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During Programmed Gains, the jet is on its wheels. I can't think of any FLCS checks done while the jet's on jacks. That's why I was so leery of putting the handle up and had several other folks verify for me that the pins were installed before we did it. Too much explaining to do if a wheel or two folded up under the airplane's weight.

If one were to put hydraulic power on a jet on jacks, he had to disconnect the rate gyros first so it wouldn't bounce off the jacks. That is, all but one branch of the pitch pack--that plug couldn't be removed without removing all three gyro packs first. Go figure...

One of our jets, 86-0229, came back from depot and during acceptance inspection our fuel shop opened up the tanks. Inside they found several rags and about ten pounds of metal shavings. That one caused a big stink between us and depot. Amazingly enough, the jet flew back to us code 1. The screwdriver involved in the wiring harness incident had a CTK marking and we traced it back to Hill Depot as well.

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I guess I can add my own stories about crap found in the jet when it GETS to depot.The list is large and distinguished, for example, the potato chip bag wrapped around the bottom of the turbine driven transfer pump. Or the piece of a wheel chock inside the F-1 fuel tank. Then there is the needle nose pliers with a CTK mark that was lodged behind the seat. My favorite is the vernier rocket on the STAPAC that was still pinned when it was removed from the jet. Then there is the never ending minor gigs like the HUGE birds nest in the gun bay, or the full bags of screws that fell out of the panel while removing the right horz stab.
Don't get me wrong....I was a flightliner long before I worked in depot. NO ONE has the market cornered on boneheaded stunts.

Newbie Joined: Jan 15, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: SCANG

How about the nose door retract/extend actuator? The one you have to jack the jet, retract it so much and then mess with that dang valve/pin thing with packings? Not nearly as grueling as an ADG or PDU, but one of those jobs you really wonder what the hell the engineers were thinking of at the time!!

Elite Joined: Oct 30, 2006 Posts: 627 Status: Offline

Physically: Crawling down the tube of a waxed intake to inspect the motor.

Mentally: Trying to figure out the routing and clamping (with the book) of the rudder ISA wire harness when your handed a bag of clamps and screws.

Patiently: Getting the measurement between the grip and the gate during a quadrant change.

Cautiously: Trying to rectify a motor that is hung on the rail between the first and second set of rollers of the skate mount after the engine fell forward and over centered the Y mount on the R&I trailer.

Priceless: EPU pellet change Applause

Last edited by TimmayMan on Mar 24, 2008 - 01:43 AM; edited 1 time in total

afnsucks wrote:

Whats the differnece for CANNING block 30 and below LEFs compared to 40's and 50's?

I can show a weapons troop Laughing

how to remove a blk 40 and up LEF. 30s and older are a whole different ball game. And canning LEFs can be troublesome in general. I've heard of people utilizing cargo straps to get them lined up to the wing. Changing the outboard LEF hinge isn't fun either and all blocks reqs liquid shim for those if your replacing them.

afnsucks wrote:
Whats the differnece for CANNING block 30 and below LEFs compared to 40's and 50's?

the rotary actuators are installed differently on the block 30's. ( with screws and bolts) the block 40's and above are installed to the wing and LEF with steel pins and clips.

Elite Joined: Apr 08, 2004 Posts: 733 Status: Offline

texasranger26 wrote:

afnsucks wrote:
Whats the differnece for CANNING block 30 and below LEFs compared to 40's and 50's?

the rotary actuators are installed differently on the block 30's. ( with screws and bolts) the block 40's and above are installed to the wing and LEF with steel pins and clips.

God, I loved liquid shim, they might just as well have encased the actuators in concrete as difficult as it was to remove them. The Block 30's were even light years easier than on the old Block 10 A/B's.

Mike

LOL, i had all my experience on Block 42's at Luke, then when i went to the Kun, they said lets take the LEF off, i said ok. then went to punch out the pins and they said, no pins, get a speed handle and a wrench!! hated them. Speaking of LEF's have you seen the new LEF drive torque tubes?? i didnt see them until i went to Mt.Home. no bolts, no gap checks!!! just put them in and go.

Newbie Joined: Jan 15, 2007 Posts: 8 Location: SCANG

Nice little piece there Vark - priceless!!!

Elite Joined: Mar 26, 2004 Posts: 656 Status: Offline

VarkVet wrote:

Physically: Crawling down the tube of a waxed intake to inspect the motor.

Hey? I just had to do that this week. Show of hands? Ever lose it sliding back out and rack yourself on the heater strut? Shocked

Elite Joined: Oct 30, 2006 Posts: 627 Status: Offline

maddog2840 wrote:

Ever lose it sliding back out and rack yourself on the heater strut? Shocked

Nope ... and never boinked my head on the PS2 probe of a Pratt while down there. Cool

It's not exactly hard but I've never been more nervous working on the jet than the time I had to change a CSD garlock seal. I couldn't imagine trying to do a B SYS or PTO garlock seal.

Newbie Joined: Mar 31, 2008 Posts: 9 Status: Offline

I would say replacing the F-1 Bladder cell tank!! Jeezz i did that in Italy once on the flightline in 100 degrees! Also all the follow ons, because you also had to remove the Landing gear matrix.

Being a tall, clumsy doofus was the hardest part of working on the 16 for me. All the pointy bits seemed to be at eye level, and every time I turned around there was an AIM-120 fin, pitot tube, static discharger, antenna, or trailing edge just waiting to turn me into a cyclops or lop off the top part of my head.

Then of course there was the joy of my spine getting played like a xylophone by the edge of the gear door every time I'd crawl out of the wheelwell, getting stabbed in the kidneys by AGM-88 fins at EOR, standing up too soon after ducking under the rear of the jet only to flatten my mongoloid head even further, being a human jammer for centerline pylon installations while the slowest person in the universe threaded the fifteen thousand cables through that tiny frickin' hole, and do-it-yourself body piercing with safety/arming wire. I could go on but I'd probably develop carpal tunnel syndrome.

So for me, just maintaining that complete six degrees of situational awareness, especially at night and/or after long hours of work, was one of the harder parts of being a maintainer, and I have the scars to prove it Very Happy

I miss the flightline.

Newbie Joined: Feb 25, 2008 Posts: 3 Status: Offline

Wow All this experiance and a A1C gets the number one hardest most soul crushing job in the history on the world. I can't believe no one else here had changed a inlet srut, on a family model. I guess i am not too surprised becuase the seven level i changed it with had only ever done one, and that was on a c. The seven level did the bottom bolt installed torqued and keyed in ten minutes flat it took me five hours to install my bolt, washers and cotter key. mind you the bolt is under the avionics bay that is under the dummy seat. mirrior flash lights, the endless pain of kneeling on a c-1 twisting, turning, and getting it. I had to wrap safey wire to the cotter key so i wounld not drop it, and adjust the bolt a millions times to make it work. fought to get the wrenches in move it a little the check with a miror. finally got that. then the worst part is putting the top cover on that the wires run through and hoping to god not to drop the tiny nuts, or small wrench, at one point i saftey wired the wrench to my arm and that saved my butt, other wise i would have had to dig it out of the bay. Specs had to take every single box out of there to even have a prayer of changing the thing. all of this was done blind not being able to see my work or my hands, i have never bleed in so many places in my life. It makes pdu's and adg's look like child's play. me and the 7 lvl got a big atta boy and supervision and the expediter was shocked we got it done in only about eight hours.

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