Walked into a regional hangar in Tulsa yesterday and nearly lost it

I saw a mechanic using a 3/8ths ratchet to torque a main wheel nut, you know, just winging it by feel. The torque spec on that nut is 250 foot-pounds, and he didn't even have a gauge on him. Has anyone else seen stuff like this slipping through at smaller shops?

3 comments

3 Comments

alexk605d ago

Right, because "that feels about right" is definitely the official procedure for 250 foot pounds. I half expected him to pull out a stripped screwdriver and call it a day. Guess we're all just living in a world where "close enough" keeps the landing gear attached.

michael_jenkins396d ago

Stood there watching him crank on it like it was a lug nut on a Honda Civic. I mean maybe it's just me but I'd probably want something a little more precise than vibes when torquing a wheel that keeps a plane in the air.

river_allen6d ago

You ever notice how people just wing it with everything these days? It's like the whole world forgot torque wrenches exist, from my neighbor tightening his bike rack to the guy at the quick lube. We trust "good enough" way too much.