For Your Protection

Recently the company imposed discipline that is more excessive than has been done in the past for damaging aircraft . So, in the future, be sure to use all rules and procedures, when working in and around aircraft, and be sure that the path that the aircraft is to travel is free of hazards. Remember, it is your responsibility for the safety of the aircraft and your job.

(b) Listing of discrepancies and placards. If the person performing any inspection required by part 91 or 125 or §135.411(a)(1) of this chapter finds that the aircraft is unairworthy or does not meet the applicable type certificate data, airworthiness directives, or other approved data upon which its airworthiness depends, that persons must give the owner or lessee a signed and dated list of those discrepancies. For those items permitted to be inoperative under §91.213(d)(2) of this chapter, that person shall place a placard, that meets the aircraft's airworthiness certification regulations, on each inoperative instrument and the cockpit control of each item of inoperative equipment, marking it “Inoperative,” and shall add the items to the signed and dated list of discrepancies given to the owner or lessee.

Safety Contact:

“Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 4 feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falling by the use of engineering controls, personal fall restraint, or personal fall arrest systems.” (GPM 13-15)

There are many required qualifications for the performance of certain aircraft-related functions. If your training record does not display a qualification or it displays a qualification with the word “EXPIRED” attached, you do NOT hold the authority for that qualification. See GPM 19-03 for the requirements for all the qualifications, both initial and recurrent. Here’s a sampling of qualifications:

- If A102 does not appear in your training record, you are NOT LMP qualified.

- If A145 does not appear in your training record, you are NOT E-6 logbook qualified.

- If A181 does not appear in your training record, you are NOT extended operations (ETOPS) qualified.

- If A240 does not appear in your training record, you are NOT RII authorization qualified.

- If A241 does not appear in your training record, you are NOT aircraft release authority (ARA) qualified

BMT: B777 IDG Minimum Frequency

The subject of Boeing maintenance tip MT 24-035, dated 8/01/07, is “integrated drive generator (IDG) not on-line and no generator off EICAS message at engine start.” It applies to all 777 airplanes.

CONDITION: If the Integrated Drive Generator (IDG) does not reach the minimum required frequency (come-alive speed) of 380 HZ at engine start-up, the GCU will not annunciate, via AIMS, a “GEN OFF” EICAS message. However, the generator off light on the pilots’ overhead panel will illuminate.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: The status of the generator (on-line or off-line) can be verified by the generator off light on the pilots’ overhead panel. If the IDG does not achieve the minimum frequency of 380 HZ, remove and replace the IDG.

BACKGROUND: The original design (software) of the GCU did not account for the possibility of one IDG not obtaining the minimum required frequency of 380 HZ. This condition can only occur if the IDG fails to reach minimum frequency at initial engine start. The GCU will provide a “GEN OFF” EICAS message when the IDG does come on-line (reaches 380 HZ) and then drops off-line (falls below 380 HZ) for any reason after engine start and prior to engine shut down. At the next opportunity, a GCU change is planned to correct this condition.

MAINTENANCE MANUAL ACTION: None.

One of the duties of the Tech Services department is to assist the field maintenance personnel when dealing with maintenance or MEL issues. This duty is described in Section 1-01, Page 1, Paragraph B of the Technical Services Procedures Manual (TSPM). This paragraph states, in part, “The Technical Specialist is Field Maintenance’s primary contact when technical direction or guidance is needed to solve a maintenance problem.” This is further explained in Section 1-01, Page 19, Paragraph B. 9 of the TSPM which states, in part, “However, it is important for the mechanic to realize that he/she is signing the logbook and the Technical Specialist’s name is a reference only.

Whether Tech Services provides the correct information or not, it is imperative that anyone who calls Tech Services to understand that it is the responsibility of the person who makes and signs the appropriate E6 entry, MEL entry, or other airworthiness release, to ensure that the proper procedures and references are utilized.

NEW TSA REQUIREMENTS AFFECTING FIELD TRIPS – Recently enacted security changes at many of the cities AA operates to will affect Field Trips and Visitors to those cities. TSA is now requiring certain station personnel who have a need for escort privileges, to have that authorization issued by the badging office of that city. The “Escort Authority” authorization will be noted on the escorting employee’s ramp badge. Only station employees with this authorization will be allowed to escort a non-station badged person in the airport secured or sterile areas.

It is increasingly important for our M&E Maintenance cities who dispatch field trips to Class IV cities to give ample notification to local management, providing the required “Names, Employee Numbers, and Arrival information”. Additionally at virtually all of our Class IV cities, there are no personnel on duty after MIDNIGHT. An exception to this would be the outsourced cabin cleaning personnel who most likely will not have escort authority.

There are currently over twenty Class IV stations where we have no AA employees. These stations are supported by contract personnel such as ATS, Johnson Controls, Jetstream, etc.

It is imperative that the station responsible for dispatching a Field Trip notify the receiving station as soon as possible to provide the necessary information. This will allow the receiving station time to meet any local restrictions to facilitate the movement of our maintenance employees. The General Manager contacts and station personnel names and phone numbers can be found through the DECS computer system by entering RF5432A STA. Additional information can be found in RF5432B STA and RF5432C STA (Use the three letter station designator for STA on your entries).

Please remember, if you are not badged in the city where you are going, YOU NEED AN ESCORT and “MUST” CALL AHEAD.

Don't forget...

According to your rights under Article 29F anytime the company calls you in to speak to you for the purpose of investigation, or there is a possibility of discipline, or written statements or notes are taken, or any matter which requires the company to call witnesses, or for just cause, or when the company must have more than one member of management present, you have the right for union representation to be there. (ie MEAA's, "BOI's", Attendance)

MD 80 Procedures	Taxiing above 20 Knots is considered a High Speed Taxi (Per GPM4-12)	Prescription drug list which puts up red flags to AA medical due to safety sensitive nature of our job.
MD 80 Fire Handle Precautions	RII: New Requirements	Always use Fall Protection procedures!
The possession and use of employee-owned calibrated tooling at Class I, II and III stations is strictly prohibited.	Study for the ORD Drivers only test
	ORD Map