I used to think torque strips were just for new guys, but that convo with my lead changed my mind

This morning I was bitching about torque strips on a 737 wheel hub, saying they're a waste of time if you know your stuff. My lead, a guy named Hank who's been doing this since the 80s, just looked at me and said 'You ever miss a torque check and have a wheel come off at 150 knots?' I didn't have an answer. He told me about a time back in '89 at a repair station in Miami where a mechanic skipped a strip and a tire blew on rollout. Nobody got killed but it was close. That hit different because I've been slacking on double-checking my own readings. Now I see it's not about being a rookie. It's about having a habit that saves your ass when you're tired or distracted. Has anyone else had a senior guy talk you out of a shortcut that seemed smart at the time?

2 comments

2 Comments

lindab4911d ago

...so that story about Miami in '89, I had a lead once, older guy named Jerry, who told me he used to skip putting cotter pins in brake calipers on old Cessnas because it saved him time. He said he stopped after a buddy's plane lost brakes on landing and ended up in a soybean field. Made me realize those little checks are like wearing a seatbelt for the job.

joelwells11d ago

Three missing cotter pins in one week would mean failing an FAA audit today.