IAmA former Mcdonnell Douglas/Boeing Airframe Mechanic AMA

What's the most terrifying story you can tell us?

Probably every boeing plane you've ever been on was built by alcoholics and hardcore drug addicts.

Which one were you?

The pothead.

Wouldn't a mechanic be the person repairing them, not building them?

Nope. Mechanics will be the guys who actually have to get all of that sheet metal in to the skin of an aircraft and make sure every single rivet goes in properly.

This is true.

Suggestion: have the mods list you as verified and/or remove more identifying info from that 1099. A comment like that, however true, could expose you to retaliation from Boeing on the basis of libel/defamation.

Just did it,Thanks.

No, edit the original post and remove that .jpg you fool. they will fire your ass with that ID number on it.

Done.

How does this happen? http://i.imgur.com/DYASJmK.jpg

Honestly from shitty work on that subpanel, mistakes (bad drilling) can easily be covered up simply by over flattening a rivet butt.

Are there any checks in place to make sure this stuff doesn't happen, or is it left up to the person doing the work?

Yes there are checks in place, every mechanic is given a stamp with their employee number on it. But if the job doesn't come out right its all too easy to go and use someone else s stamp. And there alot of ways to cover up mistakes so that the inspection can't see it.

Not anymore as I work at the Renton Boeing and its all computerized, there is no possible way to stamp with anyone else's stamp anymore.

This is good to know.

So let's address this comment, and do tell:

Being a boeing airframe mechanic for 7 years this doesn't surprise me. The stories i could tell but wont because most of you will never want to fly again, i don't.

I was actually thinking of the subpanels we were getting from Utah, every single jog on a panel was a mess and had to be repaired. I'm talking about like a 25x25 square foot panel that should of been scrapped but wasn't because it cost a couple hundred thousand dollars. It would be "repaired" and slapped on a plane. at that point in time we were kicking out 248 planes a year on the MD-80 line.

They actually did send a lot of us to Utah for a year to show the people over there how to do good work. The problem was that most of the workers there were Navajo indians and these guys made us look like boy scouts, they were always drinking and taking payote.

Uhm. It's Navajo.

Fixed, thanks.

It's also peyote.

Oh screw it..

Were these repairs sanctioned by Boeing or where they just done by the workers (or lower management) in order to save costs and decrease the amount of work they end up doing?

Not sure, They just said fix em as best as you can.

What story could you tell us that would make us never want to fly again?

The skin between you and death is only as thick as about three soda can skins.

What is a mildly interesting instance of cost cutting that you know of / have experienced with regards to anything you know about airplanes? And what is a highly interesting instance?

There was absolutely no cost cutting going on anywhere, you got to remember the more that they can show the customer that it costs to make an airplane the more that they can charge. They would have us go in on Sundays and all we would do is play cards and drink.

You delivered! I just saw the thread where you said you'd do this. Thanks.

My question is, what are the most crooked/corrupt dealings you've seen go on?

Also, with the easing in of the new Boeing airplanes an the whole lithium ion battery controversy, what worried you the most about how the planes are made/how well they're made?

EDIT: Spelling.

Most corrupt thing is just how much they charge the government for the work, when i started on the C-17 program we were still in the testing phase, i believe we were on test plane 3 and we literally had nothing to do for three months, we were just told to show up to work and look busy just to make it look good for the Air force people that would walk by every so often.

I've honestly never stepped foot inside an airport, nor have I ever been in an airplane. If you were in my position, would you put flying on your "bucket list"?

What advice would you give me, in the event I need to fly somewhere?

Just do it, I know i will have to some day.