Monkeying Around

Today marks the 2 week point of monkeying around in the hanger.  Well maybe not quite but I've been a little more grounded these past 2 weeks compared to other weeks here in Papua (pun intended).  Over the course of these weeks I've had the privilege of making some good progress in my maintenance training/checkout.  I started with leading my first Mini inspection on PK-MAE the Caravan which I've also done most of my flight training in, to date in Papua.  This inspection went well getting the aircraft back in the air in timely fashion. Next up was helping a fellow mechanic under instruction (Luke) with his first lead role during an inspection on PK-MAF a Kodiak.  Our newest plane none the less, with only 200 hrs since new, one would think myself included; "what could one possibly find broken, worn out or out of place after only 200hrs".  Well it turns out that new airplanes can come with problems too, and not just minor ones either.  I found the aileron autopilot cable and main control cable twisted with the cable clamps positioned in such away that made it possible for them to snag with each other.  Not a good thing to have a main flight control system lock up in flight.  And later in the inspection as things were getting closed up Luke  noticed some strange wear on a couple main control cable pulleys in the tail area and discovered that the bracket holding the pulleys had been manufactured wrong and if left alone the pulleys would have worn through and again a main flight control system compromised.  Lessons learned don't take an inspection lightly even with a new plane. Next up was helping on a Phase 4 inspection on PK-MPF which is a more detailed type of inspection for the Caravans.  Today PK-MPS came in for a Mini inspection which I had the privilege of leading was well.  The next few days I think there will be some odds and ends that will pass through the hanger.  Mid week of the coming week I get back in the flight rooster and continue on with the flight training/checkout. Only a couple more items on the checklist and I'll have MAF approval to conduct a Caravan Mini inspection on my own.  Oh ya one small but important detail, an Indonesian mechanic's licence.  Which I think I should have in hand sometime in April.  A quick update on some of the recent technical tasks we've been called to be apart of as we serve the Papuan People.

Blessings
Greg & Julie