FACING A HARDSHIP

After the advent of transistors in early1950s and there after software electronic gadgets like calculator, computer, laptop, tablets to smart phone; we witnessed a remarkable changed in day to day maintenance activities. There was a time when we had a huge set of aircraft manuals which were referred to do the maintenance of the aircraft. These manuals were placed in a big room; was called technical library.

Hard copies of manuals were replaced by film and then softer version in the form of PDF and more recently to an advance program by Airbus as Air@Nav.

A big library converges to a working table with a PC. It was a huge saving in terms of space, ecology and undoubtedly user friendly.

After introducing NRC & CRS it was emphasized to mention the AMM/TSM Task referred during the maintenance of aircraft and its system, we fail to do so.

Four set of computers in our line maintenance have been kept on well designed working table but Air@Nav has expired and needs to be uploaded since months. It was brought into the notice of everyone but uploading is still awaited. In absence of printer, referring the task during maintenance is really a very difficult task.

In absence of Manuals (Current and updated), does our LM approved for maintenance activities as per CAR?

Inspections (PF to 400 hrs) are a continuous process of Line related job but one can not find copy of LO, WI and 400 Hrs Inspection schedule. There is not a single set of special inspection schedule in line maintenance.

Who will do such small job which is a day to day affair in line maintenance? How long engineer alone will face hardship just because their fellow workers who have been entrusted with such jobs are non performer?

Few staffs (Non technical) posted at LM for passing information to SIC regarding the availability of aircraft, arrival/departure i.e ETA of aircrafts, and taking fuel figure of the flight are totally unreliable. They are non serious and unaccountable. Every day one or another engineer come into trap of their mistake but till date no one is being taken for a task except engineer.

Do we really need such staffs in LM?

LM also needs to be installed two big screens dedicated for arrival and departure related information. SIC must get an email for fuel figure so that one who is passing this figure will be directly accountable for ones mistakes. The copy of fuel figure to be kept along with the allotment sheet from where engineer can get the fuel for flight. Any change in fuel figure must be followed by mail and telephonic conversation with SIC.

Few such things may be taken into account to improve further. We have the potential and we can do this.

THE THEORY OF ELASTICITY

Recent thrust to increase OTP has undoubtedly shown an upward trend in increasing OTP for the 1^st half of October too by 90.14% after Sept., 2011. This was possible because employees who were supposed to work towards increasing the performance were not behaving in a responsible way. A slight tightness at this end showed the remarkable result whereby OTP jumps from 70 to 90%.

The same theory does not hold true for Engineering. We are already stretched to the elastic limit and further force will break or transform us into plastic range. The irony is with our own bosses who fail to understand this simple theory which we have read numerous times (Theory of elasticity) till we perform our job as engineer.

In the industry elsewhere in the world, a component is removed to install whereas in our organisation this process does not hold good as we remove twice before installing the component. To elaborate this, we remove (a sub standard as per CAR) component from grounded aircraft to install it on the aircraft intended to rectify by removing its own faulty component.

The recent fleet of A 320 family aircraft are flying with multiple snags under MEL for want of spares. No one knows why we have not maintained the minimum standard level of inventory to maintain the fleet so much so that recent groundings are the result of low or no inventory.

Today we are not only struggling for float engines and its modules but spares like HMU, ECU and many more such component. No engineers are responsible for this but the one who is accountable are always spared.

If we still fail to sense gravity of situation about the optimum investment in engineering for procurement of spares, humiliating engineers by withdrawing all their facilities slowly and slowly; forcing them to compromise with the inspection procedure with respect to time and spares, future is bleak and we may face more grounding and cancellations in future throwing the trend of improvement haywire.

Recent grounding of SCB, EPB & SCE may be the result of unavailability of spares and were avoidable.

To keep the performance trend continuously upward, it is of utmost importance to take care the sentiments of engineers and their plights, availability of spares and its placement, proper tools and equipments.  

Nightmare of Nightshift

The struggle starts immediately after our reporting in night shift.

In spite of many new departments which are now in existence in order to improve productivity, reduce expenditure and bring the working culture at par with the international standard in the industry by an expense of crores and crores of rupees; all such department may show their worth in future but it seems wasteful expenditure at ground level. No one is there to take decision and function as a bridge to share information at top level.

Engineers who are waiting for their aircraft to work with in maintenance in night shift, are taken aback when they realised that the sun is about to rise in the east and he had just wasted whole night waiting for spares, arranging and managing with only one Wheel Jack, no proper steps to work with, only one APU step, Leaking TP gauges and U/S HP gauges. Nitrogen bottles with low pressure and without proper opening tool.

Early in the morning at departure; where he ;some how managed to do the assigned inspection and ready down below the nose, a call from A/H embarrassed him when she asks for replacement of dirty seat covers, hanging galley curtains for want of its hooks, missing soap solution and stinking lavatory with low and no water in the galley.

He remains unanswered thinking he even could not managed to replace even a wheel due no Jack and even no wheels for couple of days, what to answer her about her query. How much serious are we really about the turning around our ailing carrier?

Can our aircraft & Airlines survive the fierce competition without well maintained aircraft with shabby looking interiors? We have a doubt but may be top management looking upward away from our working environment & climatic condition towards western experts. Their technique to revive our airlines was happily accepted in past by spending huge money but was of no use.

It is better that we should focus doing small thing to achieve big-to revive/turning around our airlines.

We must focus and invest money to procure spares for Airframe, engine and APU.

Based upon fleet repetitive snags, spares must be placed and planned where ever that aircraft is doing night halt.

Years long demand of maintenance crew of placing A/C Jacks (other than one), Steps needed for maintenance, sky jack for APU, Nitrogen bottles, TP & HP gauges, Placement of universal kit, A/C seats, galley curtain hooks and other spares to rectify pax seats & its back rest, table etc must be met with.

Radome, oleo and air intake for all the night halt a/c must be cleaned by our engineering helper other than deep cleaning.

Procurement & Placement of spares will minimise the grounding/cancellation of the aircraft and then we can have an edge over other private carriers and lure the passengers.

Unless above stated small things are not planned and met with, maintenance crew nightmare may last longer and whatever our top executive plan to take a big leap in the process of revival will be of no use.

The City Of RAIPUR

The city of Raipur is situated at the coordinate of 21deg 08’ N 81deg23’E and is known since 9th century. It is one of oldest town in India. This is the capital city of Chhattisgarh.
Climate is tropical wet and dry with moderate temperature throughout the year except May and June which is really very hot. Winter starts with the beginning of October and last since February end with the temperature below up to 5 deg Celsius. The river MAHANADI flows through east of the city whereas southern part is covered with thick forest.
In 4th century AD it was conquered by Samudragupta of Maurya vansh and it was remain under Maurya dynasty till the end of 6th century. However the city was named after the king Brahmdeo Rai son of king Ramchandra whose capital was KHALLARI. The decline of this dynasty was by the death of King Amrish Deo later on it was under the rule of Bhosla’s king of Nagpur. The territory was finally under British rule from Bhosla’s king in 1854 and Raipur became headquarter of Chhattishgarh. After independence Raipur district was included in central province.
Raipur is connected by Air to Delhi, Bombay, Bhubneshwar, Kolkatta, Hyderabad and Bangaluru. All the major airlines operate in and out of Raipur eg Air India, Jet Airways and Kingfisher. Recently low cost carrier Indigo connects Raipur from Hyderabad and Bangaluru.
Raipur is connected to S.E Railway on Nagpur,Mumbai and Kolkatta route.
National Highway 6 passes through the city and NH 43 connect it to Vijaya Nagaram.
Famous town around Raipur are Bhilai(25Km),Durg(41Km),Jagdalpur(297Km),Rajnandgaon(70Km),Bilaspur(115Km), Jabalpur(369km) and Bhopal(712Km).These places can be reached easily from Raipur by Train or Road.
One can visit the places like Champajhar, Sirpur, Radha krishan Temple, Chandi Temple, Ram Temple, Swastik Vihar Monastry, Anand prem kutir and Museum.
Raipur also offers an attractive alternat route by bus to Kanaha national park. Visitors can also visit Hirakud dam which is situated on Sambalpur road.
City is fast emerging as an important hub of education in the area. There are 7 universities. These universities manage as many as16 engineering and 8 Medical colleges. Many of them are acclaimed at national level. The city has more than 302 higher secondary and high schools.
NAYA RAIPUR closer to Raipur Airport has already been developed. Inaugural function of Naya Raipur is expected to be scheduled by the very 1st week of November 2011. City Mall 36, Magneto, RK Mall and Chattisgarh Shopping centres are places of big attraction and shopping now a days.
One can find many good hotels, pubs clubs within the vicinity of 10 Km from Airport on VIP road eg Golden Tulip, Babylon and Florence. They are safe to stay with.

The Missing Mail

After many months rather a gap of few years my door bell rang up and to my surprise a postman was at my door step. It was a surprise to my younger son too when he shouted that papa see this man; looks like a postman but not in uniform as it is shown in my book.
Decades ago when I was away to my home town while pursuing my higher study; the only way to connect my parent was a postcard and a postman. My mother kept weeping for many days until she received my first letter.
Those were the days when I used to write postcard for my parent and a postman hand it over to my family. Slowly I started writing letter every day with an idea that my family must feel my presence through letter. This was true as every one in my family did talk about me and my letter.
The postcard/letters which used to be hand written carries all sorts of emotions unlike e-mail, mother used to keep it with her until she received my next letter other day.
Everyday he used to deliver my postcard at my home. He used to care and listening villager’s story of their near and dear that was far away from village, writing letters for them. My mother too was venting her loneliness by sharing with him about me, my study and my college. He carries my feeling to my family and in those days in our villages, the postmen were highly respected as they carry all types of news for relatives of one’s family. Everyone there in my village keeps waiting for the postman.
Postman was the matter of discussion for every one in the village when he was absent/or had no visit to our village. People feel restless and keep enquiring each other about the postman whether he came today?
Modernisation in India too was at higher pace by the end of 20th century, an arrival of mobile phone and accessibility of STD and ISD through land line became the reality for common people. We preferred making call to our distant relatives than writing letters to them. An invisible bond which was there between our family and relatives through letters and a postman started becoming weak.
Writing letter was an art, we used to put all our emotions in few lines in the letter, many a times the person at the other end cry out of emotion while reading the letters and this was the very reason whereby we were so closely attached with each other.
The workload of postman has reduced to minimum; our kids have hardly seen a postman. They are acquainted with courier people. Mobile phone and e-mail are the fastest mode of communication. Like many other species getting extinction on the earth, a postman is on the verge of extinction.
A postman clad in uniform with a Gandhian cap on his head with bicycle and bag full of letters are a rare appearance even in village.
My 92 years old mother in village now sits around a landline to pick up my call. Often people around and relatives avoid having conversation with old person like my mother. She alone in a corner of her living room, waiting for telephone bell to rang up, sometimes shouting on kids; who play around my home to keep silence so that she should not miss the sound of telephone bell; I decided to call her every night.
Earlier my letter was her lifeline now it is my call on the landline.
No postman or his call to my doorstep is there to break silence and no one is there to have a conversation with her. With the each passing days in life, each one of us are so alone within in the huge crowd around.

The Spirit of Maintenance Activity

Never changing attitudes of ours are detrimental to the day to day maintenance activities of aircraft. The essence of line maintenance lies in continuous maintenance process and faith in each others completed job rather criticising to undermine one’s capabilities to perform job and malign him subsequently.
Most of the incidents/accidents do occur during the shift change; is known to all of us. This is the most sensitive period where job of relieving of outgoing Engineers/technicians are of critical in nature and to be handled with care. Here it requires an experience and knowledge of our bosses to whom he is asking to relieve. He should also issue a clear instruction to the engineer who is taking charge of an aircraft while going to relieve a person that what he should do and what not.
Lack of clear instructions creates conflict when the relieved engineer failed to deliver his job in shift transition. He must be instructed either to complete the job and then move away or he must brief that what are the items left for the inspection and the same must be accepted by the engineer taking charge of the aircraft without any argument as he has resume the duty.
Working at T-3 brought many changes by default and reporting in time to our shift is one of them unlike Palam. The problem of getting relievers at remote bay at Palam are the story of past, getting the reliever in time is not an issue now but we still reluctant to change our mindset and hesitate to own the responsibility.
For a good maintenance practice in our industry we need to grow up, take a good care of job done by younger or elder, discuss the mistakes that committed will not be repeated in future rather the act of criticising even if the intention is not bad and yes; that is the spirit of maintenance.

After TITANIC

.......AI TANIC

On its 1st journey to the fateful day of April 13, 1912, 2235 passengers never thought by then while a band was playing their famous tune to welcome onboard on the deck of 1st class, no one imagined that they are never going to reach New York instead they were heading for a greatest maritime tragedy in ice -strewn North Atlantic sea .A sexy, starry moonless night was the last night in their life and soon met with their fate at 2240hrs of 13th day of April. Titanic collide with an iceberg in its starboard side which results in breaking all the six water tight compartments of the ship. Once thought of that it will never sink even after breaking of 4 of its water tight compartments but accident broke all the six ,titanic sank in deep sea after 2 hrs and 40 minutes of its collision at the rate of 10 miles per hour .Thereafter what had happened to all on board is known to the world.

713 persons on board (females and children were rescued by safety boat) survived but rest were not that lucky.

On August 1953 when Air India (erstwhile IA) was afloat in air on its 1st flight, employees then never had anticipated that it will likely to meet the fate of Titanic.

99 Years after that fateful day of Titanic another Titanic by the name of AItanic is in waiting. Air India (Erstwhile Indian airlines) collides exactly 4 years back with an iceberg (Merger) like Titanic and all its six compartments (Personal &HR, Finance, Operation Commercial, Marketing and Engineering) collapsed.

Commander of the Titanic (Captain E.J. Smith) on its maiden voyage in welcome address on board said as a pre-voyage boast that “Not even god himself could sink her”. His statement was proved wrong like the saying of “man proposes god disposes.”

Commander of ours is trying his level best by taking many measures and introducing one after another turn around projects to steer away from the iceberg on its way so that we must not meet the fate in the like of Titanic.
We also need to support him morally in steering away from this iceberg by being enthusiastic, supportive and doing our own job with little bit extra effort and care honestly .Our jobs at individual level when performed will avert the much talked tsunami.
We are not here to meet our fate Titanic way. We are determined and do whatever required averting this tragedy, much talked Tsunami. We are honest and committed to work as a family which sacrificed for couple of months to save and support the commander in steering it in safer zone. Though, everyone from Aam aadmi to Khas aadmi is against us, Media not supportive of our survival but we know our goal and know how to convert all these odds into even and emerged as a winner.

We believe in KARMA and God, a philosophy of The Geeta, We are not going to boast like captain smith of Titanic but work hard to save our AITANIC.