I Remember

Today, as I sit down to start to write my editorial column for this issue, I can’t help but remember. I don’t have to tell you what day today is. The events that took place 11 years ago today are forever etched in my memory. I can remember that day vividly as if it were yesterday. I had just arrived at the office, and some coworkers told me that an airplane had hit one of the World Trade Center towers. Some images were being posted online and the hole in the tower looked like a small plane had hit it. My first thoughts were, “Why would a pilot be flying there? If he was having problems with his aircraft, couldn’t he have ditched it in a more open space? Was he suicidal?”

A few minutes later, another coworker came in and said, “Another plane just hit the second tower!” It appeared that the pilots were indeed suicidal.

We knew this was no accident. This was an unprecedented attack on U.S. soil. We went to a TV to watch the unfolding news. We were glued to the set as video was being re-played of the second aircraft when it hit the second tower. These were no small GA aircraft. They were huge passenger jets. News reporters were in shock as they tried to make sense of the situation. We would later learn of the plane that crashed into the Pentagon and the plane that made a crash landing in that remote Pennsylvania field.

Then the towers collapsed and many innocent victims and first responders lost their lives. I also remember the following days as the skies were completely empty. Not a single contrail could be seen above, evidence of the FAA’s grounding of all U.S. flights.

I remember the resulting economic impact that day caused. Our industry was hit hard. The airlines, which had already been feeling the effects of a beginning economic recession, were losing millions of dollars each day as their airplanes remained grounded.

It has been a struggling 11 years for the aviation industry, especially the airlines. We have seen bankruptcies, mergers, union concessions and airline restructuring like no other time before. The airlines had already been in a tough economic situation before the attacks. But that day put an exclamation point on their problems — problems that continue to this day.

When I started working as an aircraft mechanic in the late 1980s, the airlines is where I wanted to go. Great pay, retirement and free flights — what a great gig.

How things have changed since then. One of the most evident trends of the post-9/11 era is the continued increase of outsourcing of airline maintenance. There have been many that have raised the “safety” flag when arguing against outsourcing overseas. They cite limited FAA oversight, no drug and alcohol screening or background checks for the most part, and many uncertified people working under the supervision of FAA-certified mechanics with Airframe and Powerplant ratings.

But these red flags raised by others don’t concern me as much as the loss of knowledge this trend is causing. If you maintain the aircraft your company flies, you get to know all the ins and outs of the aircraft. You see trends happen, and maintenance events uncover problem areas that can be corrected before they affect the fleet. As new problems arise, troubleshooting skills increase the ability to fix future problems in a timely manner.

When airlines choose to outsource their maintenance, that knowledge and experience goes away. Not only are jobs lost, but a lot of talent gets shown the door, often never to return to the industry.

How can we attract talented minds to the industry when all they see is gloom and doom? There are many great opportunities in aviation maintenance. Unfortunately, the airline sector has seen a lot of problems in the past 11 years, and their news is all the general public sees. If new mechanics choose to work for the airlines, they will undoubtedly face significant challenges. Those new mechanics that fill job openings will not have the same opportunity to learn from experienced mentors as those before them did because there are fewer to be had. When enough knowledge is lost, the risk for accidents or incidents rises.

 Yes, I remember the events of 11 years ago. I also remember the past 11 years and how our industry has been significantly transformed.

What will the next 11 years bring? What are your thoughts?

Thanks for reading, and we appreciate your feedback.

 Joe Escobar