Why don’t they fly 707s or DC-8s anymore in passenger mode? Money.

Why are they parking so many of the much newer A380 aircraft? Money.

If you ever see an older aircraft out there flying revenue flights; it’s because someone figured out a niche market where it makes financial sense to do it. Like Buffalo Air and their DC-3s.

493 Votes

What precautions are being taken on airplanes for the COVID-19?

Asked by Merl Haggard Fan almost 5 years ago

Same sort of things that are being done for restaurants and other public spaces.

Lots of cleaning. Health checks for everyone coming in. And extra space for people (when possible)

491 Votes