Blogs

3 Things You Want From An Aircraft Parts Consignment Program

admin — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 16:33:39 +0000

Contributed by aircraft parts consignment experts, Bob Tooker and Susan Masek

Managing an excess of aircraft parts can be a challenge for any operator. You want to sell the surplus, but simply can’t find the space, man-power or the time. Partnering with the right aircraft parts consignment program is very important. Remember these tips as you search for the best match.

The Top 200 Jobs of 2012

jescobar — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:39:40 +0000

How do aircraft mechanics fare in Careercast.com's list of the 200 best and worst jobs of 2012? D.O.M. magazine editorial director Joe Escobar takes a look.

We Could Learn a lot from NASCAR

jescobar — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 13:45:55 +0000

NASCAR does a good job of educating the public about the drivers’ crew chiefs – the top mechanics for the teams – at every opportunity it gets.

Troubleshooting Autopilot-Induced Control Surface Oscillations

admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:02:02 +0000

During autopilot-engaged flight, oscillations can occur in the roll, pitch or yaw axis. The most commonly squawked oscillation occurs in pitch or often referred to as porpoising. Autopilots (A/P) are designed so that the computer senses the need for correction and then commands a servo motor to drive the control surface via a cable. The drive and speed of the motor, as well as the proper tension of the cable, is determined by design based on the specific characteristics of the aircraft it is installed in.

Heli-Expo 2012

jescobar — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:56:54 +0000

The Helicopter Association International (HAI) Heli-Expo 2012 is next week. The staff of D.O.M. and HeliMx magazines will be there!

A Reader's Two Cents Worth

jescobar — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:08:59 +0000

A D.O.M. reader shares his frustration with his career in aviation maintenance.

Citation 560XL/XLS: Keeping Avionics Online During Engine Startup

admin — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:52:53 +0000

The normal engine startup sequence for Citation 560XL aircraft removes power from the avionics system, causing it to drop offline. The reason for this is the avionics are isolated from the start system. SB560XL-24-14R2 allows the avionics to stay online by using the APU generator during engine start.

Announcing Two New Awards for 2012 - Call for Nominations!

gnapert — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 02:08:54 +0000

The staff of D.O.M. magazine is proud to announce the launch of our first annual
Maintenance Manager of the Year and Above and Beyond awards!

We are doing this because we believe that there is not enough recognition for all the extra effort and professionalism that exists in our industry — in particular, there is not enough recognition for maintenance managers that deal with the day to day challenge of running an aviation maintenance department.

Is Your Business Aircraft SAFA Compliant? - Duncan Aviation

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:18:16 +0000

I recently asked a customer who logs many hours flying in international skies what he thought was most important when landing on foreign soil. His reply was simply, “make sure your SAFA manual is up to speed.” After a little bit of research and a quick Google search, I found the following link that does a good job explaining the EU Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) programme.

The Duncan Download Blog: Business Aviation Advice & Observations

admin — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 18:23:13 +0000

The Babbitt Blunder

jescobar — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 16:59:15 +0000

Most of us in aviation are aware of FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt’s arrest this past weekend on drunk driving charges. Babbitt has been placed on administrative leave while FAA and DOT officials try to figure out what to do.

Troubleshooting TFE731 Engine Oil Leaks - Duncan Aviation

admin — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 20:03:22 +0000

Contributed by Lanny Renshaw, Assistant Manger Turbine Engine Services

There are many reasons that your TFE731 engine may be leaking oil. The hardest part is determining where it is leaking and what to do about it. The following is a list of the most common places you will find oil leaks and their causes.

Another Way of Gifting

jescobar — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:51:05 +0000

Some thoughts on loss of productivity on Cyber Monday and Shift My Gift -- a new way to send "gifts" to those you love.

Happy Thanksgiving!

jescobar — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:56:11 +0000

I am writing this blog a few days before Thanksgiving. As I sit here sipping my coffee and taking a break from what has been a hectic week, I realize that I have a lot to be thankful for.

Control Airframe Corrosion by Controlling the Water

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:12:22 +0000

Contributed by Cary Loubert, Bombardier Airframe Tech Rep for Duncan Aviation.

One word can strike terror in the heart of any DOM and Chief Pilot: CORROSION, especially during a large maintenance event. But that is the purpose of these events, finding and correcting any structural deficiencies.

Batteries Not Included

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:54:00 +0000

Contributed by Adrian Chene, Avionics Tech Rep, Duncan Aviation

Today’s aircraft are a mix and match of different levels of electronic technology. With the proliferation of electronic programmable modules in the 1980s and 90s, came the need to install internal batteries into Line Replacable Units (LRUs) to hold information in memory for indefinite periods of time and make it available to other avionics components when a LRU was powered down.

When Aircraft Maintenance Exceeds the MRO’s Capabilities

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:05:12 +0000

As an aircraft owner / operator, you know as well as anyone, that an aircraft workscope can expand at a moments notice for any number of reasons. It can quickly go beyond the capabilities of the service facility performing the work.

Sales Has Nothing To Do With Selling

jescobar — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:30:17 +0000

I am at the Aviation Distributors and Manufacturers Association (ADMA) annual conference this week. This morning’s opening business session featured a presentation by Rick Farrell with Tangent Knowledge Systems titled “Sales Has Nothing To Do With Selling.”

Preparing for NBAA 2011

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 17:33:00 +0000

Meet Duncan Aviation Industry experts at NBAA 2011 in Las Vegas, booth #C8127.

In little over two weeks, the largest annual gathering in the business aviation industry will take place October 10-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada. As Duncan Aviation reps get ready for NBAA 2011, I stopped by to ask them a few questions about the show. Here are some of their answers.

Charles Taylor Forgotten Yet Again

jescobar — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:00:00 +0000

I got a tweet earlier that said, "Celebrate 100th anniv. of the first flight across the US! Vin Fiz event on Sept. 17 at Boeing theatre." The tweet had a link to the event website: www.vinfizlongbeach.com.

I had known about Charles Taylor's important contribution to the Vin Fiz flight, so I clicked through the links to see what was said about him.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised by what I found. Nothing. Not a single mention.

That's Not My Job!

jescobar — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Mr. Wayne Bailey sent an email to me after the July/August issue of D.O.M. came out stating he was amazed how I come up with subject matter for my editorial column. Here are what I think are the two most important factors that help me write my columns. First of all, I am an A&P mechanic. I have worked in the industry since 1988. Second – I pay attention. Whether it is at a trade show or touring a maintenance facility, I try to listen and observe.

Loyalty

jescobar — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I have two small dogs. One of my least favorite things to do in the winter time (which seems to last seven months here in Wisconsin) is take them for their multiple daily walks. But this time of year gives me the opportunity to take long walks with them, providing some much needed exercise for both the dogs and me. I tend to listen to the radio on my smart phone as I go on these walks. Today, I happened to tune in to an interview on Wisconsin Public Radio with Eric Felton, New York Times columnist and author of “Loyalty: The Vexing Virtue.” Felton was discussing the topic of loyalty and I felt myself quickly absorbed by the interview.

Fulfilling Your Dreams

jescobar — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:00:00 +0000

July marks the third anniversary of the launch of D.O.M. magazine. Guess what? It’s true – time really does fly when you are having fun!

The Myth of Multitasking

jescobar — Sun, 01 May 2011 17:00:00 +0000

In my editorial column in the May/June issue of D.O.M. magazine, I discussed the myth of multitasking. The column was the result of seeing a job posting for a director of maintenance saying that the candidate "must demonstrate the ability to multitask." I went on to discuss how it is impossible to "multitask" because our brains aren't wired that way. Dave Crenshaw, author of the book The Myth of Multitasking: How "Doing it All" Gets Nothing Done, says what we are actually doing when we think we are multitasking is multiswitching - switching between tasks. Those that think they are good multitaskers basically are good multiswitchers; they are able to switch between multiple tasks faster than others.

Working Together

jescobar — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 17:00:00 +0000

I was in San Diego, CA a few weeks ago attending NBAA's Maintenance Management Conference (MMC). On the last evening of the conference, I was approached by Brad Townsend, chairman of the NBAA maintenance committee, saying that a meeting had just been held between key members of the NBAA maintenance committee, AMTSociety and the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA). I was told that an agreement had been reached in relation to working together towards common goals and that an official news announcement would be sent out in the near future.