Old timer told me to trust the hanger rash, cost me an 8 hour rework in Tulsa

Had a 20 year veteran tell me that a cracked fairing was 'just cosmetic' and to send the 737 out as is. I was new to the line, so I listened and signed it off. Two days later the airline pulled it for a deep inspection and the crack had spread into the doubler plate. I spent a whole shift cutting out rivets and patching it in the hangar. My question is, how do you know when to push back on the graybeards, or are they actually right more often than not?

2 comments

2 Comments

casey_barnes2d ago

Graybeards earn the title with good calls, but your signature is what's on the line, not their stories.

perez.barbara3d ago

Man, that hurts just reading it! What finally worked for me was asking the vet to walk me through what he saw and then checking the books myself, one quick look usually settles if it's cosmetic or not.