Dealing with Maintenance

[Typhoon1244]

Okay, maybe it shouldn't bother me...but the more I think about it, the more irritated I get.

We brought a CRJ into DFW last night around 7pm. We had a lot of issues with the flight director (altitude selector was erratic, command bars didn't match side-to-side, speed mode didn't work, etc.). In addition, while we were taxiing in, the nosewheel steering crapped out on us twice. I know it's inconvenient for the nap crew taking the airplane out, but I felt like this was stuff that needed to be written up (particularly since the altitude selector problem was a repeat write-up)...and I hoped maintenance would try to actually fix it instead of just defer the autopilot and flight director.

So when maintenance shows up, the first mechanic we meet says--in an exasperated tone--"so I guess this is f*ck-your-buddy night, huh?"

What do y'all think? Should I (A) ignore it like usual, or (B) write this mechanic's comments up as a couple of people have recommended to me? Would any of you take issue with a remark like that?

 

[Diesel]

Just get in the plane and fix it monkey wrench boy.

I'll be inside relaxing in the crew room.

Oh and your not my buddy. Your the mechanic

 

[chperplt]

The last company I worked for had mechanics with similar attitudes. Two pilots are dead because of it.

Do your fellow pilots and the traveling public a favor and write this guy up. That attitude is not needed in this industry.

 

[Typhoon1244]

Just get in the plane and fix it monkey wrench boy. Oh and your not my buddy...

Well, I think he was referring to the next crew...whom I spoke to about these write-ups, by the way. (They seemed to agree that perhaps, at least, the nosewheel steering should be fixed!)

 

[fasteddy69]

Please refer to FAR 91.3 and 91.7.....Thank you. Now you tell me who tells who what to do. I would talk to your chief pilot and take it right up the chain of command. I babysit mechanics for a living, hopefully not for much longer, and it is like pulling teeth at some of our stations to get the mechanics to do their jobs. At other stations we have excellent mechanics that do preventive maintenance or who monitor the aircraft closely and have good communication with the pilots. This is supposed to be a team effort, but it usually turns out to be an us/them game. Have the guy fired.

 

[Borat Sagdiyev]

Thank you

Write that guy up.

I get a bit tired of other pilots not writing squawks up, but maybe that's just me. I am glad you wrote them up, and I hope you do so in the future, even if it's at an outstation before my freedom leg. In spite of a nap crew's desire to not be delayed by maintenance, you did them a huge favor. What if that nosewheel problem gets more serious? What if the AFCS malfunctions and causes a loss of separation between you and another aircraft? If a mechanical problem crops up on your watch, it's your problem until you write it in the can.

This mechanic may have been having a bad night, but let him explain that to his boss. Do you want this mechanic intimidating a weaker captain when he says he intends to write something up?

Knowing the professionalism of most of our mechanics, I'd bet his supervisors will deal with him if you write him up.

 

[Weasel Keeper]

If the mechanic was just having a bad day but he fixed the write ups then I might let it slide...or let MOC or someone know about his attitude. It'll get back to him big time. He might be a great mechanic, but just has a bad attitude (I know some like this).

If he pissed and moaned and still didn't fix them then I'd press the issue more.

Most importantly, if you have a gripe with your aircraft...write it up. You're the pilot/FO who's safety might be in question. If you ignore the gripes, they won't get fixed, or they'll fail for the next crew and then it will be on your conscience. If something you wrote up gets MEL'd then you have to deal with it...but at least you brought it to their attention. I know there are times when I'd rather have an easy night, but if the crew comes in and writes up the aircraft then we do what we can to fix it...because that's our job.

Unfortunately there are some mechanics out there who have bad attitudes and it gives those of us who actually like our jobs a bad name.

 

[tradersltd]

Write him up because he's got a bad attitude, the kind that will say screw it and send the bird right back out for the next crew. Don't tolerate it one bit! my $.02

 

[xjavro85]

I can't beleive everyone is getting down on this guy for a bad attitude. What a bunch of hypocrites...as far as getting mad over a deferred A/P, let me see what is it we are paid for..thats right flying the airplane. Back in the metro days hell they didn't even have a/p's. And in the DASH-8 the nosewheel steering was deferrable. I think we should give the mechanics a little respect. They keep the things flying just as much if not more than we do.

 

[Tim47SIP]

How Long?

Well, if the problems were there for the last four legs, then he has a point. If they all materialized on that last leg, then you have a point. Writing up problems when they occur is correct, waiting until the last leg is another thing, not that that's what happened.