………Autobiography of Engineer’s Rest Room
Commonly called as AME Rest Room
Gender-Female
Age-Visual-as young as any Bollywood diva Actual- 58 Years (01/08/1953)
Over the period of last six decades I have seen Engineers who maintained DC-3 to Avro HS-748 and then starting of jet age in 1970 with B737-200 and finally a new breed of fly by wire aircrafts in 1990 (Airbus). Three different generations of aircrafts were inducted over these years. I have seen three generation of engineers during all these years.
The old saying of “Diversity is the spice of life” was true to me. I was lucky and dated many engineers all these years. I had been into the relationship with few of them but they were energetic, talented and more caring. It is better not to name them as the young one feel it bad. I dislike those engineers who coming into my lap keep clasping and squeezing me for hours and hours unlike engineers of other trade.
I witnessed many AME trainees elevated to a level of executive who at times had taken rest in my lap, slept after doing maintenance work and then attending departures early in the morning.
I also witnessed hardworking helper to be uplifted as engineer & few of them becoming top bosses of this cadre. In spite of long span of mine in existent, never seen any change in working of Engineering. Sincerity level of Engineers was more those days than present generation Engineers; is the fact to be confessed at this juncture.
Unlike today (They are of –ve mindset) I have seen Engineers busy discussing the problems pertaining to their aircrafts undergoing maintenance work in past. I also grew up during this period as their technical PA. And why should I not? After all my boyfriends are engineers.
I was less equipped with the electronic gadgets then, not like today’s Air conditioners, but had only electric fan & Cooler. I was content and happy.
I always welcome those engineers who came tired after departure in sun, rain and cold; I spread my arms in love and lust. I never differentiated them as long as they did there job and came to me. I offered them all sorts of comfort. I am happy having a living relationship with them as they spent at least for 8hrs everyday with me. Their wives may be envy of me but I enjoy their proximity.
During this period, I had to leave my abode thrice from Ch-4 to Ch-3(Behind SI office at Palam)) and now T-3 world's one of largest airport.
When I was brought to T-3, I applied lot of anti-aging cream, facelifting, manicure & pedicure to present myself looking further young but of no use. Young looking engineers look tired. They just come to me, letdown and fall asleep. I hate such attitudes. I am worried about there future. Their energy levels are very low. I am not satisfied by there act. This attitude shows something gone wrong somewhere. This is a matter of concern. They never care for my upkeep & cleanliness. After all I also need some space.
I was happy to know that my boyfriends are being handed over SUDEXO coupons at T-3.I started day dreaming of going into Barista, Mcdonalds etc for snacks and outings to upstairs café into world class terminal building. These guys(Engineers) will never change, coupons are being used and exchanged for purchasing their households and I was not relieved of serving tea and snacks. On the contrary, they brought all my old belongings and forcefully making tea & coffee. Though there is no provision for kitchen, Tea & snacks are still being prepared & served. I am sick of being treated as housewife.
I wanted to look like modern days companion of an executive; like a tomboy but my BFs(Engineers) are still happy being treated as workers. In the last six decades they fail to elevate their career from worker to a level of executive. I am really tired of taking care of these old fashioned friends. At times I feel they don’t deserve to be smart and modern (given all these modern facilities) PA as they still live and happy in dirt and dust. They enjoy staying amid garbage. I was thinking of my modern look but they made me (rest room) even worse than what I used to be at Palam.
I am sorry ,BF is to be read as Boy friend. Please do care me. I also deserve to be clean and modern as my relatives (Rest rooms of other airlines) who have their boyfriends of Jet Airways, Kingfisher, Indigo and Spice. I feel ashamed when they (Engineers from other airlines) visit me. They curse you for not taking a good care of me. I feel hurt.
I do argue with them for your talent, wisdom, honesty and so on but fail to answer when they say I agree but your boy friends (BF) are conservative, they resist change ,a diversity which is the spice of life, A basic mantra for the universe.
I request my friends please change your attitude, do not wait for others to do it. Do what you say. That is what needed to capture a big Pie. Attaining number 1 position is not a big deal then.
Forever yours.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Engineer's(AME) House
...........A Healing centre to a Jail
Impact of transfer establishment order is not less than a bomb explosion in ones life. The very 1st question in my mind comes after my transfer was how & where to stay? The obvious answer was offcourse our AME House. A home away home, and Why should it not be? I had been to that house on many NR stations earlier too on our 15 days postings.
On arrival at outstation into our AME house one cannot deny being nostalgic of that house.
Many of these residences are being maintained before we joined our Airlines.
The concept of AME House at outstation introduced years back was the one idea which really deserves an appreciation.
This is the place where one can see a wonderful coordination amongst engineers. May be it is because whenever you are there your rest other colleges are virtually available in our register placed there & used to maintain our balance sheets.
In spite of many differences surfaced amongst us on various issues in past, AME house never appeared to be the matter of discussion or any controversies.
Kitchen of our AME house exhibits a true regional color of India and reminds our olden college hostel days. Engineers from different part of our country, having theirs different taste make use of this kitchen. Its various types, size & shape of utensils suited as per their regional choice is a common scene in the kitchen. One can find a leftover (after departure of relieving engineer) mustered oil to sunflower, Peanuts to coconut oil and spices ranging from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, many variety of rice and pulses lying in many small jars..
Maintenance of our AME's houses is done individually by one who is on posting. This was of great help for those who transferred for one year. It was a place where we rest with right during our exile. It is the place which gives us shelters during our bad days of our professional life.
The absences of AME House on few stations was real hardship to those who was posted on such locations. Though no company policy for our accommodation in line with the Air India Engineers whereby they get fully furnished lease accommodation, it is still a very costly affair to stay in our AME House.
Engineers on posting have to maintain his home alongside AME House at reduced HRA(15%) with a monthly net loss of Rs 12000/=pm.
Outstation posting allowances would have been a great help to us morally and financially in near future as it is there for Air India Engineers. Jet Airways, and Kingfisher make a handsome payments of Rs.25000/= to Rs.32000/=pm (as per grade) as outstation posting allowances.
Earlier it was fun staying for 15 days there (after getting bore on 2/2/2 pattern) but now it is burden.
It was like recharging our battery getting exhausted for months on working in this pattern and then doing departures of one or two flights and then a complete rest.
AME House, once a HEALING CENTRE seems a JAIL now for 90 days.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
A Farewell
It was 11th of June 2010 when I landed last year with a fear and confusion to spend my 1 year posting. It is very difficult for engineers to handle aircraft out of main base all alone. It was true to me too.
Time passes and everything went well so much that my fear changed into emotion and today I have a feeling of leaving my family behind.
Being alone at outstation, no support of technical hand except two technicians, working for 90 days at a stretch is really a tough task. Engineer too has a lot of pressure for giving departure to a scheduled flight, to issue PF certificate under the given parameters, as the mystery unfold only after engine shut down at the bay on parking. Until he saw PF report, he keep praying god for a snag free turn around of an aircraft in time.
Contrary, staffs at Varanasi had lot of support to me. I had always a feel to be at home. From Loader/helper to Manager all work here as a family member. There is some invisible bond amongst all. One can see a strange coordination. In no time aircraft is handled without any hurdle with the fullest satisfaction of a traveller to cockpit crew. These results in turning around of aircraft within 30minutes.The work culture of Varanasi’s Air Indians may be brought in light to put an example to other transit stations.
Station is well managed under the coolest Station manager Sh Atif, whereas Airport is managed by, jolly and god fearing Manager Sh Abdi who is assisted by an intelligent APM, Sh KP singh.
Sh Abhay Tiwari’s long association to all of us is coming to an end this month. The void after him will be difficult to fulfil. We will now miss him for his guidance. I wish him a happy and healthy life after his retirement on 30th June.
No one can believe that a person is going to retire in his youth this year. Offcourse I am talking about a young, energetic and disciplined guy of Varanasi, he is no one other than Sh Yadav. His strength and energy even in 58th years are remarkable.
Each one has its own quality. Sh Rai to Dr Ravi Verma, an actor to a Doctor, Sh Vishwanath to Dyal, a real professional to an intelligent and basically good human being, are cherish my memory for years to come.
At last I will miss the company of an intelligent and humorous Sh R Pandey, cool and shy OP Tiwari, obedient Algu and a very hardworking, knowledgeable Sh MS Tripathi.
Few name too will cherish in my memory is of USMAN for his versatile workmanship & Narsingh as a silent worker.
With best wishes.
FLIGHT DUTY
..........After my Exile
After a considerable gap of 18months and on my arrival after exile, I was asked to do a flight duty to Muscut(Ironically MCT became my pre and post exile flight duty).
This was a surprise to me that still we have few sectors where we fly out of Delhi.
This reminded me of our olden days of IA where everyday many of us either fly to Singapore, Bangkok, Kualalumpur, Dubai Doha, Behrain and Sarjah or doing 15 days postings.
Lot of activities were there at the backdrop of this, Many man hours were wasted for maintaining the records of engineers who and when one has done flights and postings, heated arguments were seen in our rest room. The first thing everyone love to do is that one used to give a glance on the board in front of our SI where name of AMEs on flights were listed. It used to be the 1st topics of discussion of the day. Those who were not on flight keep criticising others whose name appeared on the white board. Next day the same person was seen going on international postings. Ames on flight when joined other day for his usual shift kept avoiding his colleagues as he was guilty of doing flight duty. All such activities come to stand still.
Earlier we were busy talking about carrefour of Dubai, nightlife of Bangkok ,its famous PATAYA beaches and various types of massages offered there at cheaper price and so on. No more marketing in these Malls, no Rambutan or guava (fruits of Bangkok), no hot spices, dry fruits, & 24 carat gold from Dubai and Sarjah famous souk etc.
Life has changed a lot since then, this reminds of olden days when we purchase chocolates from our local shops. There was a time when our kitchen shelves were full of foreign made chocolates. Now forced to buy Munch, Amul and other Indian made cadbury chocolates from our local market equating its taste to of those once purchased in foreign Malls.
Everything has changed since last 365 days. Ergonomics of today’s work place are of international standard compare to those where we struggled for years to rectify the leakage of toilet water adjacent to our SI room which keep on spilling to AME rest room giving a stinking smell. Later on we became used to of this smell which is missing at T-3 though we are trying to leave no stones unturned to make T-3 like our Palam hangar. No potable water nearby, waiting in sun to be dropped at distant bay which often causes delay of our flights due our late arrival to the remote bays in the absences of conveyance.
Our rest room to central theme of our discussion’s topics too changed. Topics of share market's loose and gains, registration of new plots, flats etc has taken a back seat where we just keeping nerves on changing dates of payments of our salaries. People silently being seen logged in theirs mailings site for any news, no more discussions, and no heated arguments were seen at rest room but we still need to be changed.
Flight duties were real threat of our integrity. We never think beyond this in past. This is the time to or introspection. Better concentrate and focus on faults what we did in past. This is the time to reset & re rack our computers to clear all the warnings if it has stick to MCDU, Scan all our system pages, review PFR for our failure messages, discuss,& refer our TSM transparently .In the process of rectification if it require to replace Master computer, replace it until the system test is satisfactory.Own some extra responsibility and do something expeditiously to regain our lost glory before it is too late.
Let us start afresh with zero-zero hours to bounce back for sure.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Salary Eclipse
40% of us have stoped logging on mailing site every few minutes to check for a new mail in their mailing box for SHU(Sumit Halder updates).Thanks to our present top authority decision for not disbursing even this month salary. This helped us getting rid of Page 2 syndrome.
We now prefer making calls to our friends for Any News? This is a magic word. Today one does not need to explain it further. Every one of us now knew what really he wants to know.
To every one surprise, colleagues at Metropolis depend on those who are on transit for any news. It is not that they do not have any news. Either they are afraid of venting any news out or they are in habit of getting it ratify their own source of news.
The saying of No news are good news seem to be wrong as a common answer of a common question(Any news) is not a good news for sure.
Salary day was earlier equated as a full moon day. This was decreasing each passing day for rest of 15 days and then a dark nights but still few penny left as moon too is visible for few hours in night until it disappears on 30th day to surface it on the eastern sky on moon day like our page1 and 2 on 30th or before. This time it has disappeared for last 50 days as a full lunar eclipse.
This lunar eclipse was century’s longest and darkest eclipse lasted for 100minutes, Air india’s salary eclipse is also 1st ever in last 60 years, our salary eclipse still in continuation (For last 46 days), The earth came in between sun and moon but moves away after 100 minutes but Air Indian still figuring it out who came in between and why not moving out to end our Salary eclipse.
Monday, June 13, 2011
IN EXILE
It was my 1st off after 2nd night when mobile rang up while I was driving away to a local market in Sector-6 of Dwarka, Delhi.
This was the time when our heart was pumping at faster speed and afraid of receiving a call from office. In a very next moment, xxxxx075 no was flashing on my mobile set and I was sure enough that this is me going to be suspended now.
At the other end the person was asking me to proceed to xxxxnow by morning flight, for me, it was; as if I got my 2nd life. The very 1st reaction was that I have been spared and happily thanks to all my deities.
Though happy but still afraid, relieved one of my colleague who was later on suspended for no fault of his and thereafter I went on exile until discovered on AME times with a new identity of pramodara.
I was consoled by few of my colleague/seniors that do not worry take it as a three postings of 3 month each. As it is we were supposed to do 3 month posting.
We were the one who were disowned by our own colleague. No one remembered us for months. Those who were coming to flight duty somehow trying to avoid us, may be they were thinking as he too will be transferred if someone pass this message to their bosses that he was indulge in conversation with the outstation engineer.
Phase 1
Each day was passing like years, tired coming daily to airport without any leave, people making joke of our status. At the other end back home in Delhi, our family also was in trauma and could not understand what has happened. It was unbelievable. We were getting weaker day by day both physically and mentally. Low morale, no motivation we had only one intention to save the job, better do the job.
Everyone ignored and disowned us.
Phase 2
On arrival after a holidays of 15 days, a bit settled by now, cool and calm, habitual of my lonely life back in AME house, started thinking about ways to pass time. Enjoyed my companion here with a pair of pigeon (already discussed on this board) and spent lot of time at office to set the things right which were not taken care of for years during our 15 days posting. Many things were achieved during this period. Degree of humiliation got reduced slowly and slowly. Staffs too become accustomed of our presence over here for another few months. I was now not the matter of their discussion. Days were passing much faster than the phase 1.
We were accepted and mingled with local staff .Lot of jobs were performed and followed up for engineering.
Phase 3
By now 7 months have passed. The only hope of going back home after 3 months posting, as per the High court order, was lost as we withdrew the winning case. There was no other way than to pass the time doing some constructive work at our work station. I utilised my energy accordingly and tried to do all the jobs done here what we can not perform at Delhi like cleaning of Air Intake, radome & Oleo etc.
I started enjoying a freedom of becoming my own boss, maintaining my own time with no tension of working on 2/2/2 pattern.
Phase 4
This phase started with lot of zeal as only 45 days were left to be in exile. Days were passing like minutes and here was the last weekend away from my forced removal.
Few desperate days were there when I was eager to know the list of my colleague who were about to relieve us. I kept on enquiring for those who are supposed to be posted at Varanasi and rest other stations of Northern region. At last, much awaited list also came out in public and I am relieved and proceeding back home.
During my exile, I learn to live alone,
Knew who all in my life remember most and who are important to me,
In loneliness I was truer to myself, speak less lie in life and it is time to purify my soul.
I come across the fact of life, this make me bold enough to not to be dishearten due any incidents further in life.
Sharpen skill other than my professional.
Offcourse, during all this period I was not amongst my near and dear and missed them for sure.
“I wish all the best to my friend Sh Raghvendra Mishra ji who relieved me at Varanasi”
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Advantages of Outstation Posting
It was not that we did not enjoy doing outstation posting instead it has many advantages & disadvantages too. Engineers in line who are fading up working on 2/2/2 patterns must at least do one posting to have a feel of it.
One year posting is most suited for the juniors whom kids are yet to join school and to seniors whose son/daughters schooling are over.
This also gives an ample opportunity to one who really wants to perform and did not get opportunity while working at base.
We operate/connect as many as 63 stations. 90% of the stations have maximum of three flights and that too during day time. Therefore, the advantages of doing posting are as under:-
We do either general or afternoon duty instead as stated above 222 patterns at base,
Fixed duty timing results in setting our body clock to normal so fitness level is higher,
Being an in-charge, he himself is engineering boss of the base; he is free to report for duty as per the arrival of the aircraft,
Work is maximum limited to Nil Noted job and Use of MEL unless some incidents, once in blue moon, occur at your station.
One can fulfil ones hobby to desired level which was otherwise not possible at base,
Apart from engineering, one has opportunity to interact with various other government departments.
One can understand of our inter-departmental functioning very closely such as commercial, ticketing, finance, security and operation and more importantly aviation marketing.
One has opportunity to know about big holes from where our money is drained out.
And many more…..
Disadvantages:-
You will miss your family members as they can not and would not like to stay there,
You draw less salary in terms of HRA,
Expenditure increases by Rs.10,000/=pm in terms of your stay at outstation(House rent, Maid, cable, gas cylinder, grocery etc),
Note: Each one of us loose more than Rs.15000/=pm compared to our friends working at base.
Being alone you may come in trap of depression.
Outstation job may be lucrative by
(1)Providing fully furnished leased accommodation by Air India as it is there for Air India engineers,
(2)Lunch coupon to be provided as it is done at Base or we may be given lunch and snacks allowances, There is no facility of any canteen or restaurant at small station if it is there charges are exorbitant.
(3)Outstation posting allowance to be paid as it is there in Jet Airways, kingfisher and Spice jet (They are paid Rs.25000/= to Rs.35000/=pm as outstation posting allowance).
Point two may not be considered if we met point 1 and point 3.
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