Living With Aircraft Maintenance |
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June 14, 2005
by Austin Brentley
Technician Programs Columnist
The next time your pilot announces that there will be slight delays due to aircraft maintenance and system checks, just relax and be happy. In the long (and short) run, having a functioning airplane engine is infinitely more advantageous than landing early for your business meeting. Especially landing too early, if you get my drift.
Aircraft Maintenance Delay
"They should've checked the airplane engine hours ago." I hear that a lot when I'm stuck at the airport waiting for the mechanics to finish up their aircraft maintenance. I'm still not the most comfortable flyer in the world. How a multi-ton metal object manages to lift off and fly miles above the Earth's surface will forever remain a mystery to me. However, if airplane mechanics must spend an extra 30 minutes of aircraft maintenance to make sure that the magic doesn't stop, that's okay with me.
A Working Airplane Engine Is Your Friend
The truth is that an airplane engine is much more complex than your office PC or car (both of which break down from time to time). On an airplane, there are more moving parts, and thus, more opportunities for malfunctions. Airlines and the federal government require that mechanics perform aircraft maintenance between every flight. Given the law of averages, every airplane engine will break eventually. Better to have it break during your wait then after the in-flight peanuts and movie.
Wrenching a Jet Engine
The importance of airplane maintenance should keep a demand for good mechanics going for some time. Getting a degree in the mechanics of an airplane engine is a great way to get a thorough knowledge base in the field, get started into the aviation industry, and give flyers like me peace of mind.
About the Author
A freelance writer and researcher, Austin Brentley is an English teacher currently living and working in Yamaguchi, Japan. His previous experience includes working for a lobbying firm in his native Washington, DC and working for various record and television studios in New York. Austin holds a B.A. in history.
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